What happened to Andy Taylor?

This past Sunday, Cheryl and I watched a bunch of the old "Andy Griffith Show" episodes on TV Land.  They were all from the first season.  Andy doles out advice to young and old.  Andy puts two young lovers on the path to martial bliss by stopping the feud between their fathers.  Andy teaches Opie about character and how when you give your word, you need to stand by it.
And, just watching these old black and white shows made me wonder just what happened to Andy Taylor?  Why don't we see sitcoms on TV where the parents teach their children right from wrong? Why don't we see sitcoms where the fathers are more than cartoonish men who fail at life, love and fatherhood?
I realize that society never was like Mayberry.  I realize that many children are being raised in fatherless homes and 50% of marriages end in divorce.  I do pay attention to what goes on in the world.
But, don't our children, who spend more time watching TV than playing catch, deserve to see stand up guys on TV as fathers?
Where else is a fatherless boy going to find a good role model? (Yes, Dad, I know there's still the Boy Scouts.)
Where is a child with a bad father going to learn what a father should be?
When I was a kid, we had to be home at six to eat dinner.  It wasn't until I reached my teens that I discovered that not all families gathered around the dinner table and ate their evening meal together.  It was a shock to my system.
I realize that life has changed since 1960 - the year the Andy Griffith Show premiered.  I know that women no longer wear dresses and stay at home.  I get that, but did we have to sacrifice the stand up sitcom dads, like Andy Taylor, to have progress?
Someone please bring back Andy Taylor next fall.  That's a show I would watch.

Early Morning Post

I just re-read my early morning post and I realize that I made it sound like the couple from "Jon and Kate Plus 8" and the family in "17 and Counting" are somehow irresponsible. So, before I get a bunch of nasty emails, that is not what I meant to imply. I don't know anything about these two families other than they both have a lot of children. I meant that by placing them on television, this could lead to people thinking -- like the moron in California -- that if they have a lot of children, they too can be on TV.

God Bless

Times have changed

I'm going to admit something I'm not too sure many people know. My parents were NOT happy campers when I came out to them almost 20 years ago. My mother used to make comments like "straighten up" when we'd get off the phone and my father didn't have too much to say to me for a long time. Now, I don't want anyone thinking I'm complaining because they never sent me away to be "cured" or stop letting me talk to my brothers. I know gay people who haven't spoken to their parents since they came out. But still, it wasn't easy.

My parents love Cheryl -- sometimes I think more than they love me -- and they love her kids and, of course, they're thrilled with da boys.

But, something happened this weekend I just never thought would happen in a million years. Two friends of ours, Barb and Karen, were married last month. We missed the wedding because our cousin, Jeff, was married to his bride, Jen, on the sameday. And, I couldn't miss Jeff's wedding and wouldn't have considered missing it. Anyway, we met up with Barb and Karen at Ren Faire this weekend and caught up on news. I introduced them to Dad and told him that they had just gotten married. Dad offered his congradulations. I mean, it was so cool. Twenty years ago, I don't think that would've happened.

He's come along way. He's still voting Republican this November, but he's still come a long, long way.

God Bless