Of Super Bowls, ice storms and Girl Scout Cookies...

Saturday I had the pleasure of participating in free enterprise in action when Courtney Ford delivered my Girl Scout cookies. Her neighbors, Bruce and Nathan Glassco, were helping as they took advantage of the nice weather to make their deliveries.
I have many memories, mostly fond, of Girl Scout cookies. I recall knocking on doors over 40 years ago. I'm not sure how I managed, as shy as I was, but I seemed to sell my share of cookies. Then I took my turn driving my daughters around town as they participated in the annual sale. I also put in time a few years as "Cookie Chairman." The cookies have increased in price through the years and some varieties have come and gone, but they still taste great and the lessons learned are still as valuable.
Specific memories include a vivid memory of standing on the porch of Lee Richardson's house when I was selling cookies. Then there was the year I was cookie chairman and I had tonsillitis. I made the presentation to the troops while barely able to talk, then drove Lu around to sell her cookies while burning up with fever.

Tonight was Super Bowl night. I always look forward to the commercials. This year they were not as cutting edge as in years past. Several were cute, like the GE wind energy one where a little boy captures a jarful of wind and brings it to his grandfather to help blow out the birthday candles. Budweiser, as usual, had several good ones this year featuring the clydesdales. I especially enjoyed the one with the clydesdale going after his girlfriend at the circus, and the clydesdale playing fetch. I also liked the Pepsi refresh anthem, and the promotion of the new film "Up." I do believe the slow economy took its toll on the quality and quantity of the ads.
The halftime show was nothing spectacular. I think the halftime shows have regressed. We used to look forward to something special in the way of a light show, or something, instead of old rock stars performing with mediocre audio.
I was disappointed with the officiating of the game, and the outcome was not what I had hoped. When we were in Scotsdale, Arizona, recently the local newspaper was hyped up about the local team's chances to be in the bowl game, so I was rooting for the Cardinals.
It's interesting how the Super Bowl has become such an American icon, so popular it draws the biggest stars, highest advertising revenue and an interview with the president. I'm not a big follower of professional football, but there's something about the Super Bowl that draws me.

Last week the whole family was iced in for two days. That's the first time in years that everyone had had to stay home due to the weather. At least the power stayed on and everyone had their computers and movies and phones, so we survived.

A new week's beginning and hopefully things will be back to normal with everybody where they're supposed to be and no surprises for awhile. It's time for me to tackle the dreaded chore of getting my tax info gathered, so don't expect to hear from me until I surface from that. I hate it enough without having to listen to the nonstop TV ads and news shows peppering me with reminders. I hope to get it all behind me so I won't have to feel the pressure every time I turn around. Wish me luck!