Good day my friends!

It's Monday, July 31rst, 2017. I hope this day finds you well!

I've received many messages with regard to my health situation. Thank you so much for caring! In the event you hadn't heard, I have prostate cancer. It is through my blogs, I hope to make more men (and the women who love them) aware of the importance of being checked regularly after the age of 50 at your annual physical. 40, if you have a history of it in your immediate family.

The test for Prostate Cancer is as simple as having your blood taken through the lab. That sets a baseline from which to work and monitor. A typical P.S.A. score for a man of say 50, is 0-4.0. A digital exam is not as pleasant but extremely necessary as well.

Three years ago, my baseline was set at 3.7. Certainly within the normal range but closer to 4 than my doctor liked. Now keep in mind that a high score in and of itself does not mean cancer is present, but it does need to be monitored yearly. See your doctor men!

One year later it had jumped to 7.3 (nearly doubled). Six months after that test, it jumped to 12. Since that time I've had two needle biopsies and an MRI. I have a tumor that is growing on the inside wall of the prostate and trying to penetrate it to get to the lymph nodes. Doing nothing at this point is not an option.

I am having a prostatectomy on Thursday morning at 7:15am at Sutter Roseville. That is a robot assisted procedure to completely remove the prostate and the lymph nodes. For all accounts, it will be about a five hour surgery and the recovery time can be 4-6 weeks.

I have a very competent Urologist and a family who has been challenged before. Throughout the next few weeks, I'll share my journey here on my blog. Here's a link to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/lou.gallagher if you are interested.

This is hardly the direction I imagined my life would go.

If this were just about me? I might think twice about major surgery. I do it so that I might be able to spend more time with my family. I have grandchildren to play catch with. I have tee ball games to watch and snow cones to buy!

I once heard it said that "If you really want to make God laugh... tell him your plans for tomorrow!"

From my soul, let me say thank you for all the kind words and encouragement.

Am I ready for this? Honestly, as of this moment? No.

Then I think about what I think about when I'm about ready to board a plane. Once I buckle in, my life is no longer in my  hands.

http://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/radical-prostatectomy-operation

So, that's what I think!

Thanks for reading!

I got this!

Lou

Random thoughts, but here’s what I think!

Pizza delivery guy driving Mercedes

So I’m driving home from work the other day. Traffic was at a virtual standstill. So I’m just people watching. As I’m sitting first in the left turn lane I see this beautiful Mercedes Benz turn in front of me. I couldn’t help but notice what a beautiful model this was! Upon further inspection, I notice it has a Pizza Guys Roof Light.

So many questions came to mind!

The parents of this teenager let him borrow this $100K car to speed in and out of traffic to get a $10 

pizza to a home in 30 minutes or less? All for $9 an hour plus tip?

Maybe this guy needed a second job to pay for this vehicle and decided on the lucrative field of pizza delivery?

Please don’t tell me this is the first car you bought for your kid? Was the job to teach him a lesson?

I wonder what kind of car the manager of the pizza place owns?

Tax help commercials

I was listening to the radio the other day and heard a commercial for a tax service that will, for a fee, settle you delinquent tax bills. It wasn’t the first time I’ve heard it. “YOU MUST ACT NOW! TAX LAWS WILL BE CHANGING SOON!’ It sounds so loud and official!

The wash on this story is that the commercial is at least 8 years old? How do I know this? The person who voiced this commercial is a guy I used to work with in radio and I remember that day he recorded it. How urgent is it that the laws will be changing soon? Can’t be too urgent? My buddy passed away two years ago and the commercial still runs without even a hint of a change.

Deo Change

I am not a stinky person. It is a very rare occasion that I have B.O. Lately it seems that the “Sure” Deodorant I’ve been using just isn’t cutting it anymore.

I switched it up and tried a “Dove” brand for men. Seemed like it worked for a few days but then to no avail. Just didn’t keep me fragrant-less?

Recently, my wife got me a new one called “Tom’s” and it’s completely “all-natural”. Doesn’t work for crap and irritated the hell out of my underarms. All day! When I looked this morning, it was all red there.

This morning I had to do something different. I tried her Avon Roll-on. I think it’s for women? But guess what? So far…………. It’s working?

This story really struck a chord with me! Here’s what I think!

Police say an ax-wielding man showed up outside a Massachusetts radio station demanding that the song “My Ax” be played and held off responding officers for three hours.

Witnesses and station employees say the man arrived at Kiss 108 in Medford on Monday with an ax in hand and unsuccessfully requested the station play the song by Insane Clown Posse.

Arriving officers found the 38-year-old man in his car in the station parking lot. Police say he tossed sharp-edged weapons out of the car during the standoff, and officers unsuccessfully used a stun gun on him.

The man surrendered around 4:30 p.m. WBZ-TV reports he had minor self-inflicted cuts on his arms.

Police say he will undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

I recently had a listener who called me to tell me how much he enjoyed listening to my radio show on Saturday mornings.

He was kind enough to suggest some things that I should do to make the show better.

It was at his point he asked if he could request a song for me to play. I told him “sure, what’s your favorite car tune?” He went on to explain that it really wasn’t a car song at all!

He wanted to hear a song called “Whitebird” by a little know group called “It’s a Beautiful Day”. Now, I remember that song from the late 60’s. It’s a very nice song. Harmonies are beautiful! But this song has no business being played on my show! Or, for that matter, not even on this radio station!

I tried to explain this to him? And I could have left it at that. But I told him something that blew his mind! I explained to him that it wasn’t necessary to request a song on the radio anymore because there is this little thing called YouTube? I went on to say that he could set that song up to play all day long. Every rendition by every band! Even covers!

However, the harder I tried to convince him that there is whole other world out there. It’s called the Internet. The harder he resisted. “Me and computers just don’t get along!” No, you’re just so stuck in your ways that you’ll let the entire rest of the world pass you by so as not to have to learn something new? God forbid you come out of the 60’s now! I’ll bet you’re proud that you still wear your hair the same way as back then? And I love your Hawaii 77 T shirt

And so friends, rather than wielding an axe and visiting a radio station (unless you’re in need of a mental evaluation), pay a visit to YouTube? Please? You’ll find every song known to man?

Join us in this crazy world we call 2017 won’t you? C'mon man!

Lou Gallagher

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCwmVQfeAgSmjnBBde1Lfg

https://www.facebook.com/menaresosmart/

https://www.facebook.com/lou.gallagher

https://twitter.com/GallagherLou

lougallagher@yahoo.com 

We got an email from a listener where I was asked to come up with a list of songs that I've been listening to the last couple of weeks:

Here it is! Hope you enjoy and comment!


What I’m listening to right now

What if? Kane Brown/ Lauren Alaina

The Fighter Keith Urban/ Carrie Underwood

It Aint my Fault/ Brothers Osbourne

All the Pretty Girls/ Kenny Chesney

Drinkin’ Problem/ Midland

Last Time For Everything/ Brad Paisley

Fix a drink/ Chis Jansen

Makin me Look Good Again/ Drake White

Ask ME How I Know/ Garth Brooks

Something I’m Good At/ Brett Eldridge

My Old Man/ Zac Brown Band

Craving you/ Thomas Rhett/ Maren Morris

These are all relatively new songs and all of them can be found on YouTube!

Thanks for reading! This will be an actual episode on YouTube this week so watch for it!

Lou Gallagher

Here are some of my other projects!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCwmVQfeAgSmjnBBde1Lfg

https://www.facebook.com/menaresosmart/

http://1015khits.com/k-hits-garage-podcast/

https://www.facebook.com/lou.gallagher

lougallagher@yahoo.com

https://twitter.com/GallagherLou

Here's What I Think! "Men are So Smart' on YouTube!

We get a lot of email and messages about the show “Men are So Smart!” Mostly people ask “what is the show about?”

It’s a little hard to explain because I’ve had the idea of doing this show in my head for about 50 years.

I have been doing radio for over 30 years in Sacramento. For 30 years, I have wanted to have my own TV Show. One that doesn’t stifle creativity. One that lets me put it all out there. One that I have complete creative control over content. I can actually say “this is my show!”

Growing up, I watched the Ed Sullivan Show religiously with my parents. I loved all the comedians but especially enjoyed the “plate-spinners” and the “dogs jumping through hoops of fire!”

I used to sneak out of my room when I was little and watch Johnny Carson. My parents never knew. Though I was awfully tired the next day for school! Later in life, Lettermen was my mentor.

Then, there were the Game Shows! I lived for Match Game with Gene Rayburn! The B-list celebrities and the regulars that were on that show just cracked me up! And there was always a super sexy women!

But once I saw The Gong Show with Chuck Barris, I was hooked! It was pure and utter chaos! There was no way in the world they could rehearse the things that would happen on that show! Chuck was so funny and so rawly talented? Rough around the edges maybe? (The new Gong Show is just plain cheesey? But it is so rare that a remake lives up to the original?

So, back to the question! What is the show about?

Here at Men are So Smart, we feel that there is too much bad news that comes across our plates! Media sources are seeing huge drops in Local News Station viewership. People are inundated with death and corruption and feel as if there is no light at the end of the tunnel. We’re tired of it!

M.A.S.S. is a weekday show that takes a light-hearted look at the stories happening around us that make the front page as well as the back pages! We try to touch on the stories that will make you giggle! We try to bring a laugh to your face in an otherwise dismal day?

No topic is off limits! Sure, we’ll talk about the topics that concern you but we cut through the crap and bring you the bottom line along with our take on it!

We do product reviews, taste tests, broadcast on location, and soon, we will have our first woman on the program! We can’t wait to get a woman’s perspective on “Guy” things!

This last week, we answered an email about what happens to you after you die? Be sure don’t miss that episode when it comes out this week! I’ll have a link to our YouTube Channel for you at the bottom of this Blog!

Ronnie and I have been friends for 40+ years and we have a combined 60 years of marriage experience. You get the truth from us. Nothing sugarcoated! I think you can tell from the show that he and I really enjoy spending time together. We have a great time doing the show! He still cracks me up!

We hope you’ll check out an episode or two to see if it’s for you? We realize the name of the show is “Men are So Smart” and it sounds like a guy thing… but women are enjoying it too. We see it in the demographics! When you do enjoy it, we hope you’ll give it a like! A share? Or even better still? Subscribe to our channel!

Thank you so much for checking out my dream!

Lou Gallagher

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCwmVQfeAgSmjnBBde1Lfg

https://www.facebook.com/menaresosmart/

https://www.facebook.com/lou.gallagher

https://www.instagram.com/sweetlougallagher/

lougallagher@yahoo.com

In case you wanted to know?

Social Media Slang Terms You Really Should Know By Now

TFW

'TFW you're off of work for a long weekend,' know that it's translating to 'that feel/feeling when.' It's most commonly used in association with visual images that represent how someone is feeling.

NBD

You've definitely seen this one all over the Internet and via text, but what does it even mean? Quite literally, 'no big deal.'

FOMO

FOMO is the granddaddy of text slang because it's been around for years and means 'fear of missing out.'

ICYMI

This one might've confused you on Facebook or Instagram, but it's a pretty useful abbreviation to have handy as it just means 'in case you missed it.

FWIW

Consider FWIW one of the most polite text abbreviations out there, because it's a great opener, translating to 'for what it's worth.'

TBH

Yet another way to politely excuse a strong or possibly offensive opinion because it means 'to be honest.'

FTW

FTW means 'for the win,' and is a slangy, upbeat way of celebrating something via social media commentary.

SMH

SMH = shaking my head, which is what we're all doing at least half the time we scroll through our Facebook newsfeeds and see crazy political rants from long-lost relatives.

TLDR

This one is relatively new in the text abbreviations world, but it's popping up all over the place on lengthy social media posts. It means 'too long, didn't read,' and is commonly found on long-winded, rambling opinion pieces.

IRL

This is a great one, because it's often a relationship builder. It means 'in real life,' and is great for saying things like 'Would love to see you soon IRL!'

SLAY

This one isn't an abbreviation, but it's common text slang that everyone under 40 is using routinely, so you need to get on board. Slaying may sound negative, but it's used in a positive way now to denote killing or crushing a task in the best possible sense.

VAGUEBOOKING

If you've ever seen someone post a ridiculous Facebook status like 'Today is totally major for me,' without giving any specific details, that's vaguebooking in action. It's the act of alluding to something via social media status without pinpointing it, and it's widely unpopular.

LMK

You need this one because it translates to 'let me know.”

OMW

OMW means 'on my way,' and is most commonly used when you're not even really on your way.

TTYL!

Lou Gallagher

Mena are So Smart on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCwmVQfeAgSmjnBBde1Lfg

Men are So Smart on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/menaresosmart/

lougallagher@yahoo.com

https://www.facebook.com/lou.gallagher

On Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/sweetlougallagher/

The Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays!

Growing up, it was one of the biggest family gatherings of our year. Usually it was spent at my Aunt Betsy and Uncle Bob's house in Carmichael, California. Uncle Bob had a keg! It was a day watching my Dad win every game of horseshoes he'd play! He really was that good. I inherited his famous flip toss.

As we as kids grew older, our idea of fun changed and there was plenty of  hi-jinx and shenanigans! One year, my cousin Donny had been sneaking beer from the keg, got too stupid drunk, and had a bicycle accident. That kinda put a damper on things.

In later years the party moved to my Dad's house in Orangevale. July 4th is usually a very hot day in the Sacramento area. He had a pool! And loved this holiday! Mostly because of fireworks. Not the legal kind either. He liked to blow things up!

One year, he got an M-80 from my cousin Chris and was saving it for after everyone had eaten. We were all comfortably gathered around the swimming pool when my Dad tossed it into the Weber kettle and closed the top! Me? I ran! That thing scared the s#!t out of everyone at the party! The next year he threw one over his fence into his vacationing neighbors pool!

But I guess my love of this holiday stems from this. The Fourth of July isn't a solemn memorial holiday. It's a day that every man, women, and child can celebrate how incredibly lucky we are to live in the land of the free. Because of the brave. Along with Labor Day, this is a day for the working man and woman. The one's working for that American Dream! Raising a family and putting a roof over their heads! Trying to make the world a better place then we found it! A place where our grandchildren will be happy and thankful to live. A place for their children!

Friends, we live in an incredible yet volatile time. We have seen how terribly bad things can happen in an instant. Yet in bad times, we see the uncommon reach down to their very souls and do great things. As Mr. Rogers once said "look for the helpers!" But really, shouldn't we all be helpers? Everyday?

If you don't already, this Fourth of July, make sure to fly your Flag! Mine will be up! Proudly! In my perfect world, I would look down my street and every house would have one! The United States has the most beautiful Flag of them all! Why? because that Flag means so much!

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

Lou Gallagher

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOCwmVQfeAgSmjnBBde1Lfg

Social Media:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/menaresosmart/
https://www.facebook.com/lou.gallagher

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/menaresosmart
https://twitter.com/GallagherLou

Email:
lougallagher@yahoo.com