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3.31.06

75 Years


You may have noticed the world fall silent at 10:48 a.m., CST, today. That moment marked 75 years since the airplane carrying Knute Rockne crashed in the Flint Hills of Kansas.

I’ll leave it to these pages to explain who Rockne was, but a couple of things seem striking to me.

First, there were a couple hundred people at the site of the crash paying their respects today. The site is in the middle of nowhere, so people traveled substantial distances to be there at the 75-year mark. That’s a fascinating and moving tribute to the man who built Notre Dame football. When he died, over a hundred thousand people lined the streets for the funeral procession. The ceremony was broadcast to Europe, South America and Asia (so google tells me). It’s hard to imagine a similar outpouring for another football coach.

Second, Rockne was 43 when he died. I hadn’t realized how young he was. In contrast, Ty Willingham was 49 when he took over at Notre Dame. So was Lou Holtz. Rockne’s age when he died makes him the Jim Croce of football coaching. What might have been?

Filed in: matt | Notre Dame
3.29.06

Rockin’ Francis


Rockin’ Francis
Originally uploaded by The Gulde Family.

This morning as I was getting ready I looked around and realized something was missing. It was Francis. She normally is under my feet, grabbing at me at all times while I try and get dressed. Moments after realizing that she wasn’t hanging on me I heard a funny noise coming from her room. It sounded like that darn rocking horse that she’s terrified of… and it sounded like it was rocking! I slowly peered around the corner expecting to see her beside it possibly just pushing on it’s head and was completely shocked to see that she had mounted that pesky horse! Her grandpa Gulde made that horse and I’m sure he would love to know that she is enjoying it. She continued to ride it for probably 5 minutes. Which for those of you on toddler time know, is a darn long time. So mark your calendars. Today is a new day… Francis is no longer afraid of her rocking horse.

Filed in: francis
3.29.06

Movie: Baby Got Book

A friend sent this link to me this morning and it really cracked me up. It’s a youth minister’s parody of Sir Mix a Lot’s classic “Baby Got Back.” This should resonate with all my fellow Wheaties.* Domers** shouldn’t feel left out though: the song includes an implicit endorsement of the Apocrypha.*** One of my favorite lines and something my sister Susan will appreciate as well (hehe): “Baby got it going on like the wife in Proverbs 31.” Click on the title of this post to view.

* Wheaton College graduates
**Notre Dame graduates
*** The biblical books included in the Vulgate and accepted in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox canon but considered noncanonical by Protestants.

Filed in: movie

by Sally

comment
March 29, 2006 - 9:27 pm

Kristen - HI-larious!!! I can't wait to share this with Robyn!!

3.28.06

London Journal

In the fall of 1999, I studied law at University College London. “Studied” is a relative term. I did have some provocative classes and classmates, but the real value of the experience was just being there. I kept a journal. Here’s an excerpt:

Monday, October 4, 1999

. . . anyway, I resolved last night not to walk by another homeless person here without giving at least some of what change I had.

When the test came, it spoke with an Irish accent. The woman on Gower Place showed me scars on her arms and the dirty face of her child. I gave her what I had on me, which couldn’t have been any more than a pound. She pulled me closer and told me she needed to get home to Dublin – that she needed twenty pounds. Then I noticed people walking by and was somehow embarrassed that I was standing there talking to this poor woman. I wasn’t embarrassed by the fact that I would be seen with her, but that they might take me for a fool. I didn’t want to look like I was being taken by this woman.

Was she telling the truth? Who knows? Did I have twenty pounds? Not on me, but I could have had it in minutes. Did I give it to her? No. I said, “I’m sorry, I can’t help you.” I should have said, “I won’t help you” because I could have. . . .

I guess if she were buying drugs or beer with the money, then I’d be telling the truth: I really couldn’t help her then. But how do you know? Maybe that shouldn’t be the question. Isn’t it better to be taken by someone than to suspect everyone? . . . . When was the last time I’ve done something for someone else that involved any risk?

Filed in: matt

by Sally

comment
March 28, 2006 - 9:59 am

ERIC WELLS - I must say this is a common question.I wish I had a dollar for everytime someone walked up to me off the street and said"hey man Im trying to get back to Witchita Falls/Texas and I just need 5 bucks for gas" Well the first time I did my good deed for the day and helped someone out only later to be approached by the same person who had already forgotten my face and told me the same story again,this from someone that already had 5 bucks from me…anyway who knows when someone is telling the truth,I guess its how you feel inside at the time that counts.I myself find it hard to trust many people now a days so I kindly decline to hand money out to people on the street,but thats just me….thanks for your time.

3.26.06

100% LOVE

This morning Matt and Francis played peekaboo with Elmo on the computer. Sesamestreet.com has a handful of todder games and this one seems to be her favorite. To top off her good fortune, she got her first piece of candy…a lollipop for telling mommy she had to go “poo-poo.” Mind you, she doesn’t actually go in the potty yet, but she does tell you when she’s either got to go or has already gone. I figure we’re well on our way to potty training.

Filed in: francis

by Sally

comment
March 27, 2006 - 2:03 am

im - Now that you are using positive reinforcement for this, you'll have to see if F's diaper-change frequency increases. In other words, in the process of training, does this encourage her to go more often?

For some reason (unexpected resuls?), this reminds me of Matt's hypo about the shoe-lace tying on the moving walkway. I happened to have such an occassion and proved Matt was right. Unexpectedly.