Battling the end of a change-of-seasons cold so I stopped by the video store tonight to load up on DVDs to keep me occupied this weekend in between learning "The AP Style Manual". My local video store mixes in the new arrival kiddie with the adult (not Adult, just not juvenile) and the spanish language with the anglo. Imagine my horror when I came across this Barney wanna-be; Ladies and Gentlemen, I present Juana La Iguana.

I'm listening to the Cubs play by play on the radio right now...it's nice having a winning team to follow. I moved to Chicago in 1997, the end of the Bulls dynasty and I quite enjoyed watching those games on television, and even more going out into the streets after the team won the championship and my Puerto Rican neighborhood got into their cars and sat, happily gridlocked in the streets, honking their horns and not going anyplace.

In between today's play by play former Cub Ron Santos is plugging his "Ron Santos Walk To Cure Diabetes" which is taking place this Sunday. I have no beef with Mr. Santos, of course, and I think it's terribly unfortunate that he himself suffers from diabetes. And I suppose that 25 years ago, when the charity walk was concieved the notion of A Walk seemed like a good idea. However, Santos recently had both of his legs amputated in connection with the disease so there seems to be something of a mocking quality to the whole endeavor. Or maybe that's just me.

Maybe it's a generational thing but I think walking for a cause is weird and not very effective. Of course it could be that the real benefit is not to the charities that benefit from the monies or the awareness raised in a walk, but that it gives those on the sidelines...friends and family members...an opportunity to feel as though they are doing something, taking action.