Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day! Enjoy the cookouts, the hot dogs, the heat, the pools, the hamburgers, the fireworks, the festivals, the impending thundershowers, and the company of family and friends today!

Also, remember our veterans. We sent a lot of my friends, people my age, into Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of them paid the ultimate sacrifice, and so we remember them on Memorial Day. It's important for a nation to remember their fallen and to take a moment to pause and honor them. Let's not forget the ones who didn't fall though. Some of them gave limbs and physical health for America. Some gave their minds, and battle mental troubles that the rest of us can't imagine. I probably have a half dozen friends currently battling PTSD, some in very obvious and painful ways, and others in total silence, so that many of you don't know when you see it. It makes me sad. Put aside any personal feelings about our wars and foreign policy over the last decade for a moment, these young Americans just volunteered to do a job. They committed to defend this nation, and they did their jobs. Let's not forget them.

Enjoy the cookouts, the family and friends, the nice weather, and the oncoming Summer. Don't forget why we have the holiday though.

Happy Summer

This weekend, if you didn't notice, was the start of the Summer. It was too hot. There were too many cookouts. There was a lot of grilled food. We have now passed the "pleasant Spring" season.

Summer is not my favorite season. It's arguably my least favorite season, but it still has some serious highlights. This Summer we'll be focused in on:

• Baseball. Lots of baseball. 38 more games, hopefully.
• The Olympics. Rio 2016 is coming. Can Usain Bolt three-peat? Can Jordan Burroughs repeat? That's the story.
• The Presidential race and the conventions. Will sanity prevail and make Hillary Clinton President?
• The beach. I love the beach. I really love the beach. Gateway National Park season is coming. I might even lose my sanity and do some of the more touristy beaches.
• Cookouts- I love me some food. I always love me some food.
• Fireworks- I hope to show some live shows on here.
• Workouts- Yes, tomorrow starts "boot camp" season.
• Concerts and festivals. I love live music, especially outdoors.
• Philadelphia's high draft picks- the Phillies and Sixers will pick #1 overall, while #2 overall Eagles pick Carson Wentz will do his first training camp.

All of this, and the personal journey forward.

While celebrating tonight and tomorrow, don't forget the real meaning behind Memorial Day, and the people who made it possible. I want to give a shout out to all of my friends who served this nation admirably and continue to sacrifice here on the home side. We all love you guys.