Bear ... Ranger Bear

Timing is ...

... EVERYTHING.

Girls and boys, I have been healthy as a horse all winter. Until, that is, this past weekend. I was supposed to make a couple of appearances at the Kenosha Expo -- SpongeBob SquarePants was there on Sunday (between you and me he is such a suck-up) along with McGruff the Crime Dog and that dalmation with the fireman's hat -- all in all not a bad bunch. But I start feelin' like I'm comin' down with something last week and it turns into strapped throat -- I couldn't even growl. As much as I wanted to make the Expo, my doc told me I shouldn't be out in public because I could have gotten contagious and nobody wants that. So this morning I'm back workin' and I ask a couple of buddies how the Expo went. One of them is so excited because he got to meet Dr. Destruction! I said NO WAY! Dr. Destruction is like too cool. If you're not from Kenosha or Racine, you have no idea who I'm talking about. Dr. D has a show on local access in both cities. He runs old horror films -- sometimes they're so scary I have to put my paws over my eyes and peek between my claws! So this buddy says he told Dr. Destruction that I'm a big fan and would the good Doctor consider having me, Ranger Bear, on his show. I'd paint a couple of my fangs red, make it look like I was really mean -- I mean I'm not, it would just be for the TV. Here's his web site http://dr-destruction.tripod.com/index.html
Get in touch with him and tell him I, Ranger Bear, should be on the Crimson Theatre. It would be too cool!

Say it aint' so, Jack!

Boys and girls, I know it's been quite a while since ol' Ranger Bear has sat down at the keyboard to say, "hi, what's going on?" Actually, I've been a little down in the dumps. No, I haven't been scrounging the garbage dumps like some of my relatives have been known to do -- however, I actually had an aunt who came across a replica of the Gettysburg Address one night and sold it for a tidy sum on eBay. The reason for my less-than-enthusiastic demeanor is the news about my buddy, Chancellor Jack Keating. Yes, I realize nothing is forever. I know that time marches on. And, like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. But when I heard that Jack was leaving the university -- let's just say I was not a happy cub. I like Jack, and I hope he would say the same about me. Sure, if you go back and read some of my blogs, I've made a reference or two about how hard he works me. Wellllll, he does and he doesn't. The truth is, I've got a pretty good gig here at the Big P and sometimes I need a swift kick in the fanny to keep my game face on. Jack always told me when I was doing well, and he told me when I needed to get back on track. And he was usually right on the money. You don't have to be a genius to realize that his long list of accomplishments as the head of this place is pretty impressive. Jack Keating was good for UW-Parkside and Jack Keating was good for this neck of the woods. Maybe what troubles me the most is how quickly the past 10 years have come and gone. It seems like yesterday that Jack was introducing himself as the "new chancellor" at convocation. Of course he always introduced himself as the "new chancellor" and said he could do that for 10 years. Great sense of timing! There is some good news: Jack will be around until August. To my loyal readers, please do Ranger Bear a favor ... the next time you see Jack, shake his hand, wish him good luck, and say thanks. (How many people -- yes I consider myself a people -- get to ride in a limo with "The Boss"?)