Mick Jagger for Mayor?Written by Ray Shay

I have always liked Mick Jagger. He is a poet, a rocker, but I think what I like most about him is that he is, "all in."  No one ever doubts Mick's commitment to his craft or his desire to do his best. He couldn't sing or dance like that if his heart wasn't in it.  

I have always been impressed by Mick and other people who, regardless of their selected profession, are willing to take a stand, set a goal and then get after it. Success in life is largely based on a person's focus and their attitude.

Mick has it, Jerry Sanders had it, but unfortunately Bob Filner never did. Bob reached up high while on the carousel of politics and caught the treasured brass ring, only to let it fall from his grasp and land in the mud. I guess he was focused on other things. 

We need the right leader to pick that ring up and run with it. He or she should realize it is an honor to be the mayor of the eighth largest city in the United States of America. With only 90 days (at the most) before we vote, time is of the essence. Our city services

City of San Diego Acting Mayor Todd Gloria

have grounded to a halt because so many businesses, citizens and investors cannot rely on our current city government to make sound or timely decisions.  

I personally hope Acting Mayor Todd Gloria does not choose to run for the office that he will have the keys to, beginning at 5:00 p.m. this Friday. I don't believe we need someone busy running a campaign, while trying to put out fires and kick start the city of San Diego.

The British rocker, Mick Jagger came to my mind this week as I was dropping off one of our boys at soccer practice.  Sometimes no matter how much they plead, I won't change the radio station. It's one of the many great things about being a dad. 

As I stared at Ryan's beautiful eyes, Mick was summing up the situation perfectly as he sang, "You can't always get what you want.. but you just might find...you get what you need!"   

I wonder if Mick Jagger may just be a left-leaning Republican? Maybe he would support private businesses, open competition, smaller government, while still letting people make their own decisions on the rest of their lives. If true, he could have a pretty good shot. 

So even if Mick Jagger does not fill out an application to be the next mayor of San Diego, please still be sure to vote. It is one of our greatest powers. Unfortunately, if you live in 4S Ranch you are likely ineligible, since you are not a resident of the city of San Diego.  

Enjoy your week and rock on, 

  

  

  

Ray and Theresa Shay   

  

2013 - All Rights Reserved

 

CupcakeWritten by Ray Shay

  

As I walked out of our home in Del Sur, I saw the red and blue emergency light bar and the unique profile of a marked SDPD unit rolling towards me. It is kind of funny police officers both past and present, don't really call police cars, "police cars."  That is, unless they are testifying in court, and they don't want to confuse the jury.   

The vernacular for a police car varies greatly depending upon what the vehicle looks like, what it is used for, and what is it capable of accomplishing. As an example our SWAT, Special Equipment Van is called an "SEV."  

I laugh about it now, but many years ago I felt a sense of chagrin when I made the mistake of calling the SEV a "SWAT Van" in the presence of SDPD Police Lieutenant Jerry Sanders. Yep, the same guy who ultimately became our chief of police and the mayor of San Diego. Jerry, using his trademark gentle smile said, "Officer Shay ... that is called the Special Equipment Van." Jerry always made me laugh and though I never told him, I always wanted to be more like him. 

The SWAT SEV is loaded with lots of surprises for bad people, including barricaded and armed criminals, hostage takers and others, but it is a story I will never tell, because you want to keep those surprises...surprises.

What most people who are not in the business of preserving the peace might find interesting is cops and especially SWAT tactical officers have nicknames. I suspect it is a bit like Naval aviators. 

Your police nickname is a call sign or name that refers specifically to you, but you never get to pick your own. It is the name sometimes whispered to you while other times it may be yelled out like when it is your time to buy the round at, "choir practice."  Either way, better or worse, the name is all yours. Even if you get tagged with the name, "Cupcake." 

When I saw the face behind the steering wheel of the marked unit, I broke into a broad smile. It was the friendly face of veteran SDPD Patrol Sergeant Mike Flanagan. I yelled out his nickname as he pulled into our driveway. After a brief conversation, I asked if our boys and my nephew, Christopher Mok, could take a picture with him (see right). After all anyone who has been in uniform for over 38 years will always be my hero. Mike has achieved what very few people ever have. 

I asked the boys what they thought Mike  Flanagan's nickname was. The consensus was, "Big Mike." I told them Mike's nickname is actually, "Cupcake." A nickname he picked up when another officer named Mike Wahl saw him eating a cupcake as he walked up after a Copper Bowl football practice. Mike and I were both defensive backs on the San Diego Police Department football team. Mike had great skills but the name "Cupcake" stuck.  

SDPD Sergeant    Mike Flanagan

Mike was always strong, big and fast, so it really is a true term of endearment. I then thought of how many years we were both on tactical operations together and how often myself and many other SWAT Commanders, rookies and fellow SWAT officers relied on Mike's calm and professional demeanor. 

Twenty-eight years on the SWAT team and over 38 years as a police officer, makes Mike one of the most senior and experienced officers on SDPD.  That is a very long time to carry both the physical and mental responsibilities of both assignments.

When I asked Mike how he survived through all those tough years, especially when we lost so many officers, he replied, "Only by the grace of God. So many of those tragedies occurred when I was off work or in another part of the city. I was fortunate."

  

Sergeant Mike Flanagan will be retiring in about six months, but both he and his nickname will not be forgotten.  

Good luck "Cupcake" and thanks for allowing me to share both your nickname and your incredible commitment with a few thousand of the people you have helped to keep safe for so many years. That's pretty sweet! 

Have a great week!

  

  

   

  

Ray and Theresa Shay   

  

2013 - All Rights Reserved

 

Summer FadesWritten by Ray Shay

I have never slept in a farmhouse or even been to a real farm. I really want to go someday and drive a tractor where the soft soil is dark and rich. Take our children into a small town cafe where everyone immediately knows we're strangers.   

  

I suspect a small town farmer might be sitting near us, who recently looked out over his or her crops with both a sense of pride and frustration. Pride at the bountiful harvest and frustration that some of the fields did not flourish. I wonder if some farmers think, "I could have done better." 

  

Summer Fades

We live in Del Sur, which is an amazing place, but our family would starve even if I planted every square inch of our small yard. Theresa and I are not growing wheat, corn, sweet peas or even broccoli. Instead, we are raising our three boys who are quickly turning into men. I am really just a husband and father who at the end of summer thinks, I could have done better. 

 

When summer began I looked at our wish list with great optimism. We tilled the soil and planted so much and kept looking at our fields. We had some beautiful plants rise up from the dirt like our trip to Europe, New Jersey and or our last minute dashes to the beaches of Del Mar or just hanging out on our living room couch eating popcorn. No homework, just time together as a family. 

  

But, I also think about how I never got our boys on a camping trip, riding a raft on a challenging river or even an overnight to Big Bear. The list of what we failed to accomplish seems so darn long. I guess sometimes it is easier to look at the plants that did not grow than those that did.   

  

Now that the growing season is coming to an end, I will probably take those bags of seeds that did not grow and place them in a safe place until spring.  When the snow melts, we will look for just the right place to plant those seeds, so they can bloom in the summer of 2014. It seem so far away.  

 

I know we only have so many summers with our children, but I will let you in on a secret. One seed we are keeping in our basement and ready for planting is a trip to Idaho or Montana.   

When we see a farmer on a tractor, our kids know I will yet again embarrass them because I will be pulling our rental car to the side of the road and asking the hard-working farmer to help me fulfill a dream. After all that is what life is all about.  

Enjoy your week!  

  

  

   

  

Ray and Theresa Shay   

  

2013 - All Rights Reserved