My dermatologist went wild last Monday with the nitrogen gun and I'm still reeling from the effects. I count ten spots now where he froze off “non-cancerous” lesions. I look like I have small pox. In fact, people see me coming into a restaurant and they seem wary of me. I think the doctor went overboard. I feel that blasting me ten times was a bit too much. I should have told him I would get five now and five at my next appointment. Actually, I only went to him for that one spot on the left temple of my forehead. But, he saw nine more areas that needed blasting. So, now the blisters are bursting and leaving these pock marks on me that are a bit too much.

Many say today is the first day of autumn. Others say yesterday was the first day. Whichever day it is, I'm glad to see it. Most people enjoy the spring time of year. Autumn is and always will be my favorite. We don't have the colorful autumn leaves as they do in the northeast part of the country. But, the leaves from oaks and various other trees are colorful in their own right. This morning I walked out to get my morning newspaper and it was so very refreshing to feel a slight chill in the air. We still have about 2-4 weeks of warm weather here. But, we know cooler (not cold...no such thing in Mobile) weather is on the way. I, for one, am looking forward to it.

Like many people, I have watched Saturday Night Live over the years. In fact, I started watching it since it came on the air with Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner. It has had its ups and downs through the years. But last Saturday night was the low point of many low points for this show. They suggested that Sarah Palin's husband, Todd, Palin, was having sex with his daughters. Call me humorless or an old fogey. But, I see absolutely nothing funny about that insinuation even if it is intended as a joke. Can people now see why Republicans say the media and entertainment industry is so one-sided in their support of the Democratic Party? The insinuation of incest is despicable. There is no excuse for that in any form on any show. NBC should apologize to the Palin family. But, I won't hold my breath for that to happen given their clear bias toward the candidacy of Senator Obama.

Finally, I talked to my ex-wife Saturday morning. We talk about every two or three months. Less if I can possibly see to that. As I have said several times on this blog, I have harbored great resentment toward her for the way she put me in such a dire predicament when she filed for divorce. I had nowhere to live and was over 400 miles from my home of Mobile, AL. I was basically homeless for about two weeks. Not in the traditional sense that I slept in the streets. But, I slept on couches, worn out cots at relatives for a couple of weeks. I even slept in my truck for one night. I told her that someday she would regret doing me the way. She was constantly badgering me to leave after we signed the divorce papers even though the damn lawyer was giving me more time to move out than she was. Talking to her, she gave me the sense she was very much alone now. All those “good old friends” I had tried to warn her about are now gone. They took advantage of her as I warned. I should feel a measure of satisfaction to see I was right. But, I don't feel satisfaction. I don't feel I have been avenged. Indeed, I feel nothing but sympathy toward her. My ex-wife is a sad person in many respects. She never is satisfied with anything. That includes a husband who never cheated on her, left her at night to get drunk, or abused her in any way. My problem was that I wasn't like her father. That's not to say I wasn't at fault in our marriage. I took her for granted, I should have been more understanding of her concerns. I did not. I just have never felt the need to baby a grown woman. Thanks to her father, that is what she craves most from any man.

As we were about to hang up, I could tell she was crying. I had a sudden urge to say, I TRIED TO WARN YOU. But, I couldn't do that. Instead, I told her I wish her the very best in life and may God Bless her in all ways possible. And, after hanging up, I didn't feel angry as I usually did when talking to her. I did not fume all day long as I usually did. Instead, I felt GOOD about myself. Grandpa used to say it doesn't cost anything to be nice to people, even to those who have “done you no good...and you prove, at least to yourself, you're a good person.” Thanks Grandpa...thanks for your pearls of wisdom..