Last weekend my wife and  I went to visit a friend we hadn’t seen in many years. I first met our friend through her husband who had been my best friend my last three years in college. We became neighbors for many years, and lost touch after I moved away from the neighborhood. We met again in Iran on a construction project, I was involved in, that was also the backdrop for my first book, “The Chabahar Incident”. We spent a little over a year there together, I married my second wife there and my old college buddy stood up for me.

Not long after our return to the United States, my old college buddy passed away from a brain tumor. After several years of agony and remorse my buddies wife remarried again and we saw eachother occasionally at weddings, a Super Bowl party or two, and then we both moved away to distant places. We exchanged Chistmas cards, but soon lost touch.

Recently I heard that she had experienced some marital issues and was now alone. I was devistated and wanted to console her, but unable to contact her. I asked my daughter to try and find her contact information and we were successful in getting together last weekend. My wife and I were going to my Granddaughter’s Club Volleyball Tournament where it so happened our friend lived near-by.

We went to her house at 5:30PM where we chatted over a few glasses of wine and killer Bruschetta Pomodoro appetizer, and went out to dinner. At the lovely dinner we talked endlessly of our good times and hard patches we learned that our 72 year old friend was dating, which we thought was marvelous. We talked about my old college buddy with love and reverence, and brought the wonderful evening to a close around 11 PM. Hugs, kisses and heartfelt “I love you’s” sent us on our way.

It was as if we had never lost touch, we just carried on like it was yesterday that we were last together. There is a lot more to this story, as you can imagine, but suffice to say real friendships seamlessly go on through the years and never change, never falter and never lose their veracity.

I enjoy posting. Some of my FBB’s (Facebook Buddies) like to post, others don’t. Some like to post funny stuff all the time, others are serious, others are religious. Some are profound, others are whimsical. Some are naughty, some nice. Seems like a lot of pet lovers out there as well, have never seen a pet hater post.

Some post their travels. I have an FBB that I swear is running from the law. He is never in the same place for two weeks at a time, but where he goes is really interesting and postworthy.

So I asked myself, I said “Self, why do you like to post?” The answer came back kind of garbled, but what I gather is that I really enjoy writing, I really enjoy connecting and I really enjoy the workings of the minds of others. My FBB Randy is hilarious in a laid back, cynical, sacreligious sort of way. FBB Sean is all over the place, but mystically riveting. Tim appears to be on an extended vacation while running an international business and raising two gorgeous little girls with his gorgeous wife. FBB Peter has a love affair with the inside of a 757, is there, more than he is at home. Tammy is out to make the world a better place, one post at a time. I just enjoy the hell out of the whole process.

Post on FBB’s.

Google “Easter” and click on “Images”. Up comes everything imaginable that has anything remotely to do with Easter. The most popular images are of colored Easter Eggs, in the typical dyed blue, orange, pink, purple and green; to the maticulously colored Russian Easter Eggs. Next come the little bunnies, ham and big bunnies, you know the Heffner type. There are even images of Easter Island. If you look long and hard you will find one of two pictures of Jesus Risen, the true meaning of Easter.

I remember enjoying the colors of Easter at church when they went from purple during the lent, to the pristine white of Easter Sunday. The colors of the vestments always impressed me. I remember the catechism stories and the image of Christ on the Cross and what they meant to me as a young boy. I remember the 114 Stations, singing in the choir, experiencing communion and the holiness I felt at that time.

I have strayed over the years, and it has been a while since I have crossed the threshold of my Parish Church. Somehow I have succumbed to the hype of Easter. The Tulips, the chocolates, the Easter Egg Hunts, the candy corn, the yellow baby chicks. I think it is time to get back to basics and remember the real reason for the day.

The two issues in the voting process that need to be eliminated are Super PACs and Superdelegates. The American voter suffers through nearly an entire year of smear television ads that mock the candidates with speeches loaded with insults and innuendo, arms thrashing, fingers pointing ad nauseum. Millions upon millions of dollars spent filling the evening fare with unending biliousness. I get tired of it as I am sure you do, and I don’t put any stock in it either. There are websites that offer truth and clarity on the candidates. There is no need for the Super Pac crap, we need to rid ourselves of them once and for all. Think about it. The PACs spend millions upon millions (Jeb Bush’s PAC has spent over 50 million so far and he is in last place), what do the PAC’s expect to gain from their largess. You got it, they expect access to the winning candidate.

Lets look at Superdelegates. Every state has delegates that are representative of the people in that state who are charged with the obligation to vote at their conventions for the person who has won the state primary or caucus. This is a fair process that represents the wishes of the voters. Then there are the Superdelegates, the Fat Cats of the system who do not have to follow the mandate of the voters, but can vote for anyone they individually desire. In Iowa Clinton won the Democratic Caucus by less than 1 % (.13% actually) but she was awarded all the Superdelegates, 8 of them, so she walks away the huge winner, which was not the decree of the Iowa voter.

Slowly but surely the public voting system is being undermined by the wealty PAC’s who influence Superdelegates. When our votes no longer count, we no longer count.

Celebrating Christmas with friends on Sunday this year. I offered to provide the five bone Prime Rib Roast. It is a beauty, cut, tied and rubbed with Pappies Beef Rub. I know my friends will cook it perfectly to a tee.

Problem is, I had two teeth pulled three days ago and can’t chew anything for another two weeks. Bad planning. Woe is me.