A Remarkable Man

John Waselik

John Waselik of Oakdale was described by everyone who knew him as a warm, soft spoken man who made a positive difference in many people's lives and never had a bad word to say about anybody.   John passed away unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago at 63 doing something he loved: biking as he was gearing up for a charity ride across Connecticut.   His giving spirit continued after his death as an organ donor.   I first talked to John in 1997 when his wife Betty-Clare, a high school friend, called me one day while I was on the air at WDRC.  John was a loyal listener fascinated with broadcasting.   He even dabbled in local radio later, but his career choice as a teacher had already been set in stone for some time.   For all of his roles in life - family man, teacher, mentor, church elder, local sports enthusiast and so much more - he made sure it was never about him.   He was genuinely interested in you.   I can't think of a more giving and selfless person, but he'd be the last to invite comparisons. Perhaps we can all learn to better accept each other the way John did.

What Makes Connecticut Special?

Half of us evidently want to get the Hell out of Connecticut...49%.   A Gallup poll conducted June-December 2013 shows only Illinois as the state its residents (50%) would rather be leaving.   People in Montana, Hawaii and Maine are most content to stay put.   Imagine that.   Mississippi scored more favorably than our fair state!   How can a state with so much wealth and a location in the middle of the bustling Northeast "Megalopolis" be deemed undesirable?   I know there's a general feeling that we've passed our prosperous glory days of sitting at or near the top of the heap due to the crushing cost of living.  Our outdated major roads and recent stories about railroad safety reinforce the sense that we are gradually being choked off from major markets so close to our doorstep.   While I applaud Governor Malloy for keeping us at the forefront of inevitable social change, I am concerned that his accomplishments is falling on deaf ears with an NRA-fueled level of hostility that even exceeds Governor Weicker's implementation of the state income tax over twenty years ago.   The level of income inequality is also taking its toll as the strapped middle class is less able to fuel demand.   As in Illinois, the disparity between desperately poor cities and opulent suburban wealth is tearing us apart.  There are just so many yachts to be sold to Greenwich millionaires.

While narrowing income inequality and a better managing of the message can work wonders, we as Connecticut residents are often at a loss to define what makes our little state special.   Casinos are popping up everywhere.   Reliance on giant defense contracts can be a slippery slope.   

When you think Montana, you think Big Sky Country.   Despite having one of the wackiest governors in the country, Maine evokes a unique image as a "Vacationland."   Hawaii?   I rest my case.   Connecticut does have a character.   It takes creative leaders to bring it out.   We have incredible diversity.    Oh yes, take a few cents off the stupid gas tax; the PR value alone is worth it.    This too shall pass... hopefully soon.   Did you really want to move to North Dakota anyway?        

Better Now Than Later

A hospital visit is seldom anyone's preferred destination, but I knew my last bout of lightheadedness was nothing to ignore.   My blood pressure would drop dramatically after I walked up an incline or stood up quickly, mostly in the morning.   While my two-day visit to Middlesex Hospital in Middletown didn't conclusively reveal a connection between the feeling I was about to pass out with a cardiac condition, an irregular heartbeat was detected.   There's no indication of an immediate need for any emergency procedure, so I was sent home (where I could sleep a lot better) with a heart monitor while being put on a blood thinner to reduce a risk of stroke. On one hand, there are plenty of adults who have these heart conditions and operations like pacemaker implants are very common.   By the same token, even the most minimally invasive procedure involving one's ticker can be a little scary.   We should unravel more of my cardiac mystery over the next month.   For now, I'll just keep doing what I do.   I'm no health nut, but it's better to be proactive about this than facing bigger consequences later.

By the way, Middlesex Hospital care is second to none.   Unlike the common stereotype about hospital food, I ate every morsel and enjoyed every bite!    That said, I'm not anxious for a return trip to soon.   Hey, I just got married a year ago today.   There are still some quality living I'd like to do.