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Full disclosure. I watched Game Two of the NBA Finals Sunday night. I did not watch the live telecast of CNN’s “Town Hall” with Nikki Haley.

But I saw the replay this morning.

Here’s my takeaway. She ain’t crazy. And that means she will at least be a major irritant to Donald Trump, and perhaps even an electoral threat.

Trump doesn’t deal well with sanity, being as he is unfamiliar with the concept.

Haley came off as an adult. Yeah, she’s done some flippin’ and floppin’, but less so than your average hack. She actually made an attempt Sunday night to unite Americans rather than divide them, something Donald Trump never once did in even one sentence during his four years in the White House. And DeSantis has never seen a tribal culture war he wouldn’t join.

Understand this. Haley will be popular among Republican women who have had it with Trump’s ignorant and illegal boorishness. She is polished, articulate and politically savvy. And, between you and me, Haley is going to pick up some Dem support as well.

She supports Ukraine. She rejects The Big Lie and she regards Jan. 6 as among the darkest days in American history. That’s where sanity starts. And she agrees that Kim Jong Un is not a role model, which is comforting.

She’s wrong about gun control, and her laying the issue off on “mental health” was a disappointing cop-out.

Pence is a non-factor. As is Hutchinson. Tim Scott will alter the equation to some degree, but cannot tip the GOP’s basic power structure.

But Haley and Christie are coming after Trump. And they will get their licks in. And they will score points.

You want crazy? I introduce for your consideration Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Oh, one more thing about Coach and BB’s Sunday TV viewing. Yeah, we watched the 60-Minutes Anderson Cooper marathon interview with Prince Harry. I have nothing against the man or his family, I wish health and happiness for all and I’m sorry for the pain he has endured.

Now STFU. You’re a grown man. Disclaimer: BB does not share my view, which is fine.

Of course, bans on drag shows are unconstitutional. Duh. That was about as close to a legal layup as an objective federal judge ever gets. And that Tennessee judge was Trump-appointed.

The U.S. Postal Service has ranked the most dangerous and annoying attack dogs. I was surprised to learn the Jim Jordan Bull Terrier did not top the list.

Friends just sharing stuff with friends. I started the intermittent fasting thing a couple of months ago. Yes, I am a Nazi about it. I fast for 17 hours every day, from 7 p.m. through noon the following day. So, I have a daily seven-hour “eating window.” I consume nothing other than water and morning coffee during that period.

 I had finally gotten disgusted with myself. A combination of age, orthopedic injury and, frankly, COVID-era mental and spiritual depression had resulted in an unprecedented weight gain and turned me into something I had never before been in my adult life—a Soft Boy. I had always taken great pride in my physical conditioning and appearance.

E-effing nuff!

Eight weeks ago, I weighed 197. I’m 6-1 and change, but my frame is not built to carry two bills. As much as I respect inside linebackers, I’m not one of them.

That was then. This is now. I weigh 178. For context, I played my senior season of high school football 52 years ago at a very lean 176.

Here’s the deal. I feel better. I feel sharper. My energy level is essentially limitless. My outlook is much sunnier. Reclaiming about two-grand worth of sharp-looking clothes doesn’t suck, either.

I do not feel “deprived” in any way. This is not a fad, “crash” program. It is the way I plan to eat for the rest of my life.

It’s just not that difficult. Take yesterday (Sunday) as an example. I ate everything in our apartment that wasn’t nailed down between noon and seven. Yes, there was some ice cream involved.

I lost another pound and a half overnight.

Just FYI.

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Paul's Bio

I clearly have the attention span of your median fruit fly.Look! Airplane!

Sorry. I’m back.

It’s both a curse and a blessing. I’ve never bought this stuff about, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” But I do think that a wide range of life experiences helps us grow as people, and helps us better relate to other people. I’ve been fortunate. And I am beyond grateful.

I show up on time. I go like hell. I’m a good listener. I hold myself accountable. I own my mistakes. And I have a natural and an insatiable curiosity. I’m never afraid to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t. But then I try to find out.

The flip side is I’m a lousy ballroom dancer and my clothes sometimes fit me funny.

Stuff matters to me. I care. But while I take that stuff seriously, I try hard to never take myself seriously. As a result, I have sometimes been told, “Paul, it’s hard to tell when you’re serious and when you’re just having some fun. Which is it? Serious or fun?”

My answer is “yes.” But I think that is a legitimate criticism. I promise I’m going to work on that.

This has been the quickest and strangest half-century I’ve ever experienced. During that period, I’ve been afforded amazing opportunities in news and sports journalism across all platforms. I have taught wonderful students at the high school and collegiate level. Always, I learned more from them than they did from me. I’ve been a high school administrator. I spent ten seasons as a high school varsity football coach. I’ve been an advertising executive. I’ve hosted nationally syndicated television entertainment shows. In maybe the biggest honor I ever received, I was selected by NASA to be “Chet The Astronaut” for the “Land The Shuttle” simulator at Space Center Houston. (All I can say there, is “Do as I say, not as I do.” I put that thing in the Everglades more often than not.) Most recently, I just wrapped up a decade as a television news director, during which time our teams distinguished themselves in holding the powerful accountable, achieving both critical and ratings success.

What does all that mean? It means I am profoundly grateful. It also means I’m ready for “next.” So here we are. Radically Rational. It’s an idea I woke up with in 2017. I scribbled “Radically Rational” on a piece of notebook paper and used a magnet to stick it on our refrigerator. I saw it every day, and it just would not leave me alone.

I am second in charge at Radically Rational, LLC. My wife, Jo (also known as BB), is the president. Clearly, I have failed in my attempt to sleep my way to the top of this organization.

I hope you will learn that I’m loyal as a Labrador. But I will admit that this doggie can bite every now and then. My promise to you? I will show up on time. I will go like hell. I will listen to you earnestly and attentively. I will hold myself accountable. I will never be the least bit hesitant to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t.

But then I’ll try to find out. Let’s do it.