Across most of America, students have headed back to school. This is significant in many ways. For the drivers out there, it means that there are school buses to watch out for and avoid, not to mention the kids getting on and off. On the positive side for drivers, there will be fewer children on the streets during school hours. There was also an up tick in retail sales as school supplies and new clothes were on the list over the last few weeks. Although it is only a temporary boost, any economic good news is important these days. Finally, and most import to some, college and professional football are on television again.

I for one am relieved that the diversion of football is back. Although I seldom go to games, I do watch on television. Baseball on the other hand, I will go to see live, but seldom watch on television. In baseball, the stadium activities are part of the overall entertainment. For football, the only entertainment you can watch that is not the actual game, is the half time show, but that is the time for bathroom breaks and food call.

This is the time of year where baseball is wrapping up with the excitement of the pennant, football is starting, the state fairs are underway, and politicians are kissing babies. Living in Iowa, I am in the center of all of those activities. We are bout four hours from four professional baseball team, with lots of minor league teams even closer. The same distance from five professional football teams with lots of college division I and II near by. We are currently the center of political activity with the straw poll and the jobs tour by the President.

In some ways this is a comfortable routine that we have every year (except for the politicians of course). We get to the school year and think back to our own school days. We start to reminisce about our friends and the good times we had. So, it is time to cheer on our school, or our kids’ schools, go to recitals and rallies. All of this will create new memories, mostly for the young people, but we oldsters will gain some as well.