A Tribute to Ann Kuglich: July 8, 1915 to January 17, 2007

My brother wrote some very nice words about my Grandmother Ann Kuglich at his site:
http://marksweetwood.blogspot.com/2008/01/grandma-kuglich.html

Go there for his kind thoughts.

Mine were unique as well. I remember that Grandma loved to cook. She could do it so well; as for years we would visit at Thanksgiving and Easter. You always knew the food would be AWESOME. Additionally, there would be SOOOOO MUCH of it. She made mashed potatoes by hand: mashing them to perfection and they were thick and good. Her turkey was excellent and I remember loving the gravy. I also remember after eating, going to the living room and just feeling my waistline growing. Grandpa would drink a beer in one of those six ounce glasses as he would pour bits from the can in it, joke about Grandma, and just talk. They were good people with good hearts, good souls, and good spirits.

Although I have not seen her for a bit, I will miss her and her kind ways. It is that memory that she will leave me with whenever I think of her. She was just a kind-hearted soul.

I remember once when she was staying with us in Ottawa when my parents went on a weekend trip, she took me to the shop I bought comics. I will never forget her face of concern when I picked up a Dracula Lives magazine; but she let me buy it anyway. She trusted me and sort of had a “tend to your own business” philosophy. I am assuming Dracula Lives was not among her interests.

I am not a religious person, but I know if there is a Heaven, she is up there right now, giving pointers on how to cook mashed potatoes and stuffing and turkey; as well sharing the joy of being reunited with my Grandpa, Lou.

Equally she is sitting somewhere telling whoever is in charge not to “make a fuss” about her. We just do not have people as unassuming as she was any longer. I attribute it to her generation, as Brokaw coined it, the Greatest Generation.

When I think of history, I cannot help but wonder at all the two of them saw. Both were first generation Americans, as their parents were immigrants.

Both were alive (although I doubt they would remember) when WWI was fought.

Both saw the depression.

Both saw WWII.

Both saw the country grow from Industrialization to a nation of Service.

Both recognized the importance of family and extended family, and “keeping track of your own.”

People like Grandma and Grandpa simply do not exist in such a plentiful way any longer.

They lived in Joliet in a Croatian neighborhood; went to the same Catholic church her father helped build; went to school and if were fortunate--made it through high school; worked in industry; raised their family, and worked to give their children a better world and a better chance of success.

And the beauty of it all was that this was the American Dream for her generation.

So Grandma lived that American Dream, as did Grandpa. They knew the families in their neighborhood; they knew which kid went with which parent if there was something to report; they watched over their neighbors; and they created a system of support.

I had the good fortune of talking to her about it when I researched a paper for an immigration class. She spoke with pride of her family, her neighbors, and her way of life.

When I think of the selfishness that prevails in the current version of America or my own life, I need to remind myself what Grandma might say, “Tend to your own and don’t make a fuss.”

I appreciate how my family had a better world because of her.

Is Last Place So Bad?

“When some loud braggart tries to put me down,

And says his school is great.

I tell him right away,

Now whats the matter buddy…

Ain't you heard of my school?

Its number one in the state.

So be true to your school now…

Just like you would to your girl or guy.

Be true to your school now…

And let your colors fly…

Be true to your school.
(Push ‘em back, Push ‘em back—WAAAYYYY BACK)

So be true to your school now…

Just like you would to your girl or guy.

Be true to your school now…

And let your colors fly…

Be true to your school.”

--Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

Well actually, my school is not number one in the state. Its number two in the state as far as public colleges and number one hundred on Kiplinger’s Top 100 Public Colleges And Universities In The Nation.

It dropped from 83 to 100; but still, we made the list.

In Illinois, the University of Illinois is Number One. Big deal, how did that Rose Bowl work out for you guys?

Go Illinois State University! Go Redbirds. You can see that Reggie on the picture is kinda pissed about being number 100 out of 100, but Reggie needs to grab a beer (something we always did at ISU—Keith a frequent blog reader, closest friend, and college roommate will confirm my once divine love of all things Strohs).

In an interesting twist today, I received a letter from the Education Division of the History Department of ISU thanking me for my work with the student teachers I have worked with over the years. The letter included some interesting data.

Five out of every six teachers in the state are Illinois State University Graduates. That’s pretty good.

ISU graduates more Social Science/History teachers than any other institution in Illinois.

The Normal University is also the largest teaching college in the United States.

ISU also offers a graduate degree program in History, unlike University of Illinois. Many of my teaching friends from the Midwest who rside and teach in the Urbana area had to come to Normal for classes. Oh sure, U of I flaunts their Engineering Department and their Sciences, but do those degrees have their own channel on TV like history? Yeah, I thought not.

So why are we dropping.

Well, here’s a thought—PEOPLE HATE TEACHERS.

Ok, not really but I had to say it.

I think the drop has to do with costs and with specialization. I mean, ISU is a teaching mecca, as the town of “Normal” is named such because ISU is a Normal College (normal college meaning “Teacher College” way back when). In fact, in its early history, ISU was named ISNU (Illinois State Normal University). ISU emphasizes business marketing, teaching, and fine arts (no, really).

So, we may not be #83 anymore, we still crank out excellent teachers, our football team is much improved, our women’s athletics are top notch, and we are gonna kick the crap out of Bradley, not once, but twice this year in basketball. My brother Mark is a Bradley grad.

So GO ISU! Take that #100 out of 100 rating and in the words of Argent, “hold your head up high.”

Oh, The Creatures Are Stirring--Just Not The Right Ones

"I Don't Bother, Chasing Mice Around...oh no."

--Brian Setzer of the Stray Cats from Stray Cats Strut, 1981.

One would think with three cats, one of which is over 29 pounds, that Mice might stay away.

One just might think.

Friday, Guinness heard some noise, which I did as well. He sniffed by the stove and dishwasher. Then I figured it out--I had mice.

Damn, ever since Mark took me to Willard and Ben, I have a TRUE PHOBIA of rodents. I freaking hate them. They started the plague that wiped out Europe, they are associated with disease, they smell, they are creepy looking, and above all, they have these tiny hands that you know would tear you limb from limb. Yuck.

Anyway, again one would think Guinness or Chumley could snag the damn things; Foggy I excuse as she is old and missing a foot. But the other two, no excuses.

Anyway, on Saturday morning I called Orkin and they came out. "Yep," the Tech said, "you have a mouse or two. Its not bad, but you have them," as he notices the turds and urine and stuff I did not see. He has a cool flashlight which can see urine. That would be fun in a men's washroom, huh?

"Too bad none of your cats are 'mousers.' Some cats just aren't mousers."

I mean honestly, what is the point of the cat if they "aren't mousers?" I ask very little. I feed them well, I pet them, I clean up after them; now when I want work done (KEEP THE F#^&ING RODENTS OUT); these guys wuss out. I had a "mouser" years ago in my good friend Pepto: and she was a female. I have a joke about venomous females, but I will take the high road.

So the Tech laid some glue traps and bait traps and the like. He said my new guests were relatively resticted as to where they were staying (under the floorboard in the kitchen between the oven and dishwasher and the hole in the wood that comes up in the cupboard where the garbage is kept in the kitchen under the sink. Knowing I (like Guinness) put the word pussy in pussy cat, he offered to come back to empty the traps later--just not on Sunday.

This morning (Sunday) I came down to the kitchen to see the cupboard under the sink (where we found the mouse droppings) open and Guinness pawing at it. Obviously the trapmust have worked and now Guinness wants to "do" something about it or at least take credit for the vermin's capture.

Oh sure, now he wants credit. Guinness is a spaz. He freaks about everything and I now discover that trapping mice, catching mice, and scaring them out of my house is not on his agenda.

No thanks, Guinness the Bold as I have nicknamed him. $400.00 for a year's worth of service is not equal to your concern, NOW after the damn thing is trapped.

God I hate mice. My nerves are shot. I am glad to back to work tomorrow.

Next cat from the Humane Society I adopt better be a "MOUSER" or he/she will go back. Too late for Guinness, Chumley, and Fog. They must be "special cats" that are "slow learners." They need special attention.

An Open Letter For Chicago Bears General Manager, Jerry Angelo

Hi Jerry.

It has been a long year, hasn’t it? As GM of the Chicago Bears, I expect, you have been busy.

In fact the last time I saw you, you were hawking players for a team that had just played in the Super Bowl. I also think the last time I saw you on the news was in July.

Strange, so long, Jer—may I call you Jer, Jer? Last year I saw you nightly on the newscasts claiming how brilliant you were.

This year, like the Bears running game and ability to tackle; you were missing. No Super Genius quotes from you, Jer. Where were you Jer? You never called, you never wrote, none of your old friends saw you. Where have you been hiding? Was it under that new oak desk you afforded yourself in the front office, because what the heck, Jer, you got yours, right?

Let’s look fairly at this season for the Bears, Jer? Shall we?

Gosh, that Running Back position sucks (and Jer, it does suck real bad), you have the arrogance to note: “the Bears need a featured back capable of breaking two or three runs of more than 20 yards per game.” I am sorry, Jer, I thought we had that in Thomas Jones? Ohh, that’s right, Super Genius Jer let him go. Well, we should not worry with Benson’s stellar work ethic, right Jer?

You also recently noted: "We certainly would like to keep all our players. That's our intent, but we don't have control on that so we're just going to have to see as time goes on what the marketplace is for those players." Translation: You cannot keep Briggs and Berrian—your two most productive players on Defense and Offense, respectively. So now you are starting the cop out as to why the cheapskates Bears will not pony up the cash. Williams may do well in Brigg’s place—what’s another gamble to us betting men, right Jer? And we have the sure hands of Mark Bradley to cover for Berrian, right Jer?

Remember Safety Chris Harris you let go, Super Genius? Well you replaced him with Adam Archuleta. How did that work out for you, Jer? Not so good, huh? Well at least Archuleta is cheap, like a bad bottle of Ripple and is about as porous.

And in the midst of all of this mess on that team, all of this chaos and all of the dashed hopes, you still have the nerve to remark: “So first and foremost, we have to get the position stabilized going into '08,” in regards to the Quarterback position. No kidding, Jer. Maybe you had that clue last year when Rex had some 0 QB ratings. You want to bring Rex back, don’t you, Jer? And I know why, because no one will pay a plug nickel for him and you can snag him cheap.

And throughout your blather, Jerry Angelo, you never mention how wretched your offensive line is, or how weak the tackling was this season without Ron Rivera’s schemes, or the lack of innovation your offense coordinator Ron Turner displayed week after boring week.

So Jerry Angelo, here is a thought while you count your cash. Did you notice that the Bears last season made you and your organization money when they went to the Super Bowl? I mean T-Shirts, Jackets, Trinkets off all kinds were selling unbelievably high. Nearly every person at a game had an Urlacher Jersey, or Hester. Heck, Jer, I went the Super Bowl last year and I own a Muhammad, an Ogunleye, a Grossman, an Urlacher, and even a Hester Jersey myself. They ain’t cheap; Jer and the first two were from last year’s Super Bowl game. WOW. Count the cash, Big Guy.

So you really want to make money, Jer—old buddy. Take a lesson from Kraft’s family and spend it on the team to create an atmosphere of mutual respect. It comes back in huge dividends as we all know New England has been great for the last seven years.

It seems the Bears once played the Patriots in the big game, Jer. Remember that one? It was about twenty-two years ago.

Oh, and where did Kraft’s family start out, why right there in Chicago—his family made their fortune. One can only wish that they never left.

Tell the McCaskeys I said hello, but there is no need to call—I cannot pay for the collect charges like last time.

Your friend,
Eric