"Reality" TV

Like many people, we have a DVR for recording our favorite television shows. And from time to time, we get 'behind' and have to catch up. Two of our favorite shows hit pretty close to home for me in the last week or two. Modern Family recently wrapped up its first season by taking the family to Hawaii. As we started watching, several things looked familiar and I started to say 'that looks like..." as the guy on TV said "Welcome to the Four Seasons, Maui". The episode was touching and funny (as always) and it really 'hit home' for me and Susie as MY Dad & Mom took our family to Hawaii (including the Four Seasons Maui) in July 2009 to celebrate their 51st wedding anniversary (if you're curious, you can check out photos on our photo site). That was our last family trip together before his passing in September and was an amazing memory that we won't forget! I hope to someday take our family to the Four Seasons; hopefully with less 'madcap adventures' as shown on that TV program :)

Another show that we watch regularly is Deadliest Catch. If you follow the series, one of the captains recently had a stroke. Not to be a 'spoiler' but sadly Captain Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie passed away. The episode we watched last night ended with Captain Phil being taken away in an ambulance. I was blessed to have made it to Kentucky prior to my Dad passing away, and seeing Phil in a gurney reminded me of my Father in the ICU. I feel for anyone else who has lost a family member and I try to focus on the good (Hawaii, childhood, our relationship) with the bad (his passing). God bless you all and take a moment to call your loved ones and hug your family.

With all the silly trash that can be found on the TV, I am surprised when something touches me as much as those 2 programs recently have... Take care, Bo

Kill Bill! (Actually, Kill THIS Bill!)

Take a glance at this article on HR 5034. This bill is going to take wine consumption back to the dark ages of Prohibition! Write your Congressman! Likewise, check out this site and find out more about this horror-show.

As for Georgia residents, time to go on the attack! If you are in the following districts, you need to yell at your representative NOW. As for John Barrow (D-12th), Paul Broun (R-10), John Gingrey (R-11), David Scott (D-13) and Lynn Westmoreland (R-3): SHAME ON YOU. I plan to research your contributors and I can almost guarantee that the big distributors have given them a lot of money. Meanwhile, I still can't get Ridge wine shipped directly to me due to overzealous restrictions on the State level--if HR 5034 passes, I will NEVER get the specialty wines I used to get from them. BOO!

My comments to Hon. Tom Price, Georgia Congressman re: HR 5034

"Please do NOT join in the support of this bill. I know this bill is not the most important issue facing our current Congress but it is an important issue to me. I want open trade with other wine states. It is not an issue of taxes; it is an issue of freedom of choice and less limitations on the Commerce Clause. Enacting this bill will not aid consumers, it will aid only the large distributorships. I am very disappointed in the Georgia legislators who have signed on to support this bill. I suspect that I need only look to their list of contributors to see names like National Distributors, Empire Wholesale and others donating to 'the cause'. It is not the cause of freedom; it is not for the consumer. The Supreme Court has already ruled on this; don't restrict Granholm v. Heald's ruling. Thanks for your time."

Happy Father's Day 2010!

Father's Day is upon us again, and like many other holidays it has crept up quite quickly. And like many other events, it marks another 'first' for me. This email's title is "Bittersweet". In a word, bittersweet expresses how proud I am to be a Dad but reflects how much I miss my own Father who passed away last September. All the "marquee" holidays have come and gone (Thanksgiving, Christmas) but we still face his birthday in August and I know my Mom will sadly mark what should have been their 52nd wedding anniversary this June 28th. I know how painful it would be for me if I didn't have Susie by my side each day; my heart saddens to think of how that feels.

I am lucky to have 'jumped into' such a wonderful family through marriage--Susie is a great Mom. Julia is 10 going on 35, Joey is an old soul at 17, soon to be 18 and entering his Senior year. Christi recently gave us a second grandson (and you can click on the link to the right to see some wedding shots of the whole family). After 3 years of marriage, I still find myself learning something new as I am not a father. To that you say, "huh?" I may be a Dad, but I don't call myself a Father as I never had kids of my own. Either way, it's odd how your mindset can change once you have kids. To those like my Dad who raised their children from birth, it must come easy to 'know what to do'--to be patient (well, most of the time!), kind and loving; not to judge, not to make fun of silly dreams and schemes. To know when to discipline and when to show restraint. The toughest one? To put others (your kids) in front of yourself--he always did that. He taught me how to be a good Dad; all I can do is hope that all the lessons rubbed off (though I still yell at Julia when I have to play 'find the phone' when all the cordless phones in the house are MIA : ) So to all you Dads and Fathers out there, HAPPY FATHERS' DAY and I miss you Frank W. Wagner, Jr!