By Michael Ceremello – November 2, 2017 –

Not everyone looks at life the same.  I was taught at a young age to question everything.  The schools of higher education which I attended added to that.  Every day life, however, is the real teacher.

I have often subscribed to what I call the “Bumblebee Theorem”.  You see, the bumblebee is not supposed to be able to fly.  His or her wings are not capable of sustaining the weight of its body in flight.  Yet it doesn’t know that so he or she flies quite well.  Being oblivious is quite wonderful.

In that same vein, I accomplish the impossible here in Dixon.  No, I am not talking about my weekly attempts at educating the unwashed masses of our populace.

Witness here my agricultural, horticultural accomplishments.  First, I bring your attention to the impossibility of raising a full sized tropical fruit, a bromelaid known as the pineapple, within the confines of your own house.  Smells wonderful as it ripens on the plant to full maturity.

Next, I draw you attention to some new varieties of blackberry I have discovered.  The pictured fruit is lying in the extra large glove hand of its producer.  On top of that, the vine is thornless.  One of at least six different varieties which are now available.

Rather than putting in a grass lawn in the front yard, (how boring), I prefer the wisdom of the gentleman on Stratford Avenue who grew corn in his front yard one year.  Although I don’t have a picture of my Ponderosa lemon, a gift from my infamous Marine friend Drew Graska, the fruit was shared at the Dixon Gun Club’s crab feed and with councilman Ted Hickman who can attest to its size just under that of a volleyball and significantly larger than most grapefruit.

Age is another of those things that can be addressed with the bumblebee perspective.  Age is a number and nothing more.  Don’t let others tell you what you can or can’t do at your age.  Most of you have never heard of Ed Corney, a bodybuilder peer of Arnold Schwarzenegger.  When asked why he was still lifting after the age of 60, he responded, “what am I supposed to look like at my age?”

Many at my gym can not believe the amount of weight I lift.  To me it is nothing.  I use to say “I will be doing this when I am 70″.  Well, that is next June.  I have had to alter it to I will be doing this when I am 90.

Bruce Lee said, “Be like water” and take whatever form is necessary.  Mike says, “Be like the bumblebee … do what you want … nothing is impossible.”

This is why I persist at attempting to change the way city government is run …