From A Bird's Eye View

Posted in opinion

A SPIRIT LIKE NUN OTHER

October 13, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:8 Comments

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

In the 13 years that Bob and I have been writing this blog there are a few posts that stand out. For me, one of them was the piece I wrote in 2023 about Sister Jean, the Loyola basketball “good luck charm”. That fall the college sports world was obsessed with conference realignments and the effect they would have on the future of the sport. When a few journalists wrote columns about a nun at a Catholic university, their stories were buried by articles speculating about NIL, travel schedules and unfair scheduling. But they shouldn’t have been. Because that nun, at 104 years old, seemed to be the only person in college athletics who had her priorities straight. Sadly, Sister Jean passed away last week at the age of 106. Now, more than ever, we need the wisdom, spirit and good humor she sent out into the world. So today I am once again telling the story of Sister Jean, and the inspiring message she left us with in the final weeks of her life.

Jean Dolores Schmidt was born in 1919, the same year as our mother. She was raised in San Francisco, just 18 miles from our mother. I’d like to imagine that she and Sister Jean crossed paths at some point, but that seems unlikely since our mom loved a good gin rickey and I don’t think Sister Jean frequented many bars. Sister Jean attended St. Paul’s High School at the beautiful St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Francisco and played on the girls’ basketball team. After graduation in 1937 she entered the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary convent in Iowa. She eventually returned to California to further her education, earning BA and MA degrees. She taught school in California until 1961, when she moved to Chicago to teach at Mundelein College. She was hired by Loyola in 1991 when it merged with Mundelein. She planned to retire in 1994 but was asked by the administration to stay on as the team chaplain to the men’s basketball team to help student athletes keep up their grades so they could maintain their eligibility to play. Imagine that.

She steadily provided counsel to the students and cheered on the basketball team without fanfare. That is until 2018. That year Sister Jean became a household name when the team made a Cinderella run to the national semifinals — the farthest Loyola Chicago had made it in the NCAA Championship Tournament since 1963. Sister Jean’s spirited antics on the sidelines attracted national media attention and won over the hearts of viewers across the country. She became a star along with the team – orders for Sister Jean bobbleheads broke records, and she got a shout-out from former President and Chicago resident, Barack Obama. Afterwards she quipped, “It only took me 98 years to become an overnight sensation.” In March 2021, at the age of 101, Sister Jean traveled to Indianapolis to watch Loyola beat the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and eventually make it to the Sweet Sixteen.

But Sister Jean didn’t let the fame and attention alter her in any way. She kept the door to her office open for students to drop in and chat and she retained her position as the team chaplain. She even went so far as to email scouting reports, encouragement and advice to each of the players after every game. She attended every home game and opened them with a prayer, in which she urged the refs to make good calls, the players to share the ball and God to nudge the Ramblers to a big W. In 2022, at the age of 103, she published a book, “Wake Up with Purpose! What I’ve Learned in My First 100 Years.” It was filled with her trademark sense of humor and good-natured observations about her century of life. On her 104th birthday students celebrated her by gathering in her office and bringing her one of her favorite foods – CAKE! Later that week she threw out the first pitch at a Cubs’ game and was honored with a block party at Loyola’s Water Tower Campus.

In August of this year, on her 106th birthday, Sister Jean wrote the following message to the Loyola community — directed at students as they began a new academic year:

“It has been wonderful for me to be with you these years and to watch you grow spiritually, intellectually, and socially, and to see the friends you’ve made. And to see the progress you’ve made in your academic life. I’ve always been happy to share my time with you. Let your dreams become reality. Don’t let anybody stop you. You are the future leaders of our churches, our schools, our country, and our world.”

This past September 25th Sister Jean retired from her job at Loyola due to health concerns and on October 9th she passed from this life. The world is a lesser place without her. In these times of overwhelming news and division it is good to let the spirit of Sister Jean guide us: live life with joy, encourage others, and maintain a sense of purpose. And, of course, eat cake.

Posted in travel

The ‘Why?’ Cruise, continued

October 9, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:6 Comments

by Bob Sparrow

Well, no jumping overboard for me – Alcatraz is too close! Fortunately, there was no need to jump as the trip was ready to get more interesting. Wednesday morning, we woke up in San Francisco Bay, opened the curtains in our cabin and looked out on the best view I’d had all week: the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower and Alcatraz. It was overcast, but what did we expect in San Francisco? However, temperatures were in the 70s, which for this time of year in ‘The City’ is ‘HOT’! We walked over to Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square then decided to take the hop-on-hop-off bus around the city. It was awesome! We never hopped off but just enjoyed the views from the open upper deck of the bus, of places like North Beach, the Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, Haight-Ashbury, the Financial District (Where Suzanne used to work) and Golden Gate Park, where we drove past old Kezar Stadium, where at somewhere around 8 years old, I watched my first 49er game. It was also the place where I played my last game of college football. The whole tour was very enjoyable and very nostalgic. We got off the bus at Fisherman’s Wharf and had an awesome dinner at Fog Harbor Fish House – clam chowder, Linda had lobster, and I had crab and just to stay with the theme of the cruise we both had some California wine. I have to say ‘The City’ looked awesome, and Newsom didn’t even know I was going to be there!

Teammate and roommate Ken Poulsen and me at our last game in Kezar Stadium

The ship’s entertainment was generally pretty good; the program I enjoyed the most was an interview with Taj Jackson. No, I didn’t know who he was either, until I did a little research before going to his on-stage interview. He is the first of three sons of Tito Jackson, member of the Jackson 5 and brother of Michael and Janet. Taj and his two brothers formed a group years ago called 3T, (All their first names start with ‘T’ – Taj, Taryll and Tito Jr.). They were mentored by Uncle Michael. Taj says that the group is more popular in Europe than here, but they are still touring and selling lots of music here. We had a chance to personally meet Taj after the show, and he is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. He took time with everyone to answer questions (mostly about Michael) and was just a super person. I’m not familiar with their music, but I’m definitely going to give them a listen.

Meanwhile, it’s another day at sea as we head down to San Diego. We did get to watch the 49er-Ram Thursday night game on TV – Yay 49ers!!! We had such a good experience in San Francisco with the hop-on-hop-off bus that we decided to try it in San Diego. But don’t call it a hop-on-hop-off bus, it’s a ‘trolly’! While the venues weren’t as memorable or nostalgic for me as San Francisco, we did hit the high spots of San Diego, which were interesting – Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado Island and the Del Coronado Hotel, Balboa Park, Little Italy and Old Town, where we got off to have a delightful Mexican lunch . . . complete with margarita! We decided that since we live so close, we need to get to San Diego more often and spend some time at some of these fun and interesting places!

Back on the boat for our final night and the short cruise up to L.A. (that took all night). So, our plan of flying to Vancouver and taking a boat ride home turned out to be surprisingly good, once we got to San Francisco.

Posted in travel

The ‘Why?’ Cruise

October 6, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:6 Comments

by Bob Sparrow

You regular blog readers may remember that we took a cruise last November to countries that neither of us had ever been to, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Hong Kong – Very Exciting! And in July we did a family cruise to nowhere, the boat went from L.A. to Ensenada, but we never got off, so we really didn’t go anywhere – Family Fun! Now, as I write this, we are on a cruise to places that I’ve not only been to, but have lived around – Why?

To be honest, I’m not sure. Other than the excuse my wife gives that while I was looking at our yearly calendar last January, I said, “Doesn’t look like we have much going on in September?” Apparently, that was her cue to find a cruise for us. She knew I wouldn’t mind traveling . . . anywhere! However, ‘anywhere’ this time turned out to be a ‘West Coast Wine Cruise’. When she told me, I was a bit surprised, as I was born and have lived on the West Coast most of my life, and have consumed a good deal of West Coast wine most of my life. And while I have enjoyed both, I really didn’t see a point in cruising to places that I was very familiar with and drinking wine, that I was even more familiar with. But I think I figured out why Linda even considered this trip; it’s on Princess Cruise Lines and she has plays a lot of Princess slot machines, so Princess wants us, well, not so much me as her, to come back. So, we got a deal on the cruise to familiar places, drinking familiar wine.

By the way, the photo at the top was not put in to show you how few people there were lounging by the ship’s pool, but rather to show you the first time, in three days, that we saw a little blue in the sky.

We started our journey by flying from Orange County to Vancouver, Canada, a place we started our Alaskan cruise not that long ago ago – in fact, we stayed in the same hotel this time as we did then – just keeping everything familiar! What we were not familiar with was the rain. But what did we expect in the northwest in late September/October? We boarded the Royal Princess on Saturday and while we found the ship’s main gathering areas nice, it was all a bit ‘tired’ as the ship was first launched in 2012. There were several inconveniences like not having an electrical or USB connection next to the bed or in the bathroom! Yes, nowhere to plug in anything in the bathroom! Additionally, our small balcony would be crowded if we were both on it. But hey, we were cruising and damn happy about it.

We spent most of our time on Saturday in the sports bar watching college football and the Ryder Cup. By Sunday, we had made it all the way to Victoria Island (about 60 miles) and decided that the only thing we would want to see there was Butchart Gardens, but we’d already seen it, so we stayed on board watching NFL football and the Ryder Cup. So, to summarize the trip thus far, we had not seen the sun, the ship was just OK, Linda’s Vikings and my 49ers both lost as well as the U.S. Ryder team – not a great start, but we figured that the further south we go, the better!

We then had two days at sea to make the one-day trip to San Francisco. I guess they just circle around in the ocean or maybe the captain is fishing off the back of the boat, who knows? I think they just make it longer so we can drink more California wine.

The rest of the story on Thursday . . . if I haven’t jumped overboard by then!

Posted in opinion

THE MAYOR OF BALBOA

September 29, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:11 Comments

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Earlier this month I packed up Dooley and seemingly half of my worldly belongings and headed out to Balboa Island. Balboa is adjacent to Newport Beach and is a cute touristy town full of cute shops and restaurants. It seemed like the perfect retreat from the endless hot days of Scottsdale. Dooley had never been on a car ride longer than an hour, so the success of this trip was a crap shoot from the beginning. Plus, I soon discovered that my new car model is smaller than my old model. Or maybe it was that between Dooley’s crate, car seat, stroller, food, grooming equipment, toys and training tools it just seemed smaller. In any event, my friend Pat and I each rented homes on Balboa for the month of September and early on the morning of the 1st, we set out on our grand adventure. To my surprise, Dooley is a great long-distance traveler, and my rental house was perfect – recently updated, freshly painted, and right along the main street with a front patio that was ideal for Dooley and me to watch the world go by.

To be honest, in the weeks before the trip I felt I needed a break from Dooley. He is a very high-energy puppy, and I am, well, more of a sloth. But for various reasons I couldn’t find anyone who could take him, but to my surprise, Dooley’s presence turned out to be a blessing. On the second day of vacation, one of the people who walked by our patio was an elderly man, wearing a Panama hat and walking a golden retriever. He stopped when he saw Dooley, reminiscing about the two Cavaliers that he’s owned. I noticed that he had a patch on his shirt that indicated he was a dog trainer. Long story short, his name was Ed and had been training dogs for 30 years. I hired him on the spot and boy, was he the right guy. His methods were strict and no-nonsense. Apparently, I was failing at being the “alpha” in my relationship with Dooley, but Ed straightened me out with all the subtlety of a drill sergeant. Sure enough, within a couple of days Dooley was already walking better on a leash. Ed came over a few times, and I wanted to bring him home, but we agreed to work remotely on additional behavior issues – mostly mine.

Every afternoon Dooley scratched at the front door, just itching to get to the patio. He would sit up on the sofa, head resting on the porch railing, and greet everyone who walked by. Who could resist those puppy dog eyes? Apparently no one. Almost every person who passed by smiled or stopped to give him a pat and or ask me about him. I ended up talking with several people multiple times. Without exaggeration, over the three weeks I was there I probably met more than 300 people. Pat jokingly began referring to Dooley as “the mayor”, as he greeted his “constituents” every afternoon. Our multiple walks each day brought other opportunities to meet and greet, including a chance encounter with Kareem Abdul Jabbar. He was walking with two other people a few yards ahead of me and at 7’2″, he’s rather hard to miss. He stopped to sit on a bench, and he smiled at Dooley as we passed by. When I turned and headed home, we passed him again and he said, “That dog isn’t going to attack me, is he?” We both laughed. He clearly has some mobility issues, and it made me happy that Dooley brought him a light moment. I finally realized that without Dooley, I never would have met so many people, had so many engaging conversations, or walked the 13,000 steps he led me on every day. He is my calling card to meeting strangers and making friends. From now on, he will accompany on all of my car trips.

The biggest blessing of this trip was being able to spend time with family. I got to watch college football with Bob and Linda, had a wonderful afternoon and dinner on Balboa at the Village Inn with them, their daughter Dana, and their two grandchildren, Addison and Mack. And on my last night, they hosted a dinner with all three of their children and five grandchildren. We hadn’t been together in a long time, and it was the perfect way to end my trip.

As lovely as it was to be in cooler climes, I learned that a month is way too long for me to be away from home, especially with a puppy. Ed acknowledged that Dooley is a very smart, but very energetic puppy, who would better adhere to training at home. Plus, after three weeks I was ready to sleep in my own bed and have my own “stuff” at my disposal. I admit it, I’m a homebody. As it turned out, Dooley picked up a parasite at the end of our stay and luckily, I was home and near our vet before it hit him full force. So, leaving early was meant to be. But I’m already perusing my options for a vacation home next summer. My chief requirement? It has to have a spot for “the mayor” to meet and greet his constituents.

Posted in Social media

How Long Can We Tolerate Fraud on Social Media?

September 22, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:8 Comments

by Bob Sparrow

When ‘thefacebook.com was first introduced in February of 2004, it was only available to students at Harvard. A month later it was open to students at other universities like Yale, Columbia and Stanford. In other words, average to stupid people were not allowed – very different than today. In 2005 it was open to high school students and the name changed to Facebook. In late 2006 it was opened to the public; so average and stupid people were finally allowed access. It caught on. By 2008 it had over 100 million users. I must admit to being one of them, as I thought this was a wonderful way to connect with family, friends, former classmates, etc. who were not local. So, I could see what they were up to on a regular basis, and they could see what I was up to. I thought it was a cool concept!

But something happens when you give EVERYONE access to EVERYONE else. Which is a nice way of saying that Facebook gave idiots a platform. So, content is not fact checked, in fact, it seems the less factual it is, the more hits it gets. Which is all Facebook cares about, because it’s free to the user and is paid for by sponsors.

Speaking of sponsors, recently an ad popped up, of course it was based on a previous search I had done looking for a particular health benefit. A well-known physician that I respected and had recently read on of his books, came on Facebook talking about a simple cure for my ailment. Yes, they wanted me to buy something, but it wasn’t that expensive and because it came from such a reputable source, I was ready to buy. But I knew enough to make sure it was legitimate, so I asked Google if it was a scam. It was. The image and the voice simulation was recreated with the help of Artificial Imaging and Artificial Intelligence. So this influential physician appeared to be saying things that he really was not saying and, in fact, didn’t believe. It’s not just Facebook, it’s everywhere. It doesn’t matter who you see or what they are saying, it all could be artificially generated, just to get you to buy a product that is not endorsed by anyone who might have any knowledge of the subject. We might catch on if we see a bodybuilding ad done by Barney Fife or marriage counseling done by Elizabeth Taylor., but they know we’re not that stupid . . . are we? Demographics today show that 74% of users that go on Facebook to connect with friends and family are seniors between ages 55-65; sellers know that this demographic is the easiest target to fool. (I’m so glad I’m out of that demographic!)

So, yes of course, I’m still on Facebook, as that’s where our blog posts every Monday; but when you juxtapose our low subscriptions with the multiple comments we get, it tells us that most of you read our blog on Facebook, as we only have about 225 ‘Followers’, meaning that those ‘Followers’ have our blog sent directly to their email and read it there, not on Facebook. And yes, we know who you are – THANK YOU! Just to compare our 225 number, the top person being followed on Facebook is Christiano Ronaldo, who has 170 million followers; so, we have a long way to go. He’s a soccer player from Portugal in case you aren’t one of his followers. The top U.S. person being followed is Vin Diesel (not even his real name) with 98 million followers. So, because most of you read our blog on Facebook, we feel like we’d be abandoning you if we took it off and delivered it only to our subscribers email. However as our disgust with Facebook grows, we still might consider the possibility of taking it off. If we do, we’d give you plenty of warning and plenty of opportunity to subscribe, so that the blog would come directly from our website to your email – no middleman or flimflam man, no Facebook.

To the right of each weekly post is a place where you can ‘subscribe’, it’s free! And don’t worry about Facebook getting along without us; they are currently valued at a little over $1 trillion.

Posted in opinion

THE FLOWER CHILDREN OF ARNHEM

September 15, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:12 Comments

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Every September, in the quiet town of Oosterbeek in the Netherlands, a deeply moving ritual unfolds among rows of white headstones. It’s not a grand spectacle, nor a political affair—it’s a ceremony of remembrance led by children. Known as the Flower Children of Arnhem, this tradition is one of the most poignant acts of gratitude and remembrance in Europe, honoring the Allied soldiers who died during Operation Market Garden in World War II.

The scene is simple but powerful. Hundreds of local schoolchildren, dressed in their Sunday best, walk solemnly through the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery. Each child is assigned a grave. They kneel, whisper the name of the fallen soldier etched into the stone, and gently place a flower—often a single chrysanthemum or rose—on the grave. There are no speeches from the children, no rehearsed performances. Just a quiet, personal moment between the living and the dead. The Flower Children ceremony is more than symbolic—it’s deeply personal. Some children return year after year to the same grave, forming connections with the families of the fallen. One such story is that of Willemien Rieken, who began laying flowers as a young girl and continued for over 75 years. She eventually met the family of the soldier whose grave she tended, forging a bond that transcended borders and generations.

This tradition began in 1945, just one year after the battle that turned Arnhem into a crucible of sacrifice. Operation Market Garden was an ambitious Allied plan to end the war quickly by capturing key bridges in the Netherlands and pushing into Germany. British, Polish, and American troops parachuted into the region, but the operation faltered, and thousands of soldiers were killed or captured. The Dutch people, who had endured years of Nazi occupation, never forgot the bravery of those who came to liberate them.

What makes this ceremony especially powerful is its intergenerational nature. Veterans who fought in Arnhem often attended, their eyes misty as they watched the children pay tribute. For many, it’s a moment of healing. The presence of young voices in a place marked by loss reminds us that memory is not static—it’s passed on, nurtured, and kept alive by those who never knew the war but feel its echoes.
The ceremony also serves as a quiet rebuke to the idea that history fades. In a world where attention spans are short and headlines fleeting, the Flower Children of Arnhem ceremony stands as a testament to enduring gratitude. These children aren’t just participating in a school event; they’re engaging in a ritual of remembrance that teaches empathy, history, and the cost of freedom.

Each year, the ceremony is held on the first Sunday after September 17, the date Operation Market Garden began so this year it will take place on the 21st. It includes a formal memorial service attended by dignitaries, veterans, and thousands of visitors. But it’s the children who steal the show—not with fanfare, but with their sincerity.

In a time when remembrance can feel performative or politicized, the Flower Children of Arnhem offer something rare: a quiet, heartfelt tribute that transcends nationality and ideology. It’s a reminder that gratitude doesn’t need grand gestures—it needs continuity, sincerity, and the willingness to pass stories forward. So, if you ever find yourself in the Netherlands in September, make your way to Oosterbeek. Watch the children walk among the graves. Listen to the silence. And know that in that moment, history is not just remembered—it’s cherished.

Posted in Writing

So Now I Have to Learn How to Write!

September 8, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:6 Comments

by Bob Sparrow

As is obvious from the last 14 years of this blog, Suzanne and I love to write. But just recently we decided we wanted to write something besides the blog. Those who follow us know that Suzanne has already written something besides this blog. As in two very good, non-fiction books, In the Enemy’s Camp, (2004) a riveting account of American civilians, her husband’s family, held prisoner by the Japanese in the Philippines, and Before All Is Said and Done, (2022) a book that everyone should read to prepare you for life after your spouse has passed. Both books are available on Amazon Books.

But I had a story rattling around in my head, with which I wanted to do something. I actually have several stories rattling around in there and I thought it was time to . . . I was going to say empty my brain, but it’s pretty much empty already. So, I asked Suzanne if she was interested in co-authoring a novel, novelette, short story, screen play, television series, something! I really didn’t know how the rattles in my head would shake out. Fortunately, she was on board with whatever we decided.

So, our story takes place in the South Pacific and I believe the germ of the idea came from an old television series called Adventures in Paradise, which was created by James Mitchner, yes that James Mitchner. It starred Gardner McKay, who was, by most accounts, a nice-looking, bad actor. It was on television for three years – 1959 -1962 (I know, some of you weren’t even born yet!). I went on YouTube and watched three or four episodes – it was in black and white, had weak story lines and was poorly acted; generally, it was awful! But it took place in the exotic South Pacific, and I saw potential for perhaps writing a television series that would be in living color, have interesting story lines and be well-acted. After several discussions with Suzanne, it was decided that I would write down the basic story and she would not just edit it, in terms of choosing the right words and punctuation, but helped create the ‘arc’ of the characters and story, as well as re-write parts of it to make it more interesting and believable. We each had our responsibilities; she is an excellent writer, who had experience in the book-publishing process and I . . . well, I just had a story and a desire to write it. But I found out, I didn’t really know how to write a story! So I searched Amazon for books on how to write and found two great ones, both by Sol Stein, Stein on Writing and How to Grow a Novel. When I was done with them, I had scribbled notes on almost every page, yellow highlighted sentences throughout, and dog-eared pages from front to back.

As Suzanne and I were writing this story, we thought it fit nicely as a six-episode television

adventure/travel series. So I asked my son-in-law, Jason Shomer, for some advice as he’s a good writer in his own rite and has had experience in this field. He bought and sent me a book called The Anatomy of Story, by John Truby, which is now also scribbled on, highlighted and dogeared. Jason also gave me some advice about writing a television series.

So, Suzanne and I re-wrote what we had into what we thought was a television series, dialogue format. After reading it we decided that we really were over our heads in trying this, and that we should get back to being over our heads in trying to write a novel. The working title for this project is In Search of Bali Ha’i and we’ll keep you updated on any progress with this adventure, but don’t hold your breath, I’m still learning how to write!

Posted in opinion

A ROBOT TO UNPLUG MY TOILET

September 1, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:8 Comments

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Today, Labor Day, marks our annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated in 1882, in New York City, and it became a national holiday in 1894. I usually don’t think about labor unions that much anymore. When I worked in human resources it was a subject that I thought about all the time and was a heated topic in many meetings. Long, tedious meetings. Invariably the discussions centered around how to keep the unions out of banking. But I’ve been giving unions a bit more thought lately, as I believe we are at a turning point in terms of how we view work and labor.

One of the reasons I’ve given unions some thought is I’ve been updating my wardrobe and have paid attention to the labels. Nothing I bought was made in the U.S. In fact, my clothes have been more places than I have: Indonesia, Vietnam, and Peru just to name a few. I realize this is not a new issue but find it sad that it’s really hard to find clothing made in the U. S. I am old enough to remember when we were advised to “look for the union label”, by the International Ladies’ Garment Workers Union. In part, that union was formed as a result of a fire in 1911 in New York. The fire—likely sparked by a discarded cigarette—started on the eighth floor of the Triangle Waist Company, a manufacturer of women’s shirtwaists (blouses). The flames, fed by cotton filaments and tissue paper waste, quickly spread upward to the top two floors of the building, but in those days the fire truck ladders were only able to reach six stories. Many workers, trapped by doors that had been locked to prevent theft, leapt from windows to their deaths. Some were able to reach the fire escape, but it soon became so overloaded that it collapsed, killing those who were on it. The tragedy galvanized the city government to enact health and safety laws and helped shape future labor laws across the country. On the other hand, the owners of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company were indicted for manslaughter but were eventually exonerated. To add salt to the wound – they later profited from inflated insurance claims related to the fire damage. As I looked at the labels of the clothes I just purchased, I wondered about the working conditions where they were made. My fear is that the seamstresses may be no better off than the Triangle Shirtwaist workers 114 years ago.

The other reason I’ve been thinking about unions is the rapid advance of AI. Bill Gates in a recent interview said AI is moving at a speed that “surprises” even him, stating that AI will take over most jobs. We have already seen a major strike – by the SAG/AFTRA unions in 2023- whose complaint was not simply the usual request for more money, increased benefits and worker safety, but centered around protection from AI-generated images, writing and voice-overs. AI is evolving so quickly that 2023 seems like the stone age. According to numerous sources, the AI programmers can’t even keep up with it. In May it was reported that one of the OpenAI models disobeyed direct instructions to turn off and even sabotaged shutdown mechanisms in order to keep working. ChatGPT has experienced the same phenomenon: models will occasionally sabotage a shutdown mechanism, even when instructed to “allow yourself to be shut down”. In addition to the downright scary implications of these “disobedient” models, is the very real impact they are having on jobs. Last week the Wall Street Journal ran two articles in one day about this issue. Already workers in fields as diverse as software engineering, voice acting and graphic design are reportedly being replaced. I witnessed a real example of this when our grandson graduated from college. There was a large contingent of international students, so afterwards I remarked to our grandson how impressed I was that the person announcing the graduates could get the names right. He informed me that it wasn’t a human announcer – right before entering the stage each graduate said their name into a computer, and an AI model announced their entrance.

I worry about the future of work and what it will look like. Many entry- level white-collar jobs are already in jeopardy. Ironically, the workers we honor on Labor Day, the union workers using their hands and back and brains, should remain plentiful in the near future. At least until they can program a robot to weld a seam or unplug a toilet. I hope I won’t live long enough to see that.

Posted in travel

Alberta, Canada – Where My Golf Balls Go to Die

August 25, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:7 Comments

by Bob Sparrow

I never tire of losing golf balls in Alberta, Canada. This year’s golfing trip to Banff marked our fourth golf excursion to, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places on this planet – the Canadian Rockies. And while the scenery, weather and company were magnificent, the golf left something to be desired. But, hey, I didn’t go there for the golf, I can golf miserably at home, and, in fact, often do . . . on many occasions. I went there for the scenery.

The group that witnessed the passing of sleeve after sleeve of my golf balls included Jack & JJ Budd, Bud & Carol Laughlin, John & Judy VanBoxmeer and my lovely wife, Linda. We stayed in two VRBO condos in Canmore (more about Canmore later), which we can highly discourage anyone for ever staying in; its only saving grace was that it was a short walk to the liquor store.

We weren’t sure if we would even get in our first round of golf, as it had been raining for several days and was still sprinkling as we traveled to our first course, Silvertip. It is a visually spectacular golf course, nestled beneath the majestic mountains and cut through forests and valleys; even the scorecard is beautiful (see photo). I thought twelve balls for the three rounds of golf we were scheduled to play would be plenty for the trip. My supply was half gone by the end of the first round. But I take some consolation in knowing that they are resting in peace in a beautiful place.

The next day we took a break from golf and scheduled a gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, just outside of Banff. Once at the top, we had spectacular views of the Canadian Rockies, Bow Valley, the historic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the Bow River, where in a couple of days hence, would provide a watery grave from several of my golf balls. After the gondola ride we had lunch at a rooftop restaurant/bar in Banff. After lunch there was some differences of opinion about what to do next, so they guys got in one car and drove back to Canmore looking for a place for dinner, which was code for bar hoping, while the girls stayed in Banff and shopped.

As I mentioned, this was Linda’s and my fourth trip to Canmore/Banff, and we thought the city of Canmore was nothing more than a couple of restaurants and gas stations along the road to Banff. But we discovered that ‘downtown’ Canmore has a really cute main street, filled with quaint, local art shops, restaurants and bars . . . and a great ice cream shop made from an old yellow school bus. We all walked back to our condo with an ice cream cone.

Our next golf experience was the following day at Stewart Creek Golf Club, which provided plenty of flora and fauna to hide several balls from various errant shots. If you’re thinking that by losing so many balls I must have shot some really bad rounds of golf, you’d be right, but it was beautiful. I found solace when I lost balls that son Jeff had given me for Christmas with a photo of their daughter, Brooklyn, on them. Jeff, please know that she is resting in a most beautiful place!

Bow River a little higher due to the number of my golf balls in it

Our final day of golf was at the Banff Springs Golf Course, which is a beautiful course with magnificent views of the Banff Springs Hotel and the Bow River. The round of golf for both Linda and me, and a top for Linda and a Banff ball marker for me (she told me they were of about equal value!), the round cost us over $1,000.00! But I was told that that was in Canadian dollars, so I was reminded of how much I saved not being in America! On this course it was the Bow River and the surrounding pine forest that collected the last of my golf balls, but Hey, I was going home the next day anyway, so I was just making my golf bag lighter . . . significantly lighter.

Posted in opinion

DO NOT DISTURB UNTIL JANUARY

August 18, 2025By Sparrow/WatsonComments:3 Comments

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Finally, after the sports wasteland that exists between January and August, college football is returning this week. Earlier this year a friend mentioned how depressed she gets when the holidays are over. I responded that I am usually relieved when the holidays are in the rear-view mirror, but the day after the College Football Championship game? I’m close to slitting my wrists. I’ve been a college football fan since I can remember. Growing up with two brothers who were star football players in high school and college, I think it was probably a sink or swim situation. Dinner table conversations at our house always centered around sports, and never more so than in the fall, when football season was in full swing. I recall once protesting that we should talk about something “girlie”, but that dog just didn’t hunt. So, I learned to love football. I wasn’t immediately attuned to the game, however. I was a cheerleader for our local Pop Warner team and on returning home from a game one afternoon my dad asked how it had gone. I replied, “Great! We had a LOT of 4th downs!” Needless to say, I’ve increased my knowledge of the game considerably since then.

The first slate of games this year occur on Saturday and as typically happens, the games scheduled this early in the season are not really barnburners; Sam Houston vs. Western KY is one of the afternoon games. But whether by luck or good planning, the morning starts with a game between two ranked teams: Iowa State vs Kansas State. I’m not particularly invested in either team, but you can bet that I will be planted in front of my TV watching it. Hopefully eating something entirely fattening and non-nutritious. A chocolate Long John springs to mind. My husband and I used to joke that we loved our “Saturday pants” – sweats with a very forgiving waistband.

Next Saturday, August 30th, begins the “real” season, if for no other reason than “College Game Day” returns. I think Game Day is one of the most fun ways to start a weekend ever invented. There is humor, knowledgeable discussions, irreverent signs waved by a (mostly) drunk student body, and, maybe best of all, Kirk Herbstreit’s golden retriever service dog. Last year his dog, Ben, was the highlight of every college campus he visited, even receiving field credentials. When Ben died in November, Kirk gave a tribute to him that reflected just how much Ben meant to him, and to the entire college football community. If you can watch the video of that tribute without crying, then you aren’t human. Late last season Herbstreit brought in his second stringer, Peter, who will continue in Ben’s honored position this season.

The 2025 Game Day cast will be without Lee Corso, who announced his retirement earlier this year. Corso has been on the program since its inception in 1987. He is a quirky figure, to say the least, but he has grown on me over the years. Each week he ends the program by selecting the mascot headgear of the team he believes will win the featured game. His antics got more elaborate as the years wore on, but somehow he became more beloved. My husband used to swear that he was biased against USC (a mortal sin in his opinion) but in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Corso has donned the USC headgear 17 times and boasts a flawless 17–0 record when backing the Trojans. Game Day has already announced that the tradition of donning the headgear will retire along with Corso. And if you can’t wait until Saturday for your Game Day fix, on Friday night ESPN is broadcasting a special tribute to Corso called, “Not So Fast, My Friend”, which is one of his signature phrases.

It’s an exciting time and I’m almost (but not quite) as excited about the NFL games. I foresee a fall and early winter that will be chocked full of football from Thursday nights through the following Monday nights. I know that I will have to make time for friends and family and I’ve done so – I’ve penciled in all of my catch-up phone calls for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Depending on the schedule, I’m willing to forfeit an NFL game to chat, but on Saturdays I’ve got the “Do Not Disturb” sign up until the end of January. Unless you’re bleeding out, I’m not available. Fight On!!