Kiley and Matthew on the train at the Montgomery Zoo.

“Lions, and tigers, and bears – oh my!” No, Matthew wasn’t saying that familiar little quote, but he was saying “Tigers! Monkeys! Elphants!” Ok, he had some trouble saying elephant and rhinosceros, but then again, he’s two, and could you say them right at that age?

Anyway, Kiley and I both had an unusual Friday off and decided we needed to take Matthew somewhere and spend some real family time together. Our options were kind of limited … we’re taking a big vacation to the Land of Mouse in November, so budget was the buzzword.

We opted on a trip to Montgomery to the zoo and then to a Montgomery Biscuits baseball game. Yes, that’s the name of the minor-league team in Alabama’s capitol city.

Matthew had never been to a zoo, and the only baseball he’s ever watched was a little league game of his cousin’s. Not quite sure how the day would go, Kiley and I prepared for the worst (extra diapers, extra sippy cups, changes of clothes, etc.), but hoped for the best. What we got was absolutely the BEST!

Matthew had a tremendous time at the zoo. Seeing the animals in real life and up close was a delight for him – and for us. We were able to truly see the zoo through his eyes. It’s one of the most amazing feelings I’ve had as a parent, yet. The wide-eyed innocence and amazement took me back to childhood and my first visit to the zoo.

There was the usual zoo fare – monkeys, lions, tigers, birds, etc. But, Matthew’s favorite animals by far was the family of elephants, especially the baby (well, as much as a 200+ pound baby can be called a baby) elephant that has the same birthday as he does.

The day was beautiful, too. Sunny skies, 80 degree temperatures (ok, it was closer to 90, but the Montgomery Zoo is very well shaded), and not a large crowd. Matthew also totally was enthralled by the train – which of course we had to ride.

We could not have asked for a better child – or better memory of his first visit to the zoo.

Matthew and me at the Montgomery Biscuits baseball game.

But, the day wasn’t over yet. After the zoo we headed to Riverwalk Stadium, home of the Montgomery Biscuits, a AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Matthew loves sports, and what better way to give him the chance to see some great baseball than with a visit to the local minor league ballpark.

The Biscuits are still relatively new to Montgomery, having come to the city in 2004. In that time, they’ve won two Southern League Championships, so we knew we should have a good time.

We weren’t wrong. Matthew got into the game, calling out to the players, clapping and cheering. He was enthralled by “Big Mo,” the Biscuits mascot (not a biscuit, but a gigantic anteater – go figure). He watched the game, played with the folks behind us, and tried to do the “YMCA.”

After the game, we headed back down I-65 home. He talked himself to sleep on the way back. Kiley and I talked about the day and how good Matthew was. We agreed, there is no better time than family time.

Where has spring gone? It’s turned off down right cold – again. Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised. Afterall, there is always one last cold snap before Easter, and this year – even with Easter in mid-April, the weather has turned off cold once again.

But, despite the cold, it is very apparent from looking in my backyard that spring is defnitely upon us. The azaleas are in full bloom (well, they were until all that rain made them uglier than a possum that’s become roadkill), the amarillas are blooming, the snowball tree, and yes, the bridal wreath. But, the true sign is that the dogwood trees are blooming.

That’s really the sign I look for every year. Flowers and shrubs bloom, but it’s the dogwood that’s the true signal for me that spring is here. And just like what the dogwood symbolizes, spring is the season for rebirth – emerging from the doldrums of winter and bursting with energy and life.

And for all the beauty that spring brings every year, the beauty that comes each spring is from that beautiful gesture made over nearly 2000 years ago.

We’ve all heard the expression “The grass is greener on the other side.” But, how true is that? Is the grass truly greener on the other side?

Now, I know it’s not referring to actual grass, but rather is a nicer way of saying “this job will be better than your current one,” or “living in this town would be better than living where you do now.”

Is that true? Is what we want always better than what we have?

In some cases it may be, while in others – well, maybe we should just be content with what we already have.

It’s like my fascination – almost romantic to a degree – with how much better life was back in the 50s. I have this unwieldy belief that life in the 1950s was all Norman Rockwell and apple pie. Of course, I know better, but it’s my romanticized version of life in the 1950s.

I also know that it’s highly likely that someone will look back on some point in the history of my life and think, “Gee, life was so much better then. It was so much simpler.”

And then, they may be having the internal conversation with themselves about “the grass being greener on the other side.”

It was a weird, drama-filled, unexpected week at work – but then again, when you’re in the disaster business, that’s not totally unexpected. Thankfully, Friday (even though it was Friday the 13th) wasn’t too dramatic and I had a nice out-of-town meeting to take my mind off some things.

On my back from my meeting I got to thinking about how great some of my friends lives are – or at least on the outside they appear to have it all. But you know what, the more I thought about it the more I realized my life is pretty great, too, and I’ve done some pretty nifty things of my own.

In my previous life – as a reporter/editor – I had the chance to interview some pretty important and fascinating folks. I’ve interviewed U.S. Senators and Representatives, governors, federal judges, celebrities (actors, singers, and yes – even a model), and of course, some of the most interesting everyday people just like you and me. I’ve been back stage at concerts, in the dressing room of a couple of musical acts, on the tour bus of a dynamic duo, and more. All in all, it was a pretty interesting career.

But it’s not just about all those people I had the chance to meet and interview. I’ve done some pretty neat things. Been to numerous concerts – my first at age 8 – in both the country, pop, rock, gospel and bluegrass genres. That’s more than some people can say.

I’ve flown in airplanes (big and small), flown more than 200 miles in a helicopter, and got to pull the trigger on a rocket launcher once.

Not bad for a boy from a small town of 10,000, eh?

And the best part of it all, my life is still pretty interesting and fun – my 2-year-old, my wife, and the rest of my family keeps it that way.

So when I start to let my mind wander and then start wondering about all the other great stuff, I have to stop and think for just a minute – “Life is good, and for all I’ve done in the past, the things to look forward to in the future will be all the better with my son and the rest of my family.”

JB

Yes, it snowed in southern Alabama Sunday! It didn’t stick in my neck of the woods, but that doesn’t matter. It snowed! Matthew got to see it and run around for a bit in the flurries and I was able to get some video. No, we didn’t get to build a snowman or have a snowball fight, but that’s just fine. It snowed. That’s one of the good things about southern snow – usually, it lasts for an hour or so and is gone a few hours later. Usually, that is.

Here’s some video:

Ok, I’m just going to take a stab at something really profound. It’s late and night, I’m tired and sleepy, but I just couldn’t resist trying to get my two-cents worth in on the economy. My staunchly conservative friends will probably like it. My more left-leaning? Maybe not. Heck, at this time of night, I don’t even know if it makes sense, so here it goes.

I mean, everyone has their opinion – it’s a free country and we’re all entitled to our own opinion – so, here’s mine on the economy.

Ever since the economy began tanking I’ve been trying to figure out this whole mess is. I’m not a person who really understands how Wall Street works, I mean, I put money into a retirement account during the summer and now, it’s at half the value it was when I invested.

I do understand “that’s not good.”

As for everything else, I haven’t a clue about why things have collapsed and fallen so far into “a quagmire of despondency and disgust”.

Oh, sure, I understand there’s been a crunch on the banks due to overwhelming defaults on mortgage payments. What I don’t understand is why so many people were buying houses costing more than they’ll make in a lifetime. I mean, I don’t live in a big, fancy, 20-room, MacMansion. I live in a house that I can afford – one that doesn’t require a bank payment equivalent to my salary, my wife’s salary, and all the income set to be accrued by my child and future children.

I’m not a math wiz – my math teachers will attest to that – but I can add and subtract. I can even multiply and divide! So even I know that someone making $40,000 a year would never be able to afford the mortgage on a $250,000 house – no matter what the “adjustable rate” was.

But it’s not just real estate I don’t understand. I don’t understand what’s up with using tax-payer dollars to shore up private businesses. I thought a prinicple in a capitalistic society was entrepreneurial spirit and and essentially survival of the most prosperous. If tax-payer dollars are used in private enterprise, does that make every taxpaying citizen a legitimate owner in the business? Does that mean we are all entitled to our share of the profits, or do we just share in the loss?

And finally, I don’t understand what a “stimulus package” is. All I know is I giggle a little bit everytime I say it outloud.

JB

Some of my Red Cross compatriots in the parking garage during the Atlanta tornado February 17.

I’m in Atlanta as I write this, about to hit the hay from a long day of intensive media training. It’s something I’ve done as part of my job for the past three years. Something I’ve done to help me be a better Red Cross worker and to be better able to make sure those we serve are better taken care of.

This year, something happened at the training that brought our simulation exercise closer to home – a real natural disaster.

This year our exercise involves a tornado striking Atlanta. Today – a series of tornadoes struck the metro Atlanta area. One tornado warning was close enough to send more than 100 Red Cross workers, volunteers, and trainers heading for cover in the basement level of our hotel.

Too close for comfort.

Oh, sure, we’ve all experienced natural disasters in some form or another – we are part of the American Red Cross. What some of the people in training haven’t experienced is a first-hand accounting of a disaster affecting them directly – or at least to the point to where they had to seek cover immediately.

Like good disaster response folks, we immediately implemented a safety plan when the alert was sounded throughout the hotel. We orderly took the stairs to the lowest level of the parking garage (think concrete structure partially underground) and did a head count to make sure all were accounted for.

Not bad for a bunch of folks used to responding – not necessarily being in the line of fire.

Of course, the fact we were all role playing a tornado striking the city we were in made it an almost surreal scene and moment. What would we do? We’re we ready to respond should the need arise?

Eventually, the answers came as we received word the Atlanta chapter had kicked things into high gear and begun an immediate response to their citizens. Fortunately, we weren’t needed in the immediacy, but we were ready. And that’s part of our unwritten motto – “Have bag packed, ready to go!”

We all had a laugh as we were huddled in the parking garage – taking pictures with our cell phones and cameras, sending tweets on Twitter, audio messages on Utterli, and a host of other things. Only a bunch of public affairs workers would think about sending messages during a tornado.

But, it was serious. Somewhere, out in the vastness that is the amoeba known as Atlanta, someone’s home was probably being damaged, someone could be trapped in their car, and yes – with the world’s busiest airport just down the road, an airliner might get hit by lightning. All things not lost on us. At that time, we didn’t have all the information – it was unfolding before our eyes. What we did have was knowledge of what we were experiencing, and it was quite the sight.

As the evening wore on and it became evident our services would not be needed – at least for now because the local chapter was “taking care of business”, we went back to our training, preparing for the next phase of our mock disaster – which very easily could have become the real thing … as we were watching it all unfold.

JB

Matthew sits on his mom's shoulders at the Knights of Ecor Rouge parade during Mardi Gras in Fairhope.

Well, we took Matthew to Mardi Gras this year. It wasn’t his first time to bask in the revelry – even though he’s only 2-years-old. Nope, in fact, it’s his third time. This is just the first time he’s actually been able to get into the spirit of the occasion.

Now, don’t go getting your undies in a bunch – we didn’t take him to New Orleans! I mean, get serious, he’s only two! I haven’t even been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. No, instead, we carried him to a much more family-friendly parade. In Fairhope, Ala.

Yes, I know, Mobile is the Mother of Mardi Gras in the United States (like it or not, that’s a fact – it was begun in Mobile, not New Orleans. In fact, a group of Mobilians started New Orleans Mardi Gras), but there are too many people for us to take him there right now. So, it was off to Fairhope. Kiley’s mom lives there, so it only made sense.

The parade was great. The Knights of Ecor Rouge were parading for their 25th Anniversary, and it was fantastic. Just because it wasn’t in Mobile doesn’t mean it lacked for any of the ornateness. The floats were just as impressive as any I’ve seen in Mobile, and the throws were just as plentiful – maybe even more.

Matthew was keenly aware of this. All day long leading up to heading to the parade he was busily practicing “BEADS! BEADS! Throw me some BEADS!”

Come parade time, he figured out just how to call for those beads. “BEADS! BEADS! BEADS!”

But it wasn’t just the beads being thrown. There were the Moon Pies, dubloons (coins marking the parading organization), and toys – lots of toys.

We came back with footballs, beads, moon pies, beads, frisbees, beads, coins, beads. Did I mention beads?

At any length, Matthew had a great time and we did, too. It was a great weekend and Fairhope’s Knights of Ecor Rouge really put on a family-friendly Mardi Gras parade. We’ll be back next year, and I highly encourage anyone looking to go to a Mardi Gras parade but not wanting to deal with the crowds in Mobile or the bawdiness of New Orleans to really consider Fairhope. You’ll have just as much fun, and your family will enjoy it, too.

JB

On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in January a few weeks ago Kiley and I took Matthew to one of my favorite places to visit as a child – the Air Force Armament Museum in Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. (actually, it’s at Eglin Air Force Base, but close enough.)

Me and Matthew take a look at a Korean War-era Air Force jet at the Air Force Armament Museum in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.

The visit was a huge success. Matthew is completely captivated by airplanes, helicopters, and everything else to do with flying. The look on his face and the excitement in his eyes as we pulled into the parking lot were only overshadowed by the squeals of delight proudly announcing to his mom and I that he could see the “BIG PLANES!”

As we got him out of the car and proceeded to head indoors, he was as jubilant as a 2-year-old could be. I think he dragged us through the doorway and into the lobby. Once inside a volunteer greeter handed him a sticker marking his visit to the museum and welcomed us all in.

Of course Matthew had to tell the volunteer about the big planes that were outside. The kindly gentleman – an Air Force Veteran – asked him if he liked airplanes. Matthew excitedly shouted “YES!” The greeter then welcomed us in to see a great collection of classic WWII, Korean, and Vietnam era aircraft and weaponry.

The airplanes inside excited Matthew, but it was the ones outside – the really big ones – that he was most interested in. The F16, SR-71 Blackbird, and of course – the big mother – the B52.

We walked for about two hours at the museum looking at all the aircraft, Matthew with a huge smile on his face and declarations of “Big plane, daddy! Look mommy!” Once we left, Matthew had to call his Nana and paw-paw and tell them what he saw. He had to call his mee-mee, too. Just to tell them all about the big planes at the beach.

To be honest, I have an affinity for aircraft and all things dealing with flight, something Matthew has obviously inherited from me. But, the best part of the trip for an airplane loving dad? Seeing the joy and excitement in my little boy’s eyes when he got to see the “big planes” up close.

JB

This week I found a whole new level of compassion for two of my younger cousins as they were faced with the difficult task of burying their mother – who was only 48-years-old.

Funerals are never easy, but this one was particularly difficult because my two cousins are only in their 20s and their mom was 48. Neither of them really knew what to do, so they turned to their dad, aunts and uncles for advice. Together, the two, with their family, were able to give their mom a dignified and respectful funeral.

But the whole situation got me to thinking, if the situation were put in my family’s hands, what would happen? Would they know what to do?

What about if you or your family were placed in a similar situation? Would anyone know what to do?

So, I’m going to take this time to let my family know what I would want in the event something were to happen to me. I know I don’t want a “downer” funeral. I want something upbeat – a true celebration. Up tempo music, nothing sad. In fact, maybe not even any singing, just the music.

I have already discussed with my sister and her husband my wishes so my wife doesn’t have to worry about it. In fact, as morbid as it may seem, I think I’ll actually write down everything so it makes it easier.

Of course, none of us want to think about anything related to death, but wouldn’t everything be easier if we did discuss with our family what we would like – just to make it easier on them?

It’s worth considering.

JB