The Last Iron Skillet Game - SMU v TCU Rivalry

Last Saturday (9/21/2024), TCU and SMU participated in the 103rd playing of the Iron Skillet Rivalry. The game was played in the newly remodeled Ford Stadium in front of a near capacity crowd, including the largest number of SMU students in recent memory. 

The game was broadcast by The CW, an OTA network that is slowly building itself into a respectable sports media partner. With two small private schools from the Dallas area, the  4 pm (CST) game recorded around 322,000 viewers. TCU fans immediately jumped on this as some indicator that nobody outside DFW cares about the game. But a little context might help. Overlapping the game on more traditional sports networks, were USC v Michigan, UCLA v LSU, Utah v Oklahoma State, Arkansas v Auburn, Miami (OH) v Notre Dame. And at the same time, UTEP v Colorado State had 56,000 viewers on TruTV. 

frogs on the cw, unfortunately. pic.twitter.com/NSLNj9ojk0

— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) September 20, 2024

Viewership is driven by a number of factors - size of the school and fanbase. The current rankings and importance of the game can increase the number of viewers. The most important factors are the time, network, and competition on other networks. Its going to be difficult stealing viewers from Notre Dame on NBC. Or even USC and Michigan on CBS. However, this was a rivalry game between the Big 12 and ACC, and one of the last ones. But both teams were limping into the game with player issues and a recent disappointing loss - TCU against UCF, and SMU against BYU.

It was TCU that decided it was best if the schools drop the annual game. I covered this including the history of the rivalry in a previous post. Back in the early 2000s, when TCU joined the Big 12 and dominated the series, it would have made perfect sense to pause, or even end the series. SMU looked as if they really did not care about football. TCU was in a power conference with the revenue advantage and the recruiting prestige, and they were winning games on the national stage. SMU was fortunate to make it occasionally to the Hawaii Bowl.

Now almost 20 years later, things are a lot different. SMU, along with Cal and Stanford, are now members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) - arguably the 3rd best Power conference. Only in SMUs wildest dreams did they see themselves landing in the ACC. They had hoped for the Big 12, reuniting with some Southwest Conference schools. But a certain school in Cowtown made sure that did not happen. They were likely helped by others - Baylor and Texas Tech. The idea of a Big 12 team in the middle of Dallas, and likely playing there every year, seemed like a no brainer. But these universities are not exactly known as the top academic destinations in the country - especially now that Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma are in the Southeast Conference. The latest academic rankings confirm this. Simply compare the rankings of the two conferences. All but one, Louisville, is ranked higher than all the Big 12 schools - significantly. Of course winning football and basketball games is preferred, but if you can do both, why not?

SMU was all but in the PAC 12 when the Big 12 pounced on several teams, destroying that conference in the process. And once again leaving SMU on the outside looking in. As long as TCU had the golden ticket - membership in a Power conference and SMU did not, they could maintain their competitive edge. They even lured Sonny Dykes away from SMU, after his SMU teams beat TCU in consecutive games. Little did they know they actually did us a favor, as Rhett Lashlee is a far better man and coach. TCU is finding this out the hard way.

When the rules changed, and the portal became a reality, SMU jumped onboard and embraced it - telling players that they could "come home" have a fresh start playing at SMU in front of friends and family. The pitch worked, as SMU was able to upgrade their roster. And then the NCAA allowed players to earn money from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Once again SMU was a pioneer, mastering the acquisition of top players. The only thing missing, and keeping the very top players away was that SMU still was not playing with the Big Boys. That was a HUGE competitive disadvantage on signing day. And TCU was EAGER to keep it that way. Because every day, the talent on SMUs roster was getting dangerously close to TCUs level. A few players picked SMU over TCU, and some even transferred to SMU - both quite rare in the past. TCU had to do something. That something was to cancel the series. If the teams never played head-to-head, nobody would truly know which is the better school. And besides, is there a TCU fan who does not prefer seeing TCU play top schools like Long Island University?

Why Do All TCU Fans Have Early Onset Arthritis?

In spite of all the complaints - Its so hot. They ran out of water. The bathrooms were crowded. TCU fans by the hundreds, dragged their butts to Dallas to see what they hoped would be another decisive win over the lowly Ponies of SMU - their "lil bro" as some joke. But that little brother is ALMOST fully grown. Our Big Money Donors have invested over $250M in athletic facilities since 2013. We have a Presidential library, numerous new buildings, and a beautiful campus that does not resemble a La Quinta motel. Its no surprise that people from TCU don't want to see how much better things are in Dallas.

And what they witnessed was a bloodbath at Ford. SMU jumped out quickly and never looked back. Sonny Dykes even got himself thrown out in hopes it might fire up his team. It did not work. When it was over, SMU won 66-42 - and it really was not that close.

I've had a week to consider the Iron Skillet game. Other schools have cancelled games. This very year, Vanderbilt cancelled our game forcing SMU to scramble and find a week 0 opponent. We played Nevada. It would be nice to give TCU what they want - a pause. Let this be the last Skillet game for a time. It was a perfect ending to a 100+ year rivalry. We keep the Skillet, and TCU keeps Sonny - at least for a few more games.

But I know SMU will keep their commitment. We will play TCU one last time in Cowtown. The cows will walk aimlessly through the stockyards. Sunrise, sunset. But maybe one last Iron Skillet game will bring some much needed excitement to their campus. It was fun while it lasted.

Happier Times

Even the animals know! Order all these adorable animals sporting T-shirts with Job 12:7 - Ask the animals and they will teach you. Six animals and 8 shirt options giving you 48 possible combinations. Click Here to Order. Check out the other products while there!

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Do you Know The Story Of Pumpkin Spice?

Pumpkin Spice - The Lost Spice Girl

In the early 90s a 6-girl pop group burst on the scene. They were known as the Spice Girls, and their songs were all over the radio. Their single "Wannabe" hit #1 in 30 countries. They were YUGE!

I hear some people saying, "Wait a tic! There were only 5 Spice girls."

Let's review.

Melanie Chisholm as "Sporty Spice"

Emma Bunton as "Baby Spice"

Melanie Brown as "Scary Spice"

Victoria Adams as "Posh Spice"

Geri Halliwell as "Ginger Spice"

That is how most of the world remembers the Spice Girls. But before they hit the big time, there was a 6th member - Poppy Goff, known as "Pumpkin Spice." Here she is outside a club in the 90s.

Poppy Goff - Pumpkin Spice

The original concept was each girl would adopt a different spice name. This started well enough with Ginger, and then Pumpkin, and then it went catawampus as the other four went off the rails, picking odd names like Sporty, Posh, Baby, and Scary spice as their nicknames. This started an internal conflict, resulting in the latter four voting Poppy "off the island" and out of the band.

The band went on a great run, and Pumpkin, although she tried to make it as a solo act, faded into obscurity. Every once in while on Halloween you will see someone dress up as Pumpkin Spice, but as time moves on, fewer folks remember her almost being a superstar.

But don't cry for Poppy. She got her revenge by entering the pumpkin spice business. Within a few years, she was the global cheerleader for pumpkin line extensions into every consumer food category. It all started with prepared drinks.

Pumpkin spice has been around for centuries. McCormick started offering a pre-mixed seasoning called Pumpkin Spice in the 1930s. But it was Goff, who when asked what she wanted, told them she really wanted a pumpkin spice latte. And from there, it was a meteoric rise, one consumer product after another introduced a pumpkin spice flavored version. And with every new product, Poppy got a piece of the action. 

Its is estimated that pumpkin spice products generated $800M in economic activity in 2023. It is likely to top a billion within a year making Poppy the world's first Pumpkin Spice Tycoon. You Go Girl!

Some may be scratching their head over this. I am not a coffee drinker, so I was ignorant of the growth pumpkin spice. I LOVE pumpkin pie during the holidays. If it weren't for baklava, pumpkin pie would be my favorite holiday desert. But baklava is better - don't argue with me.

Every August, pumpkin spice products start arriving at stores all over the world. You literally can flavor everything with pumpkin spice, and it will sell. Just take a look at these I found today.

Pumpkin Spice Is Everywhere!

And that is just the top of the pumpkin.

Natural AND Artificially Flavored - Good To Know!

Baked Goods Love Pumpkin Spice!

We owe everything to Poppy Goff (Pumpkin Spice) - the little girl with the BIG ORANGE VISION. Think of her whenever you eat or drink a pumpkin spiced flavored treat this Fall.

Get your official Pumpkin Spice T-shirt while they last!

Pumpkin Spice Knows What You Really, Really Want!

Happy Pumpkin Spice Season!

Something To Consider.

Coming to a theater near you - Spice World: Pumpkin Spice Strikes Back!

 

I Bless The Rains Down In Africa.

Looking across the metroplex you truly can see how sandy it looks, thanks to the prevailing winds that drive sand and dust from North Africa - mainly the Sahara to North Texas. These currents usually drive hurricanes towards the gulf - which would be fantastic this time of year to end the Summer heat domes that camp out over DFW. In an ironic twist, the Saharan Dust actually inhibits the creation and growth of hurricanes in the Atlantic. 

There I was enjoying Christmas in July - all the holiday movies and festive stories of the "Christmas Spirit" throwing people together who really don't belong. Retailers have long realized that they needed something to get people in a buying mood. 4th of July, just is not a consumer spending kind of holiday. And its a wee bit early for Back to School. So here comes Christmas in July, which segues quite nicely into Back to school.

But the month was not even over when retailers were already transforming their stores into Fall colors and Halloween merchandise. The most obvious sign of this change is the Spirit/Halloween stores that open and are gone within 90 days. Christmas will always be the biggest holiday - with gifts, food, and decorations. But Halloween is growing so fast that it may in time outsell Christmas - at least for costumes and decorations Something new for Halloween that I had NOT seen before. Take a look at these critters below. AWESOME!

Spooky Peeps!

And if needed, just slip an unopened package in a microwave oven. Set the timer at :15 and turn the power out. When your pursuer(s) turn(s) the power on, the peeps make a very effective weapon. 

Or you could just purchase a few cases and enjoy them until the Christmas versions come along. 

They're Comin' To Get You Barbara!

Have a Happy Christmas in July/Back To School/Halloween Season!

A Blog About The 4th of July, Jenna Ortega, Christmas, And An Ugly Naked Man

 Happy 4th of July!

Driving around Mesquite today, I noticed a big increase in American flags and patriotic displays. Even in apartments, people were displaying red, white, & blue. What does it mean? I hope it means that people love this country. For all its warts, its still the best country on the planet. Otherwise, the whole world wouldn't be doing their best to come here. Let's get some good leadership in place, and see some real justice for those who have used government for personal gain.

Regardless of who is in power - PRAY for all those in authority.

Does Jenna Ortega live in Mesquite?

For most deliveries, people request that I simply place their food in front of the door. This is referred to as a no contact delivery - a holdover from the flu madness of 2020. I find it a little silly. I'm driving around Mesquite with your ice cream, my AC is on full blast, and yet the interior temperature never gets below 80 with the afternoon Sun blazing. And then after 30 minutes of being outside of a frozen environment, the guest now wants me to set it in front of their door, in the Sun, with the heat index well above 100. Good luck with that. I take my photo and depart, hoping they check their text messages and see that their food has been delivered. And hopefully, it doesn't get "poached" by a porch pirate either.

So today I actually had two deliveries in one. Which means I shopped two different orders at the same time, and then delivered based upon their location and delivery expectations. Its always a little unnerving, as keeping two orders separate, and going through all the necessary steps, can be more challenging than you might think. Yet I delivered the first shop rather quickly and made my way to the next stop.

My instructions for this one was to hand it to the guest. OK, so now its time to have something nice to say, a pleasant observation, or thank you. I approached the door and some yappy dog in the window made sure that ringing the doorbell was not necessary. What he lacked in size, he made up for in bark, showing those little fangs was actually a little amusing. I literally could step on him - not that I would. He was going to defend his home no matter what.

A minute or two went by - far longer than it should take for someone to come to the door. So I reluctantly rang the doorbell - maybe the person simply ignores the dog when its barking fanatically. As I stood there in the hot Sun, holding the bags, I could feel beads of sweat forming all over, and a few racing down my head. So much for looking professional - I never do anyway. Someone my age probably shouldn't be in shorts and a T-shirt.

Finally, the door opened. To my surprise there was petite woman in a very tight dress - definitely not for my benefit. Based on what I normally meet - this was by far the most attractive woman I have met in my Dashing travels. Yet, it was WHO she looked like that had me stumble. She was the spittin' image of Jenna Ortega. Same height, hair color, build, smile - it was an amazing similarity. Now I know some might say that I would think that about any petite Latina. Is that the right word - who knows these days. No disrespect intended if wrong. The truth is I am pretty good with faces, and the resemblance was uncanny.

She was obviously in a hurry, getting ready for some event. She thanked me and I handed her the groceries. And then I did the only thing I could do - the dance!

The Ugly Naked Man

Remember the sitcom Friends? They had an offscreen character called the Ugly Naked Man. We never saw his face, yet several episodes mentioned him - including one where they thought he was dead and built a pole to "tap" him to see if he was alive. Then another where Ross bonded with him when he found out that he was moving out of the apartment.

Well, I was delivering food to hungry folks in Mesquite. Its a dirty job, but I don't want the good people of Mesquite to starve, therefore I Dash. This particular day Google successfully directed me to the correct building. It had three stories and four stairwells. I can successfully manage about three flights for one delivery - but that is about it. I cannot risk climbing stairs and be wrong. So I am carefully reviewing the door numbers for the first floor units, and the 2nd floor that I can see. Some are quite easy to figure out - 101 - first floor, 201 - 2nd floor, 301 - third floor etc. But some communities like to mix it up just to screw people like me. 

I determined the unit was likely one of the middle stairwells. So I was making my way there, walking between the cars and the units. I happen to look up just in time to see a man standing at his backdoor - all glass. And from what I could see, I did not dare look down, this man was completely naked. His right hand was hanging down as if he was doing something, but again I did not dare look.

Unfortunately, now that I had made eye contact with him, I could not easily break it. He looked a little like Tommy Chong (Cheech & Chong) in his prime. And like Mr. Chong was likely feeling little pain. So I did what anyone else would do in this situation, gave him a quick nod and moved on. Maybe he was expecting a delivery, or something else. But I was NOT his man. 

There are some really strange folk in the Dallas metro area.

Now that we are in July, Hallmark and other channels are featuring Christmas in July. All the holiday movies from the past are playing all month. I stumbled across two I like just the other night. I saw the end of Dear Santa, featuring the lovely Amy Acker (Angel, Dollhouse, Person of Interest) from Dallas and fellow SMU alum. And watched about 75% of Love At The Thanksgiving Parade (sometimes shortened to Love At The Parade) before yielding to sleep. The Parade one features one of my all-time favorites  - Autumn Reeser. She is so awesome. She makes EVERYTHING better. And you can quote me. 

Watch a few and get in the Christmas spirit early this year!

Sometimes, you just need to sing!!!! And yes, that is SPOCK (Leonard Nimoy) driving the Bangles.

The Best Of 80s Music? (1985)

This is the 2nd part of my discussion of 80s music. Click here for Part 1. The rules are quite simple. I'm using the info from the video below, the most popular songs for each month since January 1980. The list was compiled by reviewing weekly charts in various countries. 

Watch January 1985 through December 1985 for the purposes of this blog. Of course you may watch all of it if you like. I've decided to focus on one year at a time, instead of 5 year intervals.

You might be wondering about 1985. Terrorism and regional wars were all the rage. A famine in Ethiopia, as well as other nations led to several major fundraising events and the release of We Are The World. How much money actually made it to Africa is anybody's guess. For more on 1985, see the video review at the end.

Other noteworthy milestones include the launch of Windows 1.0, Nintendo Entertainment System was released, and the Internet's Domain Name System (DNS) was created - allowing me to have this very blog!

The Most Popular Songs From 1985 - according to the video above.

Jan 85 - I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner

Feb 85 - Careless Whisper - George Michael

Mar 85 - We Are The World - USA For Africa

Apr 85 - Material Girl - Madonna

May 85 - Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears

Jun 85 - View To A Kill - Duran Duran

Jul 85 - Get Into The Groove - Madonna

Aug 85 - Money For Nothing - Dire Straits

Sep 85 - Dancing In The Street - David Bowie & Mick Jagger

Oct 85 - Take On Me - A-HA

Nov 85 - We Built This City - Starship

Dec 85 - Say You Say Me - Lionel Ritchie

A-HA finally got the worldwide recognition for their song Take On Me. Since I already picked them as best on my earlier post, I will leave them off here. Click the following link for a Take On Me story from the Fall of 85. Its amazing how quickly they were on top and then faded away.

The challenge picking the best song is that so much of what lands in the "popular" category is not something you necessarily like. Sure, I like Duran Duran, and View To A Kill was an OK Bond film. But I'm not driving around town with that song blasting. Nor do any of these motivate me to look ridiculous on the dance floor. Do I really want to SEE David Bowie and Mick Jagger dance together in 1985 - or any year?

So my pick of these songs for 1985 - Money For Nothing - Dire Straits. Many folks liked the song for the video - which was unique for the time. The song was a little silly - yet memorable - probably not WOKE enough for today's musical ears. HOWEVER, the CD - Brothers in Arms was acquired and listened by me quite often. So Far Away, Walk Of Life, The Man's Too Strong - and others made for some quality driving music.

Of the songs released in 1985 that did not make the list above, there are quite a few to choose between. Driver 8 - REM, Can't Get There From Here, All You Zombies - The Hooters, And We Danced - The Hooters, You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) - Dead or Alive, Lay It Down - Ratt, In Between Days - The Cure, Close To Me - The Cure, Cities In Dust - Siouxsie and the Banshees, Rain - The Cult, Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush, Your Love - The Outfield

I would put any of the these tunes up against the most popular list above - as all were hits in their own way. And many have stood the test of time. For instance, Running Up That Hill (Deal With God) by Kate Bush got a whole new life by being included in a crucial scene of Netflix's Stranger Things.

So what is my pick for the best song released in 1985? Well first, let me do a runner-up. This band out of the UK had some success and a pretty big hit with the following song. I found the lyrics uplifting and the tone of the song quite inspiring. And when I played it for people, I rarely heard anything negative. Even after so many years, the song still has a modern feel to it. So here you go, The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys.

 

It could be argued that the following song was released in 1984. In fact, it was released multiple times, yet Wikipedia lists 1985 as the release date - so let's go with that. Its been covered by multiple bands, including the Russian female duo t.A.T.u. 

If you ever visited a dance club in the mid to late 80s, you heard this song, likely danced to it - for a very long time, since it was 6+ minutes long. You probably thought to yourself - There's a club if you'd like to go. You could meet somebody who really loves you. So you go and you stand on your own. And you leave on your own. And you go home and you cry. And you want to die.

And if you were like me, you likely laughed a little at those lyrics, realizing that no matter how depressing life might get, it could be worse. So just listen to Morrissey, and enjoy the song. My favorite song of 1985 - How Soon Is Now? By The Smiths.

And in case you don't quite remember 1985, here is a nice review of major events of that year. Enjoy!

Its Not Just For Dinner

Dashing Through Mesquite

You can learn much about a city, or metro area, by delivering food and random items to folks. My experience has come through Dashing for DoorDash (DD) - a unique side hustle that gives you a way to make some cash, and in my case, a little extra exercise, forcing me back out into the world.

You can find anything waiting for bulk pick-up in Mesquite.
Even a unicorn.

I started this year, with March being my first full month. It was during this time that I was selected as a Top Dasher (Platinum level) and repeated it again in April. The award provides some recognition, and a few extra perks which are nice.  Its a decent side business until I can find a more permanent work from home situation, or fulltime job. Besides, if I'm not delivering food - how will the folks survive?

Just in the short amount of time, you realize that there are some interesting folks in the world. For instance, one of my first shops (purchasing items for delivery) was at Target for what turned out was a very eager 13 year old. Whether she or her parents actually made the purchase I will never know. I walked in Target and headed back to the electronics area to prove how quickly I could finish this seemingly simple transaction. Slightly hunched over the counter was a middle-aged man wishing he was some place else - anywhere else. When I asked for help, he perked up. I assumed he was eager to do something.

My little guest had chosen the pinnacle of streaming tools, and a must-have for anyone appearing online. Before I introduce it, you just have to see the video.

The ears light up, they are cordless, they cancel outside noise - everything a gamer/streamer needs to be happy, and fashionable. They come in two colors - a black/green which looked quite nice. But my young consumer opted for the quartz/pink as shown above.

Depending on the model, they range from $70 - $100 per unit. 

My Target helper really had no clue about headphones, gaming, or even streaming. Even after showing him a picture/description on my DD app, he was still lost. Its kind of sad I know more about this than those who sell it. We talked some more to narrow down a general area to start looking, and in a matter of minutes discovered a whole endcap full of the things. I grabbed one, scanned the bar code to make sure it was what my guest wanted, and I was on my way to Garland, Texas - a suburb just North of Mesquite. And the moment I pulled up, there was my guest. I could hardly snap a quick pic of the product being delivered before she was already tearing into the package. Apparently, she was happy.

That same first week I made a second trip to Target. This time it was for a home pregnancy test. The directions said to hand it to them, so I tried to imagine something fun to say when I met the guest. I didn't read the rest of the instructions until I was closer to the delivery address. In fact, in my mind I was delivering to a home address. I imagined a young wife excited to confirm what she already assumed was true. It was the middle of the week, kids were at school, who else would be ordering this?

Had I looked at the address and directions more carefully, I would have realized, I was delivering to a high school, and it was a student waiting outside between classes. Nothing I had thought of earlier worked here, so I simply said "thank you" and got back in my car. Not sure if she had good news, or bad news, but I'm sure the entire event was stressful. I asked for God's Peace to be on her and all involved. I thought that was likely the best thing to do in that situation.

Dollar General (DG) seems to be one of the favorites of the DD shopping public. I'm usually there at least once a day, and as many as 10 times a week. I've grown fond of them, and their upscale little brother pOpshelf. DDs are an evolution of the close-out concept - buying distressed inventory and selling it at bargain prices. I should also mention the generic grocers and $1 store concepts as well. They were quite popular in the 70s & 80s when private labeling became a thing. Imagine a supermarket squeezed into the size of a large 7-Eleven. That is Dollar General. You will find most any grocery item, but the choices are limited - maybe 1 or 2 major brands, and a very competitively priced private label product. You will also see far less line extensions. There might be 10 varieties of Campbells Chicken Soup in Albertson's, and only 1 in DG. In some ways that's far better. And yet they also have general merchandise, seasonal, and every snack, candy imaginable.

What you will NOT find in most DGs, is a working restroom for guests. Apparently, when DG allowed the home-challenged folks in the area to use their facilities, they have made a tremendous mess, and been quite destructive. When they restricted it to guests, they too became a destructive force. Now we all suffer. However, there are a few who take mercy on me - as they see me quite often. And when you are driving all over town, you need the occasional bathroom break.

Take a look at the screengrab above. A bag of delicious Doritos - Nacho Cheese for only $0.50! That is one heck of a deal. In fact, you can get all the Frito Lay products at this ridiculously low price - sometimes 3 for a $1.00. But these are not the "snack packs" from our youth. Note the size - 1 ounce. That is about 3, maybe 4 chips. I bring this up because one of my first trips to DG was to pick up 3 bags of Frito Lay products in this size. The guest paid more for my services than they did for the bags of chips! So I wonder, did they really see the value in the small size, or just think it was a traditional 7-10 oz size at a ridiculously low price? I may never know.

Usually, if my shift has ended and I am quite far from home, I will listen to the radio. The station I prefer plays a mix of songs from the 70s to the present. Not the best, but they try. So I finally heard the Miley Cyrus song, and really listened to the lyrics. Why are songs so violent these days?

Its only fair to post the actual video from Youtube.

Life, As A Character From Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

 If you were a child of the 60s or 70s, or had younger siblings during that time, you likely heard the story of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was first published as a book in 1939 by the retailer Montgomery Ward - Remember them? The story was written by Robert L. May and was meant to help children see that their individuality can be be a strength.

The story became a hit song, comic, and published by others like Little Golden Books, and then a TV special created by Rankin/Bass. The last iteration is the one most folks my age are most familiar with - as they likely watched it multiple times as a child, and then if they had younger siblings, or even children of their own, have seen it dozens of times by now.

Almost everyone identifies with Rudolph, the gifted reindeer that nobody wanted to be around. Some see themselves as Hermey, a misfit elf who wants to be a dentist. And then there is Yukon Cornelius, an adventurer and prospector. Of course there are other characters like the rest of the reindeer, elves, Santa, and the narrator, a Snowman voiced by Burl Ives.

But I identified with Bumble - the abominable snow monster. I think he was terribly misunderstood. See, I am a large man, and was a tall kid. I was 6'4" in high school - I would gain another inch in college. When you grow that big and that fast you get hungry. I don't mean to suggest my Mother neglected me, but it seems there was never enough, which makes you hangry. Just like Bumble, much larger than anyone else, and living in an environment with few edible options, you would be hangry too!

Everybody was scared of Bumble - probably for good reason. I too intimidated lots of people. I became a bit of a loner - not because of my size or appetite, it just sort of worked out that way. I had friends, but I never seemed to be anyone's BEST friend - very odd.

Another thing we have in common is discovered at the end of the show - Bumbles bounce! No matter the sport, I had the uncanny ability to get knocked around even by kids much larger, and bounce back up. I might be sore for a week, but I avoided most injuries during the season.

And of course the final similarity is at the end of the story. Bumble demonstrates an uncanny ability to do things that the vertically challenged elves could never do without major assistance, that is, place the star at the top of the Christmas Tree without a ladder. Just yesterday, I walked down an aisle at a store and noticed an older lady straining to reach items on one of the higher shelves. I simply walked over and in my coolest voice ever said, "Allow me."

You would have thought I moved mountains the way she reacted. But it truly was nothing at all. Its those items on the bottom shelf that are tricky. Speaking of that - why are the shortest pant hem lengths on the highest shelf, and the longest ones on the bottom? It really makes absolutely no sense!

So the next time you see an abominable snow monster, remember, they have a purpose too! So be nice! Even if they have no teeth.

You were made for a purpose.

God Has A Perfect Plan For Your Life!