You know I looked at my face in the mirror this morning and I like being old. My face has more content and when I train in the gym now I am not training to be strong or handsome - just better than I was yesterday. These days the race is just against myself.

'The Panorama' is also the last place anywhere in New York where the World Trade Center still stands whole as it stood in the early morning of September 11. I can also see the corner where I saw the first tower fall and howled out loud. Seeing the buildings again here is uplifting healing.

Every year August lashes out in volcanic fury rising with the din of morning traffic its great metallic wings smashing against the ground heating the air with ever-increasing intensity.

Burning desire to be or do something gives us staying power - a reason to get up every morning or to pick ourselves up and start in again after a disappointment.

Let's be honest I have enough money to never have to work again.

Money again has often been a cause of the delusion of the multitudes. Sober nations have all at once become desperate gamblers and risked almost their existence upon the turn of a piece of paper.

I have long been one of those tedious people who rails against the coronation of 'student-athletes.' I have heard the argument that big-time athletics bring in loads of money to universities. I don't believe the money goes anywhere other than back into the sports teams but that's another story.

I hesitate to deposit money in a bank. I am afraid I shall never dare to take it out again. When you go to confession and entrust your sins to the safe-keeping of the priest do you ever come back for them?

We are going as fast as we can as soon as we can. We're in a race against time until we run out of money.

As they say around the Texas Legislature if you can't drink their whiskey screw their women take their money and vote against 'em anyway you don't belong in office.