I went to high school in the 60s and for band, kids had to buy their own mouthpiece for sanitary reasons but the school provided trumpets and saxes. The world wasn't so PC then and so concerned that even with his own mouthpiece little Johnny might get AIDS from a germ walking backwards up the body of the horn after the previous student played it.

I miss the 60s. Before Yuppies, before these over protective, permissive parents, before Wii and Play Station.... before parents who protest and picket schools over free lunch programs and then drop McDonald's food off for them every day in their Hummer. When I was married to the last one we lived in a VERY Yuppie area and every night I had to come home and wash the wimp off me. Little Cameron and Schuyler with their juice boxes... I get sick thinking about this generation of worthless little wimps we are raising. Signing a document when your kid goes into little league that you will only call out positive, encouraging things... I prefer Bobby Knight to coach my kid. He will leave the school tough, not a doughy little wuss.

I grew up on the streets of inner city Cleveland, and I wouldn't trade it for all the Orange County in the world! We played tackle football with no equipment. Fast pitch baseball, not softball and soft toss with coaches pitching.... we didn't wear armor to ride a frickin' bicycle. Now.... oh man, I am off and running again.

I have to ask this question so I have a sense of perspective about the other major contributors to this discussion. How many of you were at all privileged growing up and how many went to the School of Hard Knocks where you were taught by Professor Street Smart? We had NOTHING. When I went into little league, an uncle who had more than we did ended up buying me a glove and shoes, not my father. In 1964, the Browns (and the city of Cleveland's) only championship, I went to the game as a Christmas gift from that same uncle. My father, bless his soul and rest in peace, did all he could and he did well by us as far as his means could take him, but that little bit of money that they spent on my weekly music lessons came from a sponsor, not him. And to those who I have inadvertently crossed here with my hard edged attitude, that's where it came from. I fought three times a week on my way home from grade school because someone would try to steal my baseball glove. Google Hough Riots and read the Wiki article. That's where I lived. Being a white kid living near that area was rough.

Anyway, back to topic, yes, schools are pricing themselves out of the game. I hate to think that somewhere in inner city Chicago, or Detroit, or DC the next Charlie Parker will never get the chance to play because his alcoholic, drug addicted mother and incarcerated father can't rent him a horn. Schools are that badly funded, and big corporations don't pay taxes. What's wrong with this picture?

It is indeed a different time. And as I have said often, I am glad I am close to the final curtain.

Thank you for listening.

I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.

1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.