PGA Championship Tulsa

 

Golf for Non Golfers

This week has been busy with house repairs and painting. Usually I do some writing during the week and not much else. Summer is just about here though and that means mowing and taking care of the yard. I’ve talked about how much I enjoy yardwork, housework not so much. But my smoke room needed to smell less smoky. All those years of cigar smoke and neglect created a small headache for me. No problem, I’d do it again. But cleanup means Kilz paint and a lot of scrubbing. That’s been my week.

I had a reprieve Saturday in the form of golf. No I don’t play. But the PGA Championship was in town and Michael (left in the picture) scored some club tickets. Apparently this is the 5^th time Tulsa has hosted this event. I didn’t live here the last time (2007) but others who did told me it was quite a spectacle. I’d never been to any professional golf tournament and I’d never seen the grounds of Southern Hill Country Club. I’ve played a few public courses in my life but nothing on the scale of a championship course.

They prepare for these events years in advance. Tulsa just hosted a Senior PGA event last year so they were more prepared than most to turn around suddenly and host another one. The “suddenly” was the January 6^th event at the White House where agent provocateurs stormed Congress and blamed Trump for it. Trump was toxic after that and the PGA decided to pull out of his course in New Jersey and look elsewhere. They found Tulsa. Good for us, victory for the hometown. This event is expected to bring in somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 million dollars. So yeah, this was a huge win.

The city set up shuttle areas and rented 50 busses or so to ferry people from two separate lots. We showed up at 9:30 and took a short ride to the course. The first thing that surprised me was how quiet such a large group of people could be. We walked up to the 9^th hole and watched a duo (can’t remember who) finish their puts. Thousands of spectators in jackets looked on silently and clapped when the ball rolled into the cup.  Jackets, because the temperature never got above 57 all day; the day before a steamy 90. With an occasional breeze it was cold at times, unseasonably so for Oklahoma in May.

Our tickets entitled us to eat and drink for free. Businesses can pay for makeshift suites set up at strategic areas of the course. I image these only go up during big events. Our deck faced the 16^th hole. If we wanted we could’ve sat there all day and watched from the windows as the players hit their second shot. But the real action is right up along the green. That’s where a lot of spectators set up shop early in the day. It became difficult to get near the any of the green after noon. Too many people had set up their chairs. It was clear they weren’t moving.

There seems to be 3 different ways people watch the event. The first way is what I already described. Pick a hole, bring a camp chair and stay put. You can see every grouping come by and save your legs from what is a grueling walk from hole to hole. That’s actually the second way to watch. Find a golfer you like, or one who’s in the lead, and follow them around the course. This is tough. You won’t get a great look at them because of the alternate routes that exist for each hole. You need to avoid dead ends and blockages. It’s impossible to stand near the greens in the afternoon because of the camp chairs parked around the edges. Some fans prefer it because they can watch their favorite golfer. That brings up the third option, a mixture of both. We parked near hole 4 for a bit, then trapesed over to 2 and 3. We walked a lot but not as much as someone following a player.

We followed Tiger early in the day. He teed off early but still managed a huge crowd. He sunk a nice 30 foot put on 15. The crowd erupted. I like that about golf, no booing and very little heckling. There is the obligatory overserved fan shouting the golfer's first name hoping they look over. "Rory! Rory!" they never look. Other sports have good guys and bad, home teams and away. We boo the refs when they make calls against our guys. Not golf. Fans root for the ball to go in the hole. That’s basically it. Golfers are so lucky.

The grandstands were set up in front of the clubhouse. It’s an ideal place to watch because you can see 3 different holes from that point, 18, 9 and 5. Neither of us wanted to sit for hours at a time so we mixed it up. I enjoyed the whole experience. Tulsa was ready to go too. It was highly organized and professional.

Our next big event is 2029. I believe it’s the US Open. Here’s to hoping we can get the same club tickets again.

Fearing the Lord: Society's Missing Piece

 

Fear the Lord

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” (Psalm 110:10)

Child Like Fear 

We read the verse differently as children than we do as adults. Fear to children is something to avoid at all costs. Not all kids have the same measure of fear either. My brother was more of a risk taker, likelier than me to get in trouble for recklessness. When we were young my parents would put us down for a nap. He would wait until they turned out the light and creep (carefully) over to his table and get out coloring books. Of course he wasn’t careful at all, he’d crash into the wall or trip on his way back to bed.

My fear of parental correction was greater than his. 

I laid in my bed just watching him and shaking my head in amazement. I’m sure I uttered something snotty like “Just wait till Dad sees you!” I don’t remember any of this of course. I’ve since heard these stories about his clumsy attempts to sneak out of bed and my 'saintly' refusal to follow along. My parents used to crack the door slightly and peer in to watch the show. We never knew they laughed themselves silly. Risky behavior or not, fear can be crippling and not how we would want to think of God. Nor would we want kids to think of the Heavenly Father as an old West judge dispensing punishment.

Correctly Understood Fear

Old Testament fear of the Lord is closer to awesome power than scary spirit. The ocean is an awesome force that we neglect at our own peril, but it’s not scary the way a horror movie is. But we’ve seen the devastating impact of tidal waves or tsunamis on communities close to the sea. Anyone spending time on the ocean should fear its power and respect the boundaries nature sets. But the ocean is critical to the life of the planet. Not to mention, it’s rich in natural resources. It’s a vast ecosystem we don’t even fully understand yet.  

Why is fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? The simplest explanation is this: society doesn’t fear the Lord because they don’t believe in Him. Obviously there are people around the world who fear the Lord. But in most countries the leadership believes in humanity. This has probably been the case for longer than I realize. I used to think of the New World Order as a conspiracy for nervous libertarians. I can see how blatant the NOW has become since Covid 19. Nearly every Western democratic leader has talked about the great reset like they’ve already decided what it means. They’re all reading from the same script.

Loosing Fear

The European Union has tried to dissolve sovereignty within the zone and toss decision making to Brussels. The World Health Organization is pushing for total control over pandemic preparedness in the United States. Their new bill would give the Director General carte blanch decision making within this country. Through lockdowns and surveillance they would run our lives. Our own country has debased the currency and flooded the borders with illegal aliens. There is no way any immigration system can keep up with this many people in the country. I can keep listing examples of lawless behavior from the top, not to mention the street violence (BLM, Antifa) being funded by wealthy communists.

Globalists don’t have the fear of the Lord because they act like their actions won’t have consequences in the next life. Likely their actions will have consequences in this life as well. I don’t know how long of a dark period we are facing but I know that God is just and His wrath is something to truly fear. Evil doers still have time to turn from their wickedness or face eternal damnation. Humanism is pride in the individual, his achievements, his progress and his indomitable will. It’s the philosophy that holds the evolving mind can overcome earthly constraints. Any world view that doesn’t recognize God as Creator begins as a lie and ends in destruction.

No Fear

Humanism works as a legitimate theory because man is an achieving creature, continually solving problems and making everyday life better. Science and technology have grown incredible in my short life. Today’s iPhone has a million times more memory than the computer that sent the Apollo 11 crew to the moon. I would never discount the power of the human brain, nor the determination to solve problems and conquer new worlds. We are made in God’s image and without that critical understanding we don’t have appropriate fear.

We don’t treat great works of art like they just materialized. Imagine standing in line to see the Mona Lisa and never acknowledging Leonardo Da Vinci as the creator. What if the Louvre removed all references to the artist and treated the painting like a beautiful accident with no author? That’s exactly what we do when we celebrate human achievement and pretend the individual is an entity unto themselves.

The lack of recognition is a slight against God. It’s offensive but we’re actually kind of used to this. But after years of ignoring the Creator, it begins to bleed into everything. It’s in inherent in the textbooks, awards, and laws that govern society. Slowly it takes over and sets up a primary position as the dominant way of thinking. Before you realize what’s happened, humanism is the default philosophy of the land. Judeo Christian attitudes are still around, like a Star Trek convention years after it was popular. Secular humanism, like an invasive weed, has choked out all opposition.

Recovering Fear

Now it’s becoming ever more prideful, any fear that existed in the Almighty is totally gone. Now notions of human achievement and progress means sex changes for pre-teens and gay literature for young kids. Why not though? Moral laws require boundaries and fear of crossing them. Humanism doesn’t recognize boundaries and actively works against the created order.

Christians raised in a moral country (mostly) aren’t familiar with resisting the culture. I’m convinced they’re waking up all over. I’m convinced they will see the rot at the heart of humanism and start dismantling corrupt institutions. Whether global organizations like the WHO or local ones like the school boards, all need a good cleansing. Most need to go away forever. There are hopelessly corrupt and/or antagonistic toward Christian beliefs. This war is upon us and has been for a long time. It won’t be easy to recover the lost ground but God is for us.

 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and we hurt ourselves when we don’t remember it. That’s the story of humanity. God’s unfailing love keeps bringing us back. But punishment is inevitable without repentance.

 

Jogging Loosens Mental Tightness

 

The Mental Ease of Consistent Running

Nothing brightens my mood like a long hard run. There is a strong connection between physical fitness and mental fitness. I can't imagine a better, healthier option for depression and anxiety.

Today was a perfect. I’ve decided I’m a morning person. Not that I hop out of bed and charge to coffee maker while singing showtunes, but I do function better early. Some people are born with a preference for mornings and some for late nights but the rest of us adapt. How many late nights did I have while working at Target? Or early mornings while in the Army? The point is I’m adaptable to either schedule, but when left to choose I pick early mornings.

My Preference

For the last 5 years or so I’ve chosen to run early because the sun is low in the sky. That’s my summer excuse at least. In winter the sun doesn’t show up for the first half of my run. That creates difficulty because I don’t like running in the dark. On occasion I’ll run through the city but it leaves me a little uncomfortable. Even with the street lights overhead I’ve tripped and tumbled on the concrete. I took a nasty scrape on my hand last year but nothing serious. The colder weather ensures that homeless people aren’t outside as much. When they are though they’re bundled up in blankets and not likely to bother me.

Loose dogs are a scarier than vagrants anyway. I cut through a neighborhood I don’t usually run in and noticed a dog trotting toward me. He didn’t seem aggressive but I stopped anyway and talked sweetly to him just in case. Thankfully he was friendly. I tried to walk away after petting him for a minute and I couldn’t shake him. He walked right behind me like my new best friend. This went on for a couple of minutes. Luckily a car pulled into the parking lot of an apartment complex and he lost interest in me and pursued the car instead. I’ll run past a group of sketchy homeless folks before I’d go down a random neighborhood again.

Another time I passed house with a stout Pitbull sitting on the porch of an old Victorian in need of a serious makeover. He stared me down intently but didn’t move. Again I stopped and walked slowly past the old house, just a guy minding his own business. I can’t outrun a dog and I won’t try, well maybe a dachshund.

But whatever the risks of jogging in the city, nothing tops the whole body release of an early run.

My Release

Running breaks up tension in the mind. If you’ve ever had to loosen a rusty nut on an old faucet you’ll understand what I mean. Once you spray on WD40 and torque the wrench it breaks free with a little muscle. Jogging does that by unwinding some mental tightness through sweat and endurance. I can’t decide if it’s the breathing or the leg muscles flexing and contracting. Maybe it’s just the body’s reaction to knowing that the effort is benefiting my health over the long term. It’s closer to a placebo effect but it still works.

Tulsa is about to get hotter than a stock car engine after 200 laps. It’s partly why I opt for jogging early. But at a certain point even early won’t be enough to avoid the heat. Longer runs have to give way to shorter until my endurance is up to summer level again. My tentative goal is to run the Route 66 Marathon this year. I’ve never attempted it but if I train correctly I like my chances. It’s a late fall run (November I think) so I have plenty of time. Last year I entered the Tulsa Run which is a 15K. It got my passion back up for racing. Without a race to work towards my jogging goals fade into oblivion.

My Plan

It’s not like I don’t run but I tend to settle for easier distances and a slower pace. For this past Cowtown half marathon (February) I put a lot of other work out priorities on hold. Everything I did became about sticking to the plan and hitting my pace goal. I didn’t finish with the time I wanted but I managed to shave off nearly 13 minutes from my first race 2 years before.

The best way to do that is to join a regular group again. I think I’m ready. I do love the teamwork idea of Saturdays spent with a consistent group. I only stopped because my injuries at the time made it impossible to keep going. But I’m a stronger runner today than I was then, thanks to early mornings in all kinds of weather.

 

 

 

DeSantis and the New Model for Education

 

A Model For Education: Start With Parents

Ron DeSantis is setting up a model for other Republican governors on how to protect kids and win over parents. In the process he is making it expensive for woke corporations to meddle in local affairs.

Fight the Woke Companies

Most people remember the national dust up over Florida’s bill to protect school children before 3^rd grade. In short, teachers can’t talk about sexual issues. Then Disney complained and the governor took away their sweet tax deal. He didn’t do it unilaterally of course. He got both houses to pass a bill to remove their self governing status. The governor (through parent groups) wanted references to sex and gender removed from their teaching instructions to young children. Disney and their allies protested. Ostensible because what, 1^st and 2^nd graders need to hear about sexual orientation? 

The whole thing was an own goal for the media company and I’m glad they paid an economic price.

Support the Parents

The long term problem for Disney isn’t the loss of tax advantages; it’s the idea in the minds of parents that the company that exists for kids, wants to push sexual issues down to the youngest possible levels. Does the stink from this go away anytime or do they keep rushing headlong into bankruptcy? When you lose the trust of the next generation you lose them for a long time. Governor DeSantis made this possible because he has guts and seems to understand where the country is on these issues. 

From CRT (Critical Race Theory) and masking to sexual identity for tots, parents are finally fighting back. The school board meetings across the country, Loudoun County, Virginia in particular showed parents railing against oppressive boards.

Will public schools be reformed through all of this or will parents opt for home schooling and alternatives? I’m curious what happens nationally. My optimistic take is that cities start electing common sense boards that aren’t antagonistic toward children. Curriculums move away from “woke” topics like race, gender and sexual orientation and get back to real school subjects like math and science. This will happen in some places while other districts go the other way and embrace left wing activism in all its forms. 

School districts will mirror the increasing urban/rural divide happening across the country.

Look for Alternatives

But some new ways of teaching and learning will replace the familiar classroom experience that most of probably grew up in. One option I really like is hiring one teacher for a small group of kids. Parents pool their money for a private teacher to homeschool small groups of kids. This took off during the pandemic as an alternative to teach through zoom that no one seemed to like. Private teachers for small groups is a cross between homeschool and small school. Called ‘pandemic pods’ they resembled one room school houses of last century. Obviously this isn’t an option for everyone. It’s expensive and not available everywhere.

I believe the idea of vouchers will take off as well. This is a great option for low income kids. Punish bad schools and reward good ones. Each parent gets a voucher and a choice of where to send their kids. I like the idea but I wouldn’t promise an end to all problems. But allowing parents (consumers) to treat schools like a marketplace should go a long ways toward killing off failing schools. Maybe it’s a pipe dream, but the current system is broken and needs serious reform.

Ignore the Critics

Critics of charter schools and vouchers like to say that it creates a system of haves and have-nots in education. But that’s exactly what we have now and keeping bad schools open is a guarantee that poor kids will go to poor schools and have less chance at success. I don’t have kids so a lot of this is purely academic, pun intended, to me. But I care about the future of the country the same as parents with a more direct stake. I heard a startling statistic about jail beds in Oklahoma prisons. The number of beds the state will need mirrors the number of drop outs in a given year.

Education is important but only if it insists on making kids learn practical subjects. The diversity and inclusion game is a racket and it’s ruining the minds of the next generation. We need a massive educational system that rewards learning and growth. Woke schools should die on the vine. They rob young kids of the ability to think for themselves and fill their heads up with resentment.

Conclusion

It’s impossible to predict the future of elementary and secondary education. The place to start is with the parents. When they get serious about what their kids are being taught states and districts begin to fall in line. Ron DeSantis is as responsive a governor as I’ve seen, from the Right, in a long time. He doesn’t patronize conservative parents over their concern for curriculum and he punishes institutions that step out of line. 

 Governors in red states should take note. Get serious about protecting kids, the parents will back you up.