How does this happen?

Being a Pennsylvania native, I have carefully followed the unfolding scandal at Penn State. Several things have really bothered me as I watch the news coverage and videos. What is predominantly on my mind is the failure to consider the safety and welfare of these children that were abused at the hands of Mr. Sandusky while Penn State administrators and coaches knew about it and did nothing.
I've taken the time to read the twenty plus pages of the grand jury indictment. If you haven't read it, you should. You can find it here. I am appalled at the number of victims already uncovered, with the hint that there may well be more. Perhaps the most disturbing fact is that McQueary, then a graduate assistant at Penn State, witnessed a rape of a ten year old boy in the locker room shower of the football facility. Not only did this 27 year old do nothing to stop what was happening, he apparently had to call his dad to ask what to do next. Really? At 27, being a teacher and a mom, I am confident that I would have intervened, even if I needed a baseball bat, and I also would have called the police—that night.
Joe testified to the following in the grand jury testimony:
Joseph V. Paterno testified to receiving the graduate assistant’s report at his home on Saturday morning. Paterno testified that the graduate assistant was very upset. Paterno called Tim Curley (“Curley”), Penn State Athletic Director and Paterno’s immediate superior, to his home the very next day, a Sunday, and reported to him that the graduate assistant had seen Jerry Sandusky in the Lasch Building showers fondling or doing something of a sexual nature to a young boy.”
Something of a sexual nature? McQueary testified that he reported what he had seen to Paterno. Read the document to see exactly what McQueary saw. Here’s my next big question. Even if you only heard the words “sexual nature” and “young boy,” wouldn’t that be enough for you to immediately call your superior, not wait a day? And speaking of his superior, am I the only one who is a bit shocked that Joe had enough clout to make his superior come to him, not the other way around? I know I probably shouldn’t be shocked, but I have been out of Pennsylvania for over thirty years.
It was wrong and both of these men knew it was wrong. Yes, Joe notified the proper university officials, but did he ever ask a question about what they did about it. He apparently did not, because several years later, Mr. Sandusky was still recruiting for Penn State. In fact, reports indicate that Mr. Sandusky went on recruiting visits as recently as this past spring, during the grand jury investigation.
Another disturbing fact is that reports of sexual abuse surfaced long before this report by McQueary. According to MSNBC: “ … in 1998, Sandusky was investigated after he was accused of "behaving in a sexually inappropriate manner" with a boy in a shower at the football team's facilities, the grand jury said. The report said an attorney for Second Mile who was also university counsel, Wendell Courtney, was aware of the allegations.” The entire article can be found here. He was observed again in 2000, in the showers of a Penn State facility by a janitor. The janitor tells his immediate superior who advises him to file a report, but since the janitor was a temporary employee, it doesn’t get done. So, 2002 was not the first time that Penn State facilities were used by Mr. Sandusky to abuse young boys, nor was it the first time he was observed or investigated.
Sandusky is arrested on November 5, 2011. Joe makes a statement on Sunday, November 6, 2011, released by his son Scott in which he states: "If this is true we were all fooled ... we grieve for the victims and their families. They are in our prayers." Joe goes on to defend his actions in going to administrators and not following up. On Wednesday, the day after his press conference was cancelled, Paterno announces his retirement effective at the end of the season with this pre-emptive warning to the board. "At this moment the board of trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status. They have far more important matters to address." (Atlanta Journal) Wednesday evening Joe Paterno is relieved of his position as head coach of the Penn State football program.
What occurs following this is what disturbs and grieves me most. The outrage displayed by the students, alumni and fans of Penn State for the firing of the legendary Paterno, far overshadows anyone’s grief for what has happened to the victims in this scandal. How and why do you side with a man who covered up the acts of a depraved person? The same man who was, until this past week, suggesting they allegations may not be true. Joe, you have at least one eye-witness on your staff and quite probably there are more who were afraid to speak up. Angry mobs overturning a mobile news van, blaming the media for Joe’s dismissal are the scenes displayed across the country and world-wide. When one Penn State grad stands outside the stadium bearing two signs that say, “Put abused kids first,” and Don’t be fooled, they all knew. Tom Bradley, everyone must go.” He is ridiculed, cursed, slapped, showered with beer and over the course of an hour, only one person stopped to agree with the man. (Washington Times article) While the fans inside the stadium seemed reticent and sad, outside the stadium people were still loudly protesting the firing of JoePA. I’ve heard of mob mentality before, even seen it first hand at anti Vietnam rallies while a college student, but I have never witnessed people so concerned with the future of a football program and the 60 year career of an 85 year old man who had clearly not done enough to protect these young victims. Several former players have been heard defending Coach Paterno's actions, saying he did what he had to do. Maybe as suggested in Micah 6:8, he should have done more.I sincerely hope that the board continues to clean house at Penn State. They did the right thing for the student body and the university. Not until the house is clean, can this football program move forward with the pride of Nittany Lions.

I'm Back!

Who'd have thought I'd been gone from writing this long--certainly not me. Some family problems have filled my days and nights with worry and a little stress, but things are looking up and it is time to write again. That said, heat is on my mind.

I like heat...there's something to be said for spicy Mexican or Indian food, a hot cup of cocoa after a snowball fight, a steamy shower upon waking in the morning. However, I do not like endless days and nights of 90+ degree weather. Who wants to walk in 95 degrees? I long for breezy weather and cool mornings to walk. It also wouldn't hurt if when the sun set, the temperature fell to someplace in the sixties, with low humidity. I long for a lovely porch or patio to share the evening coolness with friends and family.

Such a place does exist, but it isn't here in Dallas. I am so ready to go home to Pennsylvania...where such things do exist. Yes, there are hot days, but a limited number. Yes there are snowy cold days, but that's when I'd enjoy a lovely fire with my feet up and a good book. I think the lure of retirement has me hooked. More to come as I begin planning my journey.

Conquering Heroine?

Wow! One week, two days and the glucose meter is not looking like such a formidable machine any longer. After days of sticking with no results, I finally got all the bugs worked out and actually got a reading. If you've never used a meter before, there are a few things to consider. Don't think that intuition will guide you through. What you think will work doesn't. Follow the directions to the letter. My meter requires 1.0 micro-liters of blood, which I am happy to say the American Diabetes Association actually pictures. It is about the size of a the top of a straight pin, not the point. My first couple of attempts I tried to drop the blood onto the strip--no go. After coaxing the appropriate amount of blood to the surface, you bring the test strip to the blood and gently let it flow onto the strip. It's fun to watch actually. The channel fills quickly and in five seconds you have results. So simple, despite all my worries.

Now I just have to learn what it all means. I think I'll celebrate with a pedicure tomorrow!

One Week In

It's been one week since my diagnosis of Type II diabetes. The week seem to drag by--probably because I am anticipating my vacation which starts next Friday. I am like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning. But not so fast...the drag could be due to the darn glucose meter. If you remember, that's the machine that causes me to prick my finger on more than one occasion during each day. I think I've finally gotten over the fear of the prick, but I was having real trouble managing the meter. My husband suggested I go back to the doctor's office, but I don't cave that easy. I finally went to the site of the company that makes the meter and all my questions were answered. Goodness, Gayle, what took you so long. My meter is a OneTouch Ultra 2 made by LifeScan. It really is easy to use and I have to say the prick isn't that bad.

The first week on Bob Greene's 1500 calorie diet for diabetics didn't go badly. For the first three or four days, I think I was too nervous to really care about eating, but my appetite seems to have returned today. I've always been very conscious about reading food packaging labels, but am even more so now. I am mostly looking for sodium, carbs and fiber content. I love salad, which is very good for me to eat--low cal, low carb, high fiber. I just hate making them and I refuse to buy salad in a bag-it just never tastes fresh enough to me. I have a salad spinner which really rinses and dries the lettuces very well. Using a variety of greens makes the salad interesting. I usually throw in some yellow or red pepper, cucumber, red onion,cherry tomatoes and sometimes either broccoli or cauliflower. Depending on my flavor moods, I add avocado, or Gorgonzola with roasted walnuts or pecans. Okay, now you see why I hate making salads--I am fussy and it is a lot of work, but oh so good. One of my favorite dressings from a bottle is Newman's low fat lime vinaigrette. It goes perfectly with the avocado.

The most upsetting part of my new eating plan is having to cut down on my favorite carbs. I am not a big sweet eater, so I don't really miss desserts. A bowl of fresh strawberries or blueberries fills that niche. I do miss my potatoes and my pasta. It is not that I can't eat them, it is the amount that I can eat. 1/3 of a cup of cooked whole wheat pasta does not take up much room on the plate. Nor does a third cup of brown rice or half a baked potato. I haven't had a chip of any kind since last Friday and may go into withdrawal since tortilla chips are probably my favorite snack. I've added a lot of seafood choices to my menu--even though I prepare for me only since Eric does not eat fish.

I've been walking--but not every day this week. Eric and I had some errands to run so I guess I could count walking through stores we visited. I did walk Monday and today, just around the neighborhood for about 20 minutes. I actually love to walk but here in Texas, even at 8:30, it is a chore. It was probably close to 90 degrees this morning.

Here's hoping I can keep this up on the road. I will keep posting from my vacation stops.

Sweet Ride

Friday, June 11, 2010, is a day that will forever change me. My journey has become somewhat more complicated and I've spent the last 48 hours pondering how I will manage it. On Friday, I learned that I have Type II diabetes which brings with it the codependent issue of high blood pressure. I knew my sedentary lifestyle--thanks computer--would catch up with me. It has and now everything must change if I am to do well with controlling this illness. I've decided to write about it, describing the emotions and the physical implications.

Let's begin with the glucose monitor. You would think a woman with two masters degrees would have no trouble mastering the tiny meter. Three days later I am still learning the ropes. What's the big deal, shouldn't everyone love sticking themselves several times a day?

Taking two medications is freaking me out a bit. I don't like taking advil for a headache. About the only thing I have taken regularly over the last thirty years is a multi vitamnin. I am taking metformin, the generic form of glucophage. Its purpose is to lower my blood sugar--in conjunction, of course, with a proper diet and exercise. The other med is lisinopril for high blood pressure. So far neither medication is having an adverse effect, although I've found already if I don't eat enough before taking the metformin and then try to exercise I find myself lightheaded.

I am not having difficulty with the diet part. I understand I have to cut back on carbs, which is really okay with me--except for one thing. I like potatoes--any way, shape or form--so cutting them out or even cutting back is difficult. I love chicken, fish and seafood, so choosing them as a lower calorie protein is easy for me--so long as they hold out, considering the mess in the Gulf. That's a really sad state of affairs which I'll probably address in another blog. I also love low carb veggies like cauliflower, brussel sprouts and broccoli.

I've reinstated my walking routine, which was temporarily on hold due to my knee acting up. It's feeling better, so I am trying to get out before the Texas heat takes over. It was 80 degrees when I walked at 9 AM this morning. Waiting any later than that puts the whole plan into jeopardy--as I tend to wilt in the heat. Can't wait for those cool summer morning in Scranton or elsewhere in the northeast. Eric has talked me into going back to the weight machine, and I will do that in about 3-4 weeks. Our vacation is coming up and I can't see starting before we leave.

More to come...

Thanks for the Memories

They called it the end of an era and perhaps it was. Texas stadium stood at the intersection of Loop 12, 183 and 114 for 39 years, welcoming players and fans to the Sunday excitement that was a Cowboy’s game.

Some of my friends remember it being built. Not me. My very first recollection of the famous icon was from the opening credits of the hit series Dallas. You see, back in the early days of my marriage and my growing family, football was not a big part of my life, and when I had the time, I was watching the Steelers, the Eagles or the Giants, not the Cowboys. Who would have believed then that someday, going to Texas stadium would become a Sunday ritual?

When we arrived in north Texas in January of 1991, it was hard to absorb the fervent fever that permeated the very air here. I’d lived in Baltimore and in Cleveland, but never remembered the fan base being as loyal as here. Cowboy shirts were everywhere and the people wearing them would not hear a disparaging word about their ‘boys.

My first trip to the stadium came as the preseason of 1991 began. My daughter played in the band at R. L. Turner High School in Carrollton, Texas. The band boosters made the majority of their fund-raising money by running a concession stand at the stadium. Every Sunday for the next three years, I would spend hours before and after the game preparing and cleaning up the stand. But the hours during the game were the most special, when what seemed like millions of people passed by or stood in line waiting for a hot dog or nachos and a drink. I learned to be quick to provide service and give change—and no—there was no big register that told me how much to give. If you hesitated even a little, some fan might get angry about missing even a minute of action on the field. I loved the hustle bustle, the lines, the crowds, the excitement. The only thing I didn’t miss when my time there ended was the intense August and September heat that often raised the temperature in the stand well above 100 degrees.

When the demand for hot dogs went down at the stand you knew something exciting was happening on the field. One at a time, some of us would sneak away to a gate, to stand and watch a great play and sometimes a touchdown by the Cowboys. In 1993, I jumped at the chance to work all three of the Garth Brooks concerts. Again the stadium was packed to the roof with excited fans. What a stage show, complete with thunder, lightning and rain, courtesy of Garth’s concert tour! I managed to sneak a few moments watching the concert and even though Garth appeared to be not much larger than child’s action figure, it was a great moment.



In the fall of 1993, my former husband and I became owners of season tickets. He and I attended quite a few games and when I let my daughter or son attend instead, you’d find me back in the concession stand, serving up dogs and counting out change at something close to the speed of light. The Thanksgiving Day game on November 25, 1993, was perhaps my most memorable. My husband decided to forgo the game tickets that day, when we awoke to find the weather miserable and predicted to be worse. I would have liked to stay home that day too, but the Band boosters were desperate as so many people bailed that day. So off I went for a 3:30 game start. Of course that meant I had to be in the stadium two hours before they opened the gates to fans, which was 11:30 for a 3:30 game. Things didn’t look bad when I got on the road but oh how that would change during the course of the day. When the fans started exiting the stadium around 6:30 that evening, I still had an hour or more of work to complete before I could leave. I got to my car around 8 PM, and finally got home about 10 PM, even though I only lived about 16 miles away. And what a drive that was! Some of you may also remember that this was the game in which Leon Lett made the blunder of his career. His touching the ball and failure to hold on to it in the icy conditions allowed the Dolphins another chance at their field goal, which they made, beating the Cowboys 16-14.

In January of 1993, the Cowboys ended up in Pasadena for the Superbowl. My husband was lucky enough to get tickets and he and my son, Evan, spent a few memorable days in California, which included watching the Cowboys win and Michael Jackson perform.
Even more memorable for my son was being in the old OTB on Beltline in Addison on January 7, 1994, when Jimmy Johnson, Norv Turner and Dave Wannstedt who were also at the bar, signed autographs for my son and daughter. I like to say that was the day that Jimmy bought me a drink for my birthday—sometimes I leave out the fact that he bought drinks for everyone in the restaurant that night. Of course, it wasn’t long after that night that Jimmy Johnson resigned and Norv and Dave left Dallas for careers with other teams.

For me, that was the end of the era. My husband had no desire to return to the stadium as season ticket holders with Johnson gone. My marriage ended that same year and my daughter graduated from high school and while I worked a few more Cowboys games for the band boosters in 94, it wasn’t the same. The memories were bittersweet, as they were today when I watched Texas Stadium collapse on cue. I wonder what the drive to work will be like on Monday morning as drivers slow to take a last look at the rubble that was once such a famous icon.

For all the Saints...

What a game, what a victory! It was amazing to watch and I am so proud of Jahri Evans and all the Saints. You deserve this win for great play and great coaching! I hate to wish my life away, but I can't wait for football season to begin again!