Thursday in the Park

One question people have asked me frequently during the last few months: "What are plans now that you have retired?" And a follow-up: "How do you spend your time?"

I usually answer with the same bullet points

• Some volunteerism
• Some projects around the home
• Some ham radio time
• Some travel

And, I wrap up with, "Then, we'll see what comes along..."

I read up on retirement for about a year before pulling the rip cord on the golden parachute. Most if not all the articles suggested being intentional about your schedule each day and that fits my mentality perfectly. I wouldn't be the type who is fitted for a rocking chair just yet.

So, I get up about the same time as before and I usually plan my day with a specific outline in mind.

One of the key elements of that plan is exercise. My former job was very demanding and sometimes there just wasn't time (or energy) at the end of the day to work out, run or walk. So, I knew I wanted to be intentional about getting my (at least) 150 minutes per week once I had more free time.

Most days--usually in the morning or early afternoon--I have been walking on a track at a park near my home (and on the banks of the nearby lake). Usually, I do it five or six days a week. 

I try to walk at least a mile each time but, also, I am able to add a great deal of people watching. There are many retirees who walk on this track. Additionally, many dog lovers take their pooch on a promenade. 

Twice, I've seen shirtless guys on a stroll. One man was very purposely walking fast- a vigorous workout. The other fellow, actually, was doing more of an amble. If he were equipped with a metal detector, I might think he was searching for treasure. Or if this were ten years ago, one might suspect he was part of the Pokemon Go movement. 

In any case, watching him is curious: He walks to a spot. Then turns. Then does it again. And moves on. Like he is searching for something. Maybe his shirt?

As for me, I don't think I'd want to join the shirtless crowd (at least not since the days of pick-up basketball games when the "shirts" faced the "skins"). 

The location also provides an opportunity to enjoy flaura and fauna. When you begin your lap around the .3 mile oval, you're greeted by the aromatic scent of honeysuckle. 

And as you make your way along the track, you might encounter any number of birds:

Northern Cardinal chirping cheerfully to the Mrs.

Mockingbird, doing its bit as Tennessee state bird, trilling away a medley.

Or these Canada Geese, who have taken over the infield as grazing ground.

While I survey the sights, the lakeside track is a great and entertaining location for getting in my daily exercise as a lynchpin of most days' schedule. 

It's not exactly like spending "Saturday in the Park." But on a day like this one, "Thursday in the Park" works just fine.

JG

Rivals

During last two weekends, the Atlanta Braves played their biggest rival team, the Philadelphia Phillies.

There's something extra special about playing your rivals. There is a little extra electricity in the air. Players, coaches and fans are pumped up. 

And when the Braves play the Phillies, you know you are always going to get their best. And it always seems like the Phillies' Big Three - Turner, Schwarber and Harper - come up in a big spot when the game is on the line. 

Sometimes it goes your way; sometimes it doesn't. The last two weekends went well for the Braves.

During the most recent weekend series, I thought back to my coaching days and remembered how it felt to face off with our rival teams. 

The team I coached, the Concord Choppers. basically had three main rival teams (and honestly it was two because the third team was a subset of the first). 

The nights we played those teams were extra special. Our boys were fired up and so were the rivals. I'm sure there was a lot of jibber-jabber between the players at school, on the bus, on the playground and certainly when we got to the ballpark.

And, on a smaller scale, like it is with the Braves and their rivals, these teams had some really good players that always seemed to come to the plate in a key moment. Part of building the rivalry is knowing the regular participants.

It has been nearly 16 years since the Choppers last played and I can still remember the intensity of those nights. 

Think of your own favorite sports team (college or pro). Who is its biggest rival? Do you feel the intensity of the competition when they face off?

What are some of the great rivalries of all-time? 

• Duke vs. Carolina college basketball
• Yankees vs. Red Sox in MLB 
• Celtics vs. Lakers in the NBA

When I was a kid growing up, rooting for the Oakland Raiders, it was the Raiders vs. Pittsburgh Steelers. But that rivalry petered out when the Raiders moved and then fell on hard times. 

Later, the Cowboys vs. the 49ers was the big game. Later still, it was the Patriots vs. the Colts during the Brady vs. Manning era. What would be the big match-up now? It's hard for me to identify. 

Golf and tennis have featured some great head-to-head match-ups over the years. 

College football used to have some great traditional rivalries, too, but I fear many of those were lost in the re-shuffling of conferences. There are still some good ones, however. 

Winning is good, of course. Nothing compares to getting a win over your rival. It just counts as a win like others in the standings. But, you put a little mental star next to it. 

JG

Party like it's...a QSO

I often describe my modern ham radio experience is as being Rip Van Winkle-like. 

I didn't sleep for 20 years. It's just that I didn't broadcast on the airwaves for 30 years. And if you are out of action for 30 years, you are going to miss a thing or three.

For instance, I wasn't around when we transitioned to:

• The integration of computers with radios
• Online repositories of ham radio info we used to get in print
• Electronic confirmations (as I discussed last week)

I also missed the birth of a fun on-air practice called "The QSO Party." Indeed, there weren't very many contests in the 1970s. There were one or two (such as the prominent "ARRL Field Day"). But, these events came along during my hiatus.

A QSO party usually takes place during a specific time period (a day, a weekend) and it celebrates a certain area, entity or section. One of my favorite examples of these is the ones for specific states. Fun fact: When I returned to the airwaves in 2021, I did so during the ongoing Tennessee QSO Party. 

At first, I thought: "Wow. Isn't this nice. All these Tennesseans on the air to welcome me back?"
(Then, I figured it out).

And for each year since then, I have participated in the Tennessee QSO Party to commemorate that anniversary.

The weekend before last, I enjoyed the QSO parties for Ontario and Quebec. And this past weekend, I participated in the Florida QSO Party. Held Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26, it was a good test of operational skills as well as signal propagation.

These events are like a virtual scavenger hunt. Think of it a electronic Easter Egg Hunt. Each time you contact a new county, that's like picking up another egg.

It's a lot of fun.

If you are old enough to remember the 2000 Presidential Election, you may be like me in that you became familiar with many prominent Florida Counties. The names peel right off your tongue just like a hanging chad peels off a butterfly ballot (ahem).

Miami-Dade. Broward, Palm Beach.
Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco. 
Volusia, Lake, Orange

And so on. 

Florida is close enough to Tennessee that you can reasonably predict good success for making contacts. During the daytime, the 20 meter band gave me great propagation to the southern Florida counties. In the evening, when the 40 meter band became available, and thus shorter signal hops, I was able to check off some of the northern counties. In all, I contacted operators in 32 of Florida's 67 counties (so nearly half). And I made 69 contacts in all.

One of the things I like to do to "keep score" is print off a state map with county outlines and then color in each new county as I add it to the log. Here's what my Florida map looked like as of late Sunday.

I'm not an overly competitive ham radio contester. I know my limits. But I do enjoy the pursuit. I say I "dabble." But, I dabbled rather well, I think.

Next weekend sets up to be another interesting QSO Party. It is for all of the U.S. western states, sans Cali. My friend, Tim, will be participating so I'll be trying to make contact (or "work") him and many other western ops.

I'll talk about that effort next week in "part two" about QSO parties. Be sure to "tune in" then!

JG

Wait For Me

The Dallas-based band, BFCRM, has released its second single. The title of the song is "Wait For Me."

You might recall that, last week, the band released its first single, "Mother on the Moon."

The band is based at Bishop Lynch High School. 

BFCRM will release its third single, "Black Cat," tomorrow and the entire album on Friday.

You can access the single at the various online locations:

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/2HK0di101n3m0r9FY3CMke?si=XIoTyU_3RWOmCwZg1b1sZQ

Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/wait-for-me/1895289964?i=6763381801

Amazon Music:

https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0GY2ZJCZB?do=play&trackAsin=B0GY36LZQT&ts=1777290089&ref=dm_sh_QgUiq0rkUvqMZ122NIXxbaZQr

JG

Fresh Look 2

Our church, Farragut Presbyterian Church, has launched a capital campaign this month. Fresh Look 2 concludes next Sunday with commitment Sunday.

Last night, we had a kickoff dinner to launch the campaign.

I am honored to be a part of the campaign leadership committee. As a professional communictaor, I was able to offer some edits and ideas to our original campaign package - an invitation, a letter and case statement. And I was present at one of the Q & A sessions to inform parishioners about the specifics of the plan.

This colorful sunburst serves as a branding element to identify Fresh Look 2 materials.

Like any good "sequel," Fresh Look 2 comes on the heels of the original Fresh Look for a Welcoming Church. As a result of that campaign eight years ago FPC renovated and updated the fellowship and education wings of the existing building. The campaign (and resulting upgrades) were a huge success.

Fresh Look 2 will fund a refresh to our sanctuary and narthex. The current FPC sanctuary was build in 1999. All the fixtures and furnishings are original to that construction. So, it is definitely time for a re-fresh. The project will result in a Fresh Look, if you will, for FPC. 

There are six components to the project. The end result will spruce things up nicely and upgrade the space.
Here are some renderings  that shows one potential concept for the narthex area. 

That space is one of the six areas of focus for the project.

FPC features a warm community feel. We're hoping this project will make our building more warm and inviting to prospective new members.

The warm vibe was on display yesterday at worship in the morning as well as in the evening at the dinner. Lisa and I made our campaign commitment. That felt good. And moreover, it felt good to sit with some church friends, catch up and support our pastor.

I'm in hopes that others in the congregation will also support Fresh Look 2. The first night was very encouraging. Here's hoping this will be a productive week leading to a successful commitment Sunday.

JG

JG

Crowning Achievement

It has been a number of years since I last added a new dental crown to my collection. But in discussing my teeth during a recent cleaning and exam, my dentist suggested a little preventive maintenance.

So, earlier this week, I received a crown on good ol' number 3. Like athletes, I guess each of our teeth has a number!

Here's a basic diagram illustrating a dental crown procedure:

Image by brgfx at Freepik.

The first time I got a crown was during my college days. Man, things sure have changed since then. And that starts with having some really good dental insurance. 

When we we discussing the procedure two weeks go, my dentist suggested I bring a device with music and headphones--I took my iPhone--and jam out while he did the prep work. 

So, there I was, as the drill was doing its bit, I enjoyed the music with earphones plugged. It was a nice diversion with my new playlist "dentist and driving" serving as the soundtrack for the day.

The staff at Volunteer Dentistry makes the crowns, themselves, on site. After my dentist did the prep work, we had a brief conversation about developments in materials science that has led to the advances in his industry.

Then, while he went away to manufacture the crown, I was free to work on my laptop in the exam room. Actually, I posted the update on the BFCRM song, "Mother on the Moon" from the dental office.

Soon, about the time I had reached a good stopping point on the computer, the dentist and his assistant were back and they were ready to install the crown. After a bit of adjustment, I was set.

And whereas you wouldn't necessarily categorize this as my "crowning achievement," still, I had a really good experience. The thought of receiving a second crown this fall doesn't sound so daunting.

JG

Goal to go

 Last Wednesday, I told you about achieving my goal of seeing an MLB game in each of 30 ballparks.

Today, my post will focus on a similar--albeit slightly different--pursuit that I also wrapped up during the blog's hiatus and it is not baseball-related but focuses on football instead.

Even though I never coached a game in this sport, the focus seems fitting on the eve of the 2026 NFL draft.

For 15 years -- from 2000 to 2015 -- we had season tickets to the Tennessee Titans. At first, it was an exciting pursuit. The stadium was relatively new, the kids were small and the Titans were coming off their near-victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.

Over time, we saw the Titans' fortunes rise and fall and rise again. All the while, our ones were growing up. 

It was fun to make the drive over to Nashville. We'd go to four or five games a year and then sell the remaining tickets or give them to friends.

By the 2010s, however, the Titans had, again fallen on hard times. As the kids were reaching high school age, they had busy lives and were less able to make the trip and it became harder and harder to place my unused tickets. So, eventually, as hard as it was to do so, we let them go.

We'd still occasionally go to a game (usually springing for more expensive seats) and, along the way, I saw most of the NFL teams play the Titans. In fact, I saw every AFC team at least once (and my childhood favorites, the Raiders, a number of times).

I also saw most of the NFC teams play at the Titans but, occasionally, I'd miss one and, in the NFL schedule rotation, that would mean they wouldn't come back to Nashville for another eight years. And in some cases, I missed them twice. 

So, in order to complete the goal of seeing all 32 NFL teams play at least once, I ventured to Atlanta (saw the Falcons host the Bucs) and I drove to Carolina to see the distant (but current Super Bowl champs) Seattle Seahawks.

Then, COVID came and I put the pursuit on pause. And at that, I was one NFL team short of completing the quest - the elusive Detroit Lions.

Once the COVID crisis passed, and Lisa and I were doing some September travel to check off some of the MLB ballparks I needed, I noticed that, in September of 2022, I could, in essence, get a buy one/get one when we were in Minneapolis to see the Minnesota Twins. Catch the baseball game on Saturday night. Do the NFL on Sunday...where the Vikings were hosting...the Detroit Lions.

Bingo. Voila. #32. Call it fourth and goal to go!

My observations from that day:

• NFL stadiums have become more posh over the time since I first saw my first NFL game - Titans hosting the Chiefs
• I was, by far, the oldest person around me
• By the time I left US Bank Stadium that day, I was ready to call this quest complete.

Not saying I wouldn't see another NFL game at some point. In fact, the Titans are buidling a new posh stadium of their own. Might be cool to experience that at some point.

But on that sunny day in the fall of '22, I was happy to check the final box. And, as was true with the MLB quest, felt blessed to have the resources and wherewithal to pull it off.

JG

Pardon me, m'aam...QRL?

Since we just celebrated our anniversary, you can imagine there was a lot of "do you remember" moments in my home recently.

One incident that usually brings chuckles comes from early in our courtship when I met Lisa for lunch at a fast food eatery near campus. In a suave voice,  my opening line was "Pardon me,  m'aam, is this seat taken?" as I greeted her.

Cringe.

For some reasons, still unevident to me all these years later, she was not impressed by the line.  To me, it was more or less innocuous. She suggests it played into the stereotype of me not being very bright. 

Whereas we can debate the merits of my intro--and we have--one subtext that has surprised me is this: Lisa says I should have told her, instead, that I was a licensed ham radio operator. She says she would have been impressed by that fact.

So, to summarize, my line SHOULD have been, "Pardon me, m'aam. QRL?"

Ham radio operators sending morse code have developed a list of "Q" codes - a sort of shorthand that asks a question or conveys a message. 

For the example I mentioned above, QRL means, in essence "Is this seat taken?" Or more accurately from the ham radio world, "Is this frequency in use?" In ham radio etiquette an operator ought to send "QRL?" to make sure there isn't another station already operating on a particular frequency before they set up there for the day.

Or, related, if a ham radio operator knows there is another station present, they might ask "QRZ?" That means: who is calling me? (OR simply "Who are you?").

I won't take up too much time listing all of the Q codes. You could read them for yourself here. But some of the ones we frequently use are:

• QRM - Human interference
• QRN - Static
• QRS - Send more slowly
• QSB - Fading signals
• QTH - Location

And, of course, we covered QSO and QSL last week.

Q-Signals are just a fun part of the ham radio lingo just as many other pursuits have their own. For instance, I learned new vocab during my baseball coaching years. And when Paul was thick into his high school (and college) theater pursuits, there was another lexicon to master.

Apart from the Q codes, there is some other interesting ham radio slang I can introduce at another time.

For now, I am just re-thinking my opening line and realizing a Q-code might have helped me earn some bonus points!

JG

Mother on the Moon (bonus post)

A friend of mine is in a Dallas, TX based band called BFCRM. Tomorrow, the first single  from their debut album drops via Spotify,  Apple Music and similar services.

The title of the single is "Mother on the Moon."

The band is based at Bishop Lynch High School in the Dallas area.

I wanted to give everyone a heads up. Be sure to check the streaming outlet of your choice to hear the single when it becomes available tomorrow.

JG

Tuesday Update:

The single dropped this morning. Here are links to your favorite music outlets so you can check it out:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3tJYNlg8b6qORPyADN0OHS?si=W3dpRNIETWa1lzW-AH6rZA

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/mother-on-the-moon-single/1894408877

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0GXMKPLNW?ref=dm_sh_9BDuWS1J4jVeCK0q5nZeLqgmK

FHS Class of 1981 and Friends Unofficial Gathering

For a while now, many of my high school classmates (and friends) have been getting together for an informal meet and greet at various local restaurants.

Yesterday, I joined them and I had so much fun. It was really great to re-connect.

The informal nature of the event gave us all the opportunity to talk to a number of our classmates. There were hugs, handshakes and high-fives. And lots of conversation. "What are you doing these days?" "Do you remember (this person)?" 

Moreover, I learned that many of us are recently retired. Also, many of us are dealing with the realities of aging parents. Some are new grandparents. Others hope to be.

Lots of common ground.

Many classes meet for reunions at 10 year intervals and our's is no exception. At the 10 year mark, I honestly don't know why I didn't attend. I should've. Just young and clueless, I guess. For number 20, we were in the process of moving  from house #1 to house #2.

When the 30 year reunion rolled around, would you believe the FHS event fell exactly on the same evening as Lisa's class reunion? What are the odds?

As we were deciding which celebration to attend, the tiebreaker turned out to be a personal no-brainer. One of Lisa's close friends was planing to be there even though she was dealing with serious (terminal) illness.

I was glad we chose her class reunion that night even though I was bummed out about missing my own. Still, it was the right call for us as Lisa was able to be with her friend who has since passed. It was the right thing to do.

That brought me to my 40th and I was determined not to miss it. I had a blast that night five years ago and was especially happy to be able to spend a lot of time with one of my closest friends. Afterward, we went out for drinks and a chance to catch up.

The great feelings of 40th inspired me to be more intentional about trying to meet up with my classmates. I wasn't able to attend the first two gatherings of 2026 but I was successful yesterday. Lisa was gracious about my attendance even though it was our anniversary (we did our official celebration with a nice dinner out on Saturday night).

So, there I was yesterday with folks who whom I once shared the hallowed high school grounds. There was a lot of warmth around the table. We shared some stories and a lot of laughs.

Before I left, we all posed for a group picture and there was talk of the next get-together sometime this summer. 

Like the old song says, I'll be there.

JG

40

By the time a new blog week rolls around, Lisa and I will have celebrated our 40th anniversary. So, today is my day to mark the occasion here in this edition of #CoachJeff.

I jokingly say Lisa should get extra credit for putting up with me for 40 years. But, indeed, celebrating "40" (or any advanced anniversary number) is made possible by an unbeatable combination of patience, persistence and perseverance. Oh, and throw in a dash of conversation and compromise for good measure.

And it all got started back in the middle 1980s. We met as undergrads in college during our senior year and, together, we've gone through many seasons of life to get to "40."

Picking out 40 anniversary cards over the years is no small measure. There are just so many choices, it can be overwhelming.

Early on, I learned what style she liked and, in fact,  it is also my preference. This is another example of how well we are matched!

Cards come in all shapes and sizes.  A few cards  are multi-page productions. Others are very ornate.  Some contain humor or very personal messages. Nothing is wrong with any of those creations and I'm sure each couple finds that style that suits them best. 

She prefers--and I agree--a minimalist approach. Simple card; simple message. So, for #40, that's what I picked out. I hope she likes it. I think she will. Add a treat and a nice dinner and we should have a nice celebration.

Much like we did 40 years ago.

I remember the week of our wedding like it was yesterday. I had a great group of high school friends and, honestly, that week was the last time we were all together. It was glorious. I treasure those memories.

The event, itself, came off flawlessly. And what a beautiful day it was.

Much like this spring, the spring of '86 was picturesque. I enjoyed spending a lot of time outdoors that April. When I think of our anniversary, I think of our beautiful East Tennessee springs. That day one was one for the books.

So, this weekend, think of us as we have a nice dinner and do our own retrospective on that day and many great ones since then. 

JG

30 Ballparks

During the blog's eight year hiatus, I missed a few good stories to feature. But even with the passage of time, a few of them still feel blog-worthy.

Here's one I've been wanting to tell.

Last September, I completed a goal that was 27 years in the making. In Pittsburgh,  I saw an MLB game in my 30th of 30 ballparks. (If we're connected on social media, you probably remember this detail but I beg forgiveness for the rest of those reading along).

The goal—to see a game in each of the 30 MLB ballparks—is not something I set out to do in June 1998 when my family and I went to the Rogers Centre in Toronto for a game between the Blue Jays and Mets.

Over the course of the next few years,  I checked off a few more ballparks and by the mid 2010s, I realized I was past the halfway mark. And, after COVID, I returned to the pursuit. I really ramped up the effort in recent years and that led me to Pittsburgh last September to check off #30 of 30 as I watched the Pirates host the Athletics.

Here's a collage of us at all 30.

If you're keeping score at home, the Toronto pic is just above the words "is just" on this line. The Pittsburgh photo is at the top near the upper left corner. I am wearing a black and white shirt (although in the photo, it looks to be gray). In between, 28 other parks and a lot of family fun.

When people know I have achieved the goal, they ask me the obvious question: "Which was your favorite?" Leaving out the classic facilities (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium) and my favorite team's home park (Truist), I'd say some of my favorites are Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Oracle Park (San Fran) and, of course, Pittsburgh's PNC. But all of them are wonderful in their own uniqueness.

I remember sitting with great fans in Kansas City and, again, when seeing the Mets with Paul at Citi Field in Queens. The staff in Anaheim was extremely nice. The tailgating Brewer fans set a fun vibe in Milwaukee. Both ballparks in Texas had friendly fans and a festive atmostphere. And Lisa and I especially enjoyed our visit to Minnesota (that's the thumbnail near the top in which we are both wearing tuques).

Fun fact: a friend of mine who lives in Texas has been doing his own version of this pursuit and he will wrap things up in June. The Braves and Truist Park are a part of his final three. I will be with him as he checks off Atlanta and gets close to the finish line.

Over the years, we have enjoyed comparing notes and cheering each other on.  I've known other folks who have also celebrated their own chase.  I am quite sure each individual personalizes their pursuit. 

That thought brings me to another question people ask is: Will I go to new ballparks if MLB expands? Or a variation: If a team moves, will I need to visit the ballclub's new stadium? The short answer to both is no.

Whereas I might wind up at one of those facilities at some point in the future, the goal was the goal. And it is now "in the books."

And I gotta tell ya...when the game in Pittsburgh became an "official game," it was quite an uplifting feeling! I feel really fortunate and truly blessed to have been able to complete this quest.

JG

QSL

Last week, I told you about the popular electronic system ham radio operators use to confirm contacts with other stations.

I also hinted at the old school method we refer to as QSL cards. In the days before the electronic confirmation, that was the way hams documented the contact. In the listing of ham radio Q signals, QSL means "I confirm reception."

It has always been said that sending a QSL card was the final courtesy of a contact.

What's the modern saying about taking selfies to document an event happened?  Take a picture or it didn't happen. QSLing is built on the same principle.

If you are working toward some sort of an award, you need proof of each contact. One of the popular awards, for instance, is called "Worked All States." In other words, you talked to a station in each of the 50 states. An electronic confirmation--or paper card--is necessary to document the transaction. In 2021 and 2022, my station (K4KYN) earned a few of these awards.

Most cards contain a pre-printed grid where you can fill in including date, time, mode, frequency, signal strength and any other relevant details of the contact. Most hams will also write a short note to thank the other operator for the contact.

Back in the day, it was a real treat to receive a card in the mail. You can imagine teenage #CoachJeff walking down the driveway to the mailbox, opening it up and finding a card inside. It was so exciting! I still have those cards all these years later.

Some of my 1970s QSLs came from overseas. Those were really rare.

And when I started back in the hobby in 2021, I bought a few postcard albums so I could file the new incoming cards. I have collected cards from all 50 states and around the world. I have a few of them displayed in my radio room as well.

My own card pays homage to my history in the hobby and, also, to my dad's. 

During my time back on the air, I've noticed there is no right or wrong way to design a card. Many of them are produced by small print shoppes throughout the world. Some are constructed from pre-fab templates and others are custom-designed. And some operators do their own and print the piece at home.

As I mentioned previously, some operators are reluctant to exchange cards for a number of reasons. Others state a policy up front that they do not exchange cards at all. But most still do. And, I still get quite a bit of satisfaction--maybe not quite the childhood exuberance--when a QSL comes in the mail.

JG

Retirement

Since my retirement became official at the end of February, I've been spending time with a number of friends and former colleagues -- checking in and catching up.

To a person, each one has asked me a variation of the same question "How's retirement going/How do I like retirement?"

So, I answer in kind and report back on the "state of the retiree" and the state of the retiree is good!

Honestly, I had been thinking of pulling the ripcord on my golden parachute for a while. And in preparation. I read a number of articles giving tips or advice. I say 100 percent of what I read said

• Have a Plan
• Remain Active
• Keep Connected

So, I've been putting in to practice what I've read.

The follow-up question is almost always, "So what do you do with your time?" My friend Ed asked me that during a recent email exchange and I gave him a fairly solid outline of what I do.

I start most days in meditation/prayer/quiet time. And then I check the news, email and the progress of my fantasy baseball team. And often I check ARRL's Logbook of the World, as I mentioned last Tuesday. 
Then. I launch into the agenda for the day.

Being active? I listed four major household projects I wanted to accomplish out of the chute. And so far, I've knocked out three of the four. Also, I have been walking each day (more about that in a future post). And I've been doing some volunteerism.

In terms of staying connected, I've had an informal goal to see a friend or former colleague each week.  Last week, I had lunch with a former colleague from my youth baseball coaching years. Later this week, I'll meet up with a guy I used to work with.

Staying connected.

Oh, and I do often spend a little time on the radio. For a while now, I've made it a goal to make at least one radio contact each day.

So, indeed, the state of this retiree is good.

One last question I've been asked is if I plan to return to the world of work. I wouldn't rule it out. But I am also not actively interviewing or seeking employment at the moment. A PR colleague who is a bit older (and wiser) than me advised me to "take a beat." In other words, don't rush into anything.

Good advice.  

What will I do now? Review my text, add a few links, click the publish button. 

And then, I'll head out for my morning walk.

JG

Questions, Comments and Feedback

It's been three weeks since I launched the re-boot of Coach Jeff's Blog - the 2026 edition.

This will be my tenth post since the re-boot, so I thought it was the perfect time to pause and ask for any questions, comments or feedback.

What's working? What's not working? What do you like? What do you not like? What topics would you like me to cover?

Coach is looking for some chatter from the fans.

Each day when I post, I "amplify via social." So, you can leave me feedback thru Facebook, Instagram or X. Or, also, you have the option to make comments here on the blog.

Any and all feedback welcome.

To recap from a couple weeks back, I've structured the re-boot with the following framework:

• Monday - Suburban life
• Tuesday - Ham Radio
• Wednesday - Baseball
• Thursday - Blogger's Choice (could be a topic from the main pillars or something completely different)

So far, I've covered a baseball brawl and ham radio QSLing. I've talked about slang and buzzwords and the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system. In other words, we've just scratched the surface.

Chat me up. Let me know what you think.

And, on we go!

JG

Fisticuffs

There was a bench clearing brawl in the fifth inning of last night's Braves 7-2 win over the Angels. 

The game started just before 10 EDT. Because the game was played on the west coast, many of us in the east may have missed the excitement. 

The incident occurred after Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez fired a pitch high and tight to Angels' DH Jorge Soler. Soler, a former Brave, took exception to the pitch. Words were exchanged and, eventually. Soler charged the mound. Early in the game, he his a two run homer and, during his next at bat, was it by a pitch.

Seems like he was saying "Enough!"

Players and coaches from both teams acted quickly to separate the principals. After tempers cooled and the umpires sorted out the details, both players were ejected from the game and both teams warned.

Interestingly, there have been a lot of connections between the two teams over the years with a number of trades and free agent signings. So, it's not like there is a lot of animosity. Soler, himself, was a hero of the Braves 2021 World Series winning team and Lopez formerly played for the Angels.

Generally, the Braves are thought to be a calm, business-like team. It's not like there is usually much drama associated with the ballclub.

I'm not sure what is about a good donnybrook that gets our attention. Maybe it harkens to old school baseball. Or perhaps it is because baseball generally moves at such a slow pace. Possibly it is the cerebral nature of the game.

In any case, there isn't the physical component, in, say, football or hockey. 

I was thinking back to the #CoachJeff days and I don't remember any fisticuffs or even a hint of that. There was often some good-natured jawwing back and forth.

Paul, who was larger in stature than many of his compadres, would often shoot a faux menacing look in from the pitching mound or back out from home plate when he was hitting - but it was all for show. Once, however, he took exception at a pitch that buzzed the tower and he was told by the umpire to knock it off. 

But, again, nothing serious came out of it. Youth coach sports tended to really emphasis sportsmanship in our era. 

And I think it generally true, at the highest levels of the game, we see much less of this kind of thing that we might have seen 50 years ago.

I think that is one reason why an incident like last night grabs our attention. In the old "news values" discussion, it's a novelty.

JG

#10K

Recently, a number of amateur (ham) radio operators traveled to Canadian territory—Sable Island—and set up shop for a couple weeks. Their goal was to open up this rare entity for the rest of us hams around the world.

In the ham world, these sorts of well-funded, hyper-organized efforts are called DXpeditions and are quite popular. With the east coast of Canada being just a short-hop, radio-wise, I was fortunate to make contact with this station a few times.

The other day, the electronic confirmation of my contacts showed up. I was elated, of course, because this sort of documentation makes it official. I send the contact details up to the cloud; they also send the details, the system makes a match and the contact (or QSO) is confirmed for both parties. 

Pretty cool, eh?

The most popular system for doing this, and the one I use, is called "Logbook of the World" (LoTW). LoTW is a product of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL).

Last week, I told you that I got back on the air in 2021 after a long break. Over the course of nearly five years, I have uploaded the details of nearly 17,000 QSOs to LoTW. And just this week, I received my 10,00th confirmation (or QSL). #10K!

In the old days, a QSL was achieved by the exchange of two post cards. In the mid 70s. you can imagine teenage Jeffie and his excitement when a new card showed up in the day's mail. I still have all the cards I collected back then as well as the ones sent to my dad.

These days, there seems to be mixed opinions about sending the card. Some hams—myself included—still enjoy sending and receiving cards. In fact, I just dropped a card in the mail to a station in MS. I talked to the person (or "worked" them, in ham radio lingo) over the weekend.

Other folks cite a number of reasons for NOT engaging in the practice, ranging from postage costs to just not wanting to bother. Some operators say they already have boxes and boxes of cards and don't need more. 

No judgement either way. I still like to tap into my 13-year-old psyche and enjoy the thrill of adding a new card to my collection.

None of this to say that I don't equally enjoy a new LoTW e-confirmation.  I just got one last night, for instance, from Utah. That's pretty cool, too.

Over five years, that is 10,000x of "pretty cool." It's just one aspect of many that I love about this hobby. And over the course of the weeks and months ahead, I'll enjoy telling you about many of them - to my ham and non-ham friends alike!

JG

But…What if you Don’t Know?

From time to time, our American society selects a buzzword or catchphrase that seems to be everywhere.

Examples:

• Paradigm Shift
• Where's the Beef?
• It is what it is
• Keep on Truckin'

You can probably think of others.

These days, the "Keep on Truckin'" of the mid 2020s is "If You Know You Know." (Often abbreviated as IYKYK). Reading up on the nomenclature, it seems to mean an inside joke or something that is known only to a few people.

For example, during my high school and early college days, one of my friends never seemed to have any money. He'd giggle when we were pooling our money for, say, the purchase of a pizza to share, and quip "I've got a coupon!" 

Thus, if one of us saw a coupon, we'd thought of our friend. So, about coupons...if we knew, we knew.

It became a running gag.

Fast forward to April 2026 and I had a realization. Whenever I see a cheeky post that includes the signature, I almost never know the details. Thus, my question is: What if you don't know. (#WIYDK).

Knock knock. Who's There? An inside joke where none of us knows the punchline.

Now, here are some examples in which if you know, I might know...

1. A little cartoon dog laughing at someone's misfortune
2. A larger than life baseball player pointing beyond the outfield fence
3. A man opens a hidden door and slides down a long pole

Alas, do those examples date me? 

Back to the question at hand, it seems to be the notion of these catchphrases is that we like to get the inside joke. And it some of us aren't in the know, so much the better. Remember the cool kids table? You're not there.

I guess there's nothing wrong with this.

Meanwhile, every few years, there's a "Bazinga" or a "I love it when a plan comes together."

If you don't know the backstory, then there's work to be done.  Think of it as another challenge to be mastered.

On the other hand, if you know...well...you get the picture.

JG

Balls and Strikes

 
One of the touch points during the first week of the 2026 MLB season has been the new Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS).

Using the system, players can challenge a ball-strike call immediately after the pitch occurs. Decisions are rendered within a matter of seconds so it doesn't slow the game down. ESPN published a comprehensive overview of the system right before the season started.

There were two challenges during the A's-Braves game yesterday. The challenges were displayed on the big screen for fans. Both were resolved quickly and without incident.

A friend asked me my opinion of the system. On one hand, I can imagine it is tough for umpires to have their work critiqued and displayed for everyone to see. But, more importantly, I think it is important the game enforce the strike zone codified in its rules.

For years, we have heard about specific home plate umpires who have their interpretation of the rules. Some would call pitches strikes that were below the published zone. Others would give a couple inches off one or the other side of the plate. And on a bad day, their "interpretations" could be inconsistent.

This clears all that up.

During my days in youth baseball, I was occasionally pressed into service when one of our umpires couldn't make it to a game. I told everyone I wanted the kids swinging their bats, so I had a wide strike zone. 

Back on the bench as coach, I admired the work of the umpires who called games at Farragut Baseball, Inc. They weren't paid a lot of money. They did what they did because they loved the game. And they worked hard.

Imagine working a slate of Saturday games that might go from 9-5. Sun bearing down. No shade. No seat. It's hard work.

I'm sure as umpires work their way up through the system–from high school to college to minor leagues to the majors–the pay increases. But it is still a tough job. And most of the umpires want to do the right thing. 

Over time, they will adjust because of ABS as will players and team officials. And in the meantime, it gives fans another element to discuss as the game's popularity continues to grow.

From my seat, it's all good.

jg

Day Baseball

There's nothing quite like day baseball.

Doubleday's game: Played under a bright blue sky and lit by the sun. This is the game as it was for many years until the advent of night games. The first of those was played in Cincinnati on May 24, 1935. 

Now, games under the lights are commonplace. So, when you see a mid-week, mid-day game on the schedule—and your new flexible schedule allows for such activities—sometimes, ya just gotta go for it.

And what a nice day it was in Atlanta at Truist Park as the Braves wrapped up their first home stand of the young 2026 season with a 5-1 win over the Athletics. Those types of games happen when you couple timely hitting with having your ace starting pitcher on the mound.

What an unbeatable combination!

If you haven't been to the ballpark yet, there are lots of updates and bells and whistles this year at Truist. 

• Signs touting their new BravesVision package. 
• Yummy treats and new food offerings.
• New features on the large jumbo screen. 

It was also a nice family day as we enjoyed the game and our trip down and back to see it. What could be more wholesome than a Wednesday afternoon at the ballpark?

During my Coach Jeff days, I used to tell our players "There's no better way to spend a beautiful day than to do it at the ballpark.

And so it was on this day. 

JG