![\"coufal--CMYK\"](\"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/coufal-CMYK.jpg\")
<\/a>) We\u2019re told that confession is good for the soul and the psyche. I\u2019ve made many confessions; in the confessional, face-to-face, to my wife, to therapists and even to a few select friends.<\/p>\nHardest of all has been to confess to myself. Some of these confessions have been healing, others not so much. I always found a good act of contrition plus three Our Fathers and three Hail Mary\u2019s kind of cheap for expiating sin.<\/p>\n
There also seems to be a cultural thing about admitting certain actions, like watching too much television. I admit I watch three to four hours of television every day. Now, for the face-saving enjoinder (watch for them throughout), most of what I watch is National Geographical, Nature, History and the Military Channels. Of course, I also watch some football and basketball, but not as much as I once did. And I do like a good mystery or police thriller.<\/p>\n
I admit I don\u2019t exercise enough. For periods I get very devoted to workouts in a gym or to walking. Up until recent years I walked 18 holes of golf four to five times per week. I also get periods where I am absolutely un-devoted to exercise.<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think the cycle of these periods balances my health in any way.<\/p>\n
I admit that I\u2019m overweight (or under-height). When young, as an NBA fan, I wanted to be six feet, five inches tall and weigh 225 lbs. I made the weight and then some, so I got half of what I wished for. Willie Mays never batted .500.<\/p>\n
For most of my life, I have been a plain out-and-out eater. When young I would eat a whole pizza and then look around if someone had uneaten pieces I could devour. Now, one or two slices are mucho. I admit to raising the national average regarding the amount of ice cream eaten per year per citizen.<\/p>\n
I waver over what the three most important food groups are. They used to be beer, pizza and ice cream. I\u2019ve come to like Mexican, and I haven\u2019t figured where to place tacos and burritos. I admit that there are many good reasons to be a vegetarian. I also admit that the best I can say is that I\u2019ve cut down the amount of red meat I eat.<\/p>\n
Rationalizations are useful things. I did quit smoking cold turkey.<\/p>\n
My son is a freelance writer. I really admire his self-starting drive and persistence, going at it for hours at a time. I admit I have adult attention deficiency disorder (self-diagnosed), so my writing comes in outbursts. I\u2019m at the computer researching and writing for 40 to 60 minutes. Then it\u2019s off to my reading chair for another similar stint. Then to the family room for two-plus hours of television, and then back to the computer to start the cycle once again.<\/p>\n
My rationalization here is that this gives my eyes a chance to focus at different distances.<\/p>\n
Unlike my son, I\u2019m not making my living writing, so I can get away with this, and I do also pump out a lot of peer-reviewed professional articles that readers of my rambling column here don\u2019t see. The professional articles do follow along with what I write here, that is, trying to keep the pot stirred up.<\/p>\n
Poetry comes sporadically, when my muse strikes me, not often but hard.<\/p>\n
In my writing, as in my life, I admit I am sometimes wrong. Point it out to me and hopefully I\u2019ll learn. Along the way, I\u2019ll admit to being wrong.<\/p>\n
And I sign my name to what I write, unlike many critics.<\/p>\n
I once heard that Starbucks doesn\u2019t really sell coffee, they sell social space. I admit I greatly enjoy jawboning with friends over a cup of coffee, usually at Caz\u2019s new Pewter Spoon. That\u2019s why I belong to Great Decision Foreign Policy Discussion group, Cazenovia Toastmasters, a book club and love to sit with friends with no excuse other than to sit with friends.<\/p>\n
Carol and I often enjoy the Wheeler\u2019s Coffeehouse on Route 13.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s invitation-only.<\/p>\n
I admit that I once was an avid hunter but now prefer to sleep in and allow the critters to live. I also admit to supporting hunting, which logically means that I support gun rights, but with well-regulated, rational rules and regulations. No guns in schools, for sure.<\/p>\n
I admit to being worried about the future of this country and the world, especially in view of having a bouncing, enthusiastic great-grandson and a brother to him in the oven. With global climate change, increasing wealth disparity, politics run like a 12-ring circus, and others, things don\u2019t look too rosy.<\/p>\n
The last thing I\u2019ll admit here is seasonal. Yes, I do say, \u201chappy holidays;\u201d after all, there are several holidays at this season. On the other hand, if I know your religious preference is Christian I\u2019ll say \u201cMerry Christmas\u201d happily.<\/p>\n
I admit that as I write this Sunday, Dec. 23, I think of it as \u201cthe day before the day before Christmas.\u201d I also admit that while I told my wife and family I really wanted nothing but my usual Barnes & Noble gift card with no other under-the-tree gifts but rather a donation sent in my name to CazCares, I couldn\u2019t go without buying something for my wife for \u201cunder the tree.\u201d<\/p>\n
She deserves it even if she doesn\u2019t need it.<\/p>\n
I admit, at our ages, we might still have \u201cwants\u201d but few very real \u201cneeds.\u201d<\/p>\n
I also admit I still say, \u201cbless you\u201d when someone sneezes, \u201cthank you\u201d and \u201cexcuse me\u201d when appropriate, and hold the door for others.<\/p>\n
Momma taught me well.<\/p>\n
And I don\u2019t think I have to admit, because you know, I am an atheist.<\/p>\n
Jim Coufal of Cazenovia is a part-time philosopher and full-time observer of global trends. He can be reached at madnews@m3pmedia.com.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"From Here & Back Again By Jim Coufal (Cazenovia, NY -Jan. 2013) We\u2019re told that confession is good for the soul and the psyche. I\u2019ve made many confessions; in the confessional, face-to-face, to my wife, to therapists and even to a few select friends. Hardest of all has been to confess to myself. Some of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=41055"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41055\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=41055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=41055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=41055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}