still waiting

Let's just get that out of the way. I actually want to fill my weekend with activities that keep me from thinking about Job X. But it's too hot to fish, too hot for golf, & I'm too broke to go anywhere but home. And at home, it is too easy to think about it. There are two new possibilities out there. One is at a place I used to work, but I don't know if I qualify for that one because it's something slightly different from what I used to do. We shall call that one Job V. Job Z is most likely a no - it's even less hours than I'm getting now. But they called me - I didn't call them. But there's nothing I can do about any of them until Monday. I just want to do something to get all of them out of my mind, but I don't know what I can do. I'll keep looking.

I did want to post something that I read on the Sterling Marlin Fans Message Board. It came from the Columbia TN newspaper (I don't know the name of it). Here goes:

End of an era for fans of Sterling

By FREDDIE RICH/Guest Columnist

The fun ended July 29 because the run ended for Sterling Marlin in a permanent ride on the NASCAR cup circuit.

Those of us who have scheduled our weekend activities around the racing schedule did not do that on this Sunday because we did not really want to.

The ones who schedule their vacations so they we would be in a NASCAR city on the day of the race began to think about cancellations of plans and not renewing tickets.

The fun ended at the track most recognized for motor sports — Indianapolis Motor Speedway — a track that is associated with the good things in racing, the excitement, the legacy, and much like Daytona, the association of racing with the name of the city.

The fun ended with a classless act on a class individual, whose fans also demonstrated that trait.

Sterling, a true southern gentleman and one of the last of the “good ole boys” shot down by the demon that now controls all sports activities — money. The human element of athletics replaced now by a focus on monetary gain.

The fun ended not only for us who were fans from the old Nashville Fairground Speedway days, but also for new fans nationwide who recognized Sterling as a small town guy who never gave into the change sought by the corporate rulers of NASCAR.

The fun ended for those of us spent the days after the race, chatting by phone or internet with other fans. Talking about what happened, what could have happened, what was gonna happen next Sunday.

The fun ended for the fans that have purchased the caps, T-shirts, jackets, and countless other souvenirs over the years.

For the people who can tell you the number and sponsor of each car he drove. The ones who can tell you about the excitement of his first Daytona 500 win.

So now, no matter what happens in the future with a full-time or part-time schedule it won’t be the same again, and on behalf of the all the Marlinites: they took you out of the car. but they can’t take you out of our hearts.

Thanks for the ride.

QQQ

Freddie Rich is Maury County’s 911 Director and like many Sterling Marlin fans, he has attended many of his races whether it was the Nashville Fairgrounds or NASCAR Cup tracks like Talladega, Daytona or Bristol among others.

Freddie said it! Derek doesn't like it, but I refer to myself as a retired NASCAR fan. I guess you could call it a forced retirement.

So watching a race probably won't take my mind off the situation. But I will find something!!!