Tag Archives: Fun

Golden

Fun, History,

In 1985, the Boy Scouts celebrated their 75th anniversary.  In 1907, British General Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in England. Shortly afterwards, Chicago publisher W. D. Boyce visited London and learned of the Scouting movement. When he returned to the U.S., Boyce formed the Boy Scouts of America in 1910.

As I have mentioned before, I was big into Boy Scouts and had a lot of fun in the organization. Every February, the month that the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated, every troop has a big celebration dinner. At our 75th anniversary dinner, we decided to make a big production. There is a famous (to scouts anyhow) statue sculpted by Tait McKenzie, of a scout standing at the ready.  The sculpture is titled, “The Ideal Scout”.  The original stand in Philadelphia where scouting really started in the United States.  We decided to trick folks by pretending that we had ordered a replica of the statue for our small town.  I was, of course, a natural for “the ideal scout” (mainly, the uniform fit me).  We painted an old uniform gold and any part of my body not covered by a uniform was also covered in gold dust, just like Goldfinger.  It was really weird to see if all go down the drain later.  Anyhow, I was prepared by scout leaders and stood behind a curtain, waiting to be unveiled.  

Several regional scout leaders were invited and were in attendance and could not believe that we had acquired a replica statue.  The dinner went on and numerous awards were presented.  All the while, the mysterious statue remained behind the cutrain.  Finally, as anticipation built, I was unveiled.  The lights were dim and I stood completely motionless as folks looked on in amazement that scouting was so important in our town.  Fellow scouts recited the scout pledge while looking on the statue tom commemorate the occasion.  At the end, however, as they finished, the “bronze” statue lifted one arm to salute them in response to their pledge.  No one knew I was the statue until I moved to salute.  It was awesome as the trick played out!

You gotta see this…

Fun

I have a few things that I just have to share.  These are, of course, not my creations, but are so cool (I think) that you gotta see them…


We love the Sound of Music so this was too cool not to show. I had no idea the mansion was a public place. How cool is that!


And this guy just amazes me…I don’t know what to say!

  

Umm….ouch…..

  

I have never been much into this stuff, but this is too amazing to ignore I think

Was he ever angelic?

Family, Fun,

We visited my parents a few weeks ago and had a chance to look through some old pictures and talk about stuff. We found one picture of my Dad and some of his friends (sometime in the mid-1950s) as they were dressed to perform their duties as alter boys at the Episcopal church in their hometown.

A few things caught my attention. I don’t know if you do this, but I always get this silly picture in my head of people in little kid bodies, but with their adult heads. I guess it almost is bobble-head-ish, but I always have a hard time imagining people as they were “back then”. So, I see this picture of my Dad and it sort of makes me remember that he is human (though sometimes I wonder…) and that he was a kid once, probably a knucklehead like I was/am and also like my son sometimes is now. He probably even played with toys and had childhood romances and collected boogers like Isaac does now (not really). Isn’t it weird though, how it’s hard to imagine your parents as people (smile) let alone as kids?

Anyhow, my Dad was in the back row, far right near the old man with funny glasses.  That brings me to the other thing that caught my attention.  There is a huge variety of style captured in that one picture.  It’s sort of funny how many different hair-dos there are…from flat tops to greasers to duck’s tails.  It sort of cracks me up but is a neat look back in time…ancient history in fact.  Although, many of those hair styles can still be seen today!

Cow on wheels?

Fun, Thoughts, WV, ,

A coworker of mine (actually, the founder of our company) is an excellent, though atypical skateboarder.  He’s been at it for many years and has a lot of great skills and some really nice scars to show for his efforts.  Recently, he has gotten me into skateboarding too.  After a number of really nasty days here in WV, yesterday was absolutely beautiful.  We cut out of work a couple of hours early and headed to Coonskin Park where there is a great skate park.

We got there and there were a number of teenagers.  It’s funny, as I thought about it.  Skateboarders are typically considered punks and maybe even criminals.  To be sure, I saw kids who needed a shave, kids with tattoos and long hair.  Some of them cussed and most of them were show-offs.  

But I also saw older kids helping younger kids learn new moves, I saw people gather around to help when one boy fell and hurt his leg.  I saw a boy trying to teach his new girlfriend learn to skate.  There was plenty of clowning around and tons of good clean fun. These were really great kids who aren’t much different than I was when I was a teenager.  Really, they are not much different than I am right now when I think of it.

Anyhow, I am gaining a new respect for skaters.  These folks were decent kids who wanted to have a thrill, to show off and to hang out with friends.  They were not stoned or drunk or any of those things that people often associate with skaters.  They were a lot of fun and my pleasure to hang with.

I think the funniest thing I saw was the guy in the cow suit.  He was a great sport and an awesome skater.  One of the younger kids asked him why he was wearing a cow suit.  His reply was, “to get the ladies”.  The younger kid just shrugged and said, “Oh..I get that.”

Cheating

Family, Fun,

Abigail is a talker.  She talks all the time and several of her girl friends in kindergarten are the same way.  Her teacher has fussed at her many times and she has been in time out, had notes sent home and been moved all around the classroom.  She just can’t help herself.  Now, believe it or not, I am not a talker.  I typically don’t say a lot to people face to face.  It’s just not me.  So…that leaves Emily as a talker.  I figure talking of Abigail’s caliber must be genetic and she must have gotten it from Emily’s line!

She didn’t understand why it was such a big deal whether she talked during a test or when the teacher was teaching.  “I was done with the test” or “I already knew that stuff” was the usual response we got.  We finally told her that it might be like cheating…her teacher might think she is telling someone else the answer or that she was getting the asnwer from someone else.

I guess that the cheating talk must have sunken in a little.  This Sunday, Abigail came home from church with this paper.  I am not sure what else to say!

Six!

Family, Fun,

When Isaac was born, it was wholly unlike the typical birth of a child.  He came 2 months early and we hadn’t even been through birthing classes.  We didn’t get a chance to do much baby shopping and it was so scary.  Don’t get me wrong, on this side of his birth, I wouldn’t change a single thing…not one bit.


(2 years old)


(4 years old)

But I did sort of want to have that typical “birth experience”…you know, where we wake in the middle of the night and scurry around.  I throw the suitcases in the trunk while my wife makes her way to the car.  Three years after Isaac was born, we had that very experience with Abigail.  Emily woke around midnight, her water had just broken.  She grabbed a quick shower as I gathered up her suitcase.  This part diverges from my vision a bit – she decided to run the vacuum over the entire house.  Anyhow, after that, we called someone to watch Isaac and at 1am or so, we headed to Baptist Hospital in Nashville.  Of course, on the way, I had to stop and get a Mountain Dew.  After running the vacuum, I figured we had no worries.  We could stop at Waffle House (except I didn’t have my gun), grab a bite to eat, maybe watch a few infomercials on how to pay for this baby.  But oh, no.  We had to get to the hospital yesterday when it was a stops I wanted to make.


(almost 6 years old)


(almost 6 years old)

Anyhow, we made it to the hospital and the folks there promptly told Emily she had just peed the bed.  Emily, knowing better put her foot down and demanded a recount…no pregnant chads for this chick.  Sure enough, when they did a pH test, uh…”in there”, they discovered that she had not peed the bed.  Regular labor soon followed.  At 5:53 am, Abigail was born, 6 years ago today.


(almost 6 years old)

It’s pretty hard to believe that my little girl is already 6.  It seems like just yesterday that my little black haired baby (Emily had some questions to answer there) was laid in my arms for the first time.  And just yesterday, I swear she was saying her first words and taking her first steps.  Can it be that she is already 6?  I guess so.  But I am truly not sad.  She is a delight and grows more interesting and fun by the day.  She can read, she has a mean soccer kick and an infectious laugh.  I love my little 6 years old!


(almost 6 years old)

There is a funny story to tell…Last night as Emily and I were tucking her in, we said, “This is your last night as a 5 year old.”  We kissed her on the head and walked away as usual.  Fifteen minutes later, she came downstairs, crying.  “I am so sad…I am going to miss being a 5 year old!”  Fortunately, all was well this morning.  She is more mature now after all!


(6 years old today!)

Diversification

Fun, Thoughts, WV, ,

So I have been watching a discussion about evolution on facebook (by the way, I am addicted to facebook…it’s madness!  Look me up if you are on fb!) and it’s made me think about how things need to change in order to keep up.  Regardless of whether you subscribe to macroevolution, I think most folks accept microevolution where small changes occur that benefit a species.  That made me think about West Virginia in particular.  For so long, we have been a coal state.  In fact, WV produces 15% of all coal in the United States and leads in the production of underground coal.  More specifically, in 2006 West Virginia mines produced over 158 million tons of coal (more WV coal facts).    So all of that is to say, WV is a coal state.  Ok, now I am going to rant a bit, but please read on ’til the end.  I promise not to be too obnoxious!

Walker CAT has been sponsoring these billboards for quite awhile around here.  I don’t really want to have a huge debate on mountain top removal or global warming right now but I wonder why they are pushing such a crazy idea.  Coal is still dirty.  It’s dirty when it is mined and dirty when it is burned.  I am not suggesting that we stop all mining or use of coal.  But I wonder how these signs are left to stand.  I hope the idea is to suggest that we look for ways to make coal clean and carbon neutral rather than to try and trick folks into believing that coal is currently clean and carbon neutral.

So what do we do?  I like electricity and driving around and my air conditioner as much as the next guy.  But we can all do better about conserving.  I won’t list all that stuff here because folks know how to conserve.  But in addition to conservation, I think WV and other places need to diversify.  I am surely not the first to say it, but WV can become an energy state rather than just a coal state.  Coal will likely always play a role here, but so should natural gas and wind and solar.  We could become a place that makes turbines as well as hosts them.  We can lead in research and development.  We just need to evolve.  Heck, my son alone can fuel our house with natural gas.  I am sure there are lots of “unusual” sources for energy if we look. 

I was so inspired the other day at how diversification is starting to take hold in WV.  I saw a sign where it appears that the Department of Corrections is getting together with the Real Estate Division of the state.  There is tons of potential there!  I can see the prisons becoming neighborhood initiaitves!  The Depart of Corrections can buy up abandoned homes, and build neighborhood  jails!  Maybe we can run fund raisers where we “arrest” our friends and neighbors and then have to pay to bail them out.  Maybe we can just put all teenagers in these places and feed them every week or so.  I don’t know, it just seems like the folks in charge are starting to think about things in a different way.  Maybe now we can get the Department of Natural Resources to merge with the Department of Education so we can harvest the post lunch methane of 9 year old boys!  See?  We need to diversify and think outside the box!

School Pictures

Fun, Thoughts,

Today is picture day for the kids.  It’s always a big event as they choose their outfits and get haircuts.  You know, they do all that stuff so they look nothing like they normally do.  Abigail got to use some hairspray today and Isaac actually used a comb today.  

Anyhow, Abigail has been into clothes and looking nice and all that for awhile now.  Isaac is the funny one to me though.  Emily went through his closet the other day and made him try things on so she could clear out the small stuff.  The funny thing is that he loved trying on clothes.  I just don’t understand.  I mean, I have 7-9 pairs of nearly identical  khaki brown pants (depending on whether Emily throws some out when they get holes) and a 15 or so shirts.  I have one pair of brown shoes and a brown belt.  What else do I need?  I wanted to dress him in burlap underwear, just like my dad dressed me, so that he would get over wanting to try on clothes.  Next thing you know, he will enjoy shopping for clothes too.  What is the world coming to?!   I was, obviously, shot down on the burlap idea of course.  I did get Emily to “rock, paper, scissors” me for it though so I put up the good fight.  Anyhow, enough about that.  It was fun this morning getting ready for picture day at school.

Last night as we were setting out clothes, I got to digging around in the old picture box and found a collage of my school pictures from 1st grade through senior year.  It’s pretty funny to me to look back over the pictures.  In first grade, I was so mad because I nearly missed the picture shoot and thought I was going to be in with 2nd graders.  In 2nd and 3rd grade, I loved western shirts…I can’t explain it, but it is all I wore.  I loved my green gum boots then too and wore them all day every day too.

As time went on, I guess I got a bit more normal but something happened senior year.  All of my senior pictures…yes every one…has me in a pink shirt.  Now, I am not afraid of pink and I like plenty of people who wear pink.  I even like Pink’s music. But really, every picture in pink?  Where were my parents?  Why didn’t they stop me?  And then the photographer adds those awful poses and the blurred edges!  It was a scary time I guess.  Well, anyhow, picture day always produces some interesting results and I hope you enjoy mine!

We had a blast!

Fun, WV,


Charleston has a long history as a major chemical manufacturing and research center with more than 80 chemical facilities in the area.  Like everything though, we are seeing many companies move their facilities to other states and countries. 

As part of that trend, in 2001, Union Carbide, which owned Building 82 and used it for administrative space, merged with Dow Chemical which quickly gutted the workforce and facilities in Charleston.

In 2005, Dow decided to sell Building 82, but donated the building to the University of Charleston the next year when no buyer was found.  UC was going to rennovate the building for dorm space but the cost was too great.  Instead, they decided to demolish the building and sell the land  (here’s an interesting read on special features of the building and how they brought it down).


So, that’s where the fun started for us.  We had planned to drive into the area near the building and watch from as close as we could.  We drove in a back way that parallels the interstate and found a tremendous crowd already.  We decided that we wouldn’t likely find a better spot so we watched from 1000 feet or so away.  So we waited and watched and finally heard the initial blasts that weakened the structure.  A few seconds later, several incredible blasts went off and the building came down in a flash and a cloud of smoke.  

(Here’s some additional video taken by news crews in case you weren’t awed enough by my pics! Video 1, Video 2)

We all cheered and danced a bit along the road with total strangers.  It was pretty weird but it reminded me of what this whole thing was about for me…it  was about blowing junk up.  As a kid, I had pretty easy access to gasoline, black powder, fireworks, and firearms.  I shot, burned, or otherwise blew up anything that I could.  I shot tvs and watermelons.  I made blackpowder zip guns and napalm-like jelly and did all sorts of stuff that I shouldn’t have survived.  (For instance, once I made a homemade rocket out of junk I found around the house.  I packed the head of it with a lot of fireworks and pseudo-napalm.  It was super top-heavy so when I launched it, it tipped over and headed straight for me.  It blew up just shy of me thankfully!)

Anyhow, seeing that building blow up was just like being a kid again…only better…nothing came flying at me this time…and I didn’t have to answer to my dad for burning his car up and no one is going to jail this time…  

Maybe I am growing up…

49 things – give or take

Fun


(Wow!  Our first shave?)

I don’t usually do these things that seem to float around the net, but I thought it might be a fun change. Here’s some random junk about me!  Btw, the pictures have little to do with any of this but seemed pretty fun nonetheless!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
I was named after my Dad. His/my first name is a grandparent’s last name and our middle name is another grandparent’s last name.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
December 16, 1999

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
HA! I always had great grades in school but the only C I think I ever got was in handwriting in 6th grade. My handwriting sucks.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
I pretty much always eat turkey or chicken breast. I like all the flavors especially…honey baked, maple, jalapeno magic, anything. My least favorite would likely be liverwurst. Liver is compostable but not edible!

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
I have two monkeys – Isaac and Abigail.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
What’s not to love? I mean, I am the most awesome person I know!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Only when I am talking.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes…but I am missing my virginity and my dignity…if you’ve seen either, please contact me asap

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
I would bungee jump while wearing a gorilla suit singing My Sweet Valentine. I would not bungee jump naked however. I could be tempted to drive across town naked but I would not likely walk across town for pancakes.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
I really like Captain Crunch. I don’t often eat it though as I am all about my fiber muffins lately


(This was circa 1995…I shaved shortly after this and never went back)

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Velcro baby! Just kidding…I always untie my shoes.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
I don’t like ice cream. I think it is because I dipped a lot of ice cream while I worked in the general store in my home town as a kid. I dipped bait from tanks one minute and ice cream from the freezer the next…too closely associated in my head I think!

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Their smile and eyes…

15. RED OR PINK?
red though I rarely paint my fingernails any more

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
I don’t know what that would be..maybe my dang blood pressure.  I also have two really ugly scars on my back.  They suck too.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My grandma


(this is my brother and me – shaved and at the rodeo!)

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST?
Yes – but I’m not counting on it.  The internet is fairly sizeable…

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
no shoes…I am barefoot! I still have my work pants on….they are khaki brown.  

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
My cat snoring…and my wife too

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Black..like the color of my heart…or green…like my teeth

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
daffodils, wood smoke, lilac, bacon, spring rain, rodeo

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My pal Greg – I call him buttercup…don’t tell his wife.  But seriously, I call him that. 

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
I don’t have to…I am married to her

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH:
Jello Wrestling

27. HAIR Color?
No idea…it used to be blondish brown when last I saw it…that was around 1996

28. EYE COLOR?
blue

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Nope, not yet. I prefer to squint!

30. FAVORITE FOOD?
Homemade pizza!  Mexican

31.SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings for sure.  

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
The Twilight DVD last night.  I have a man-crush…

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
White t-shirt

34.SUMMER OR WINTER?
Summer. I hate winter almost as much as I hate lima beans

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
hugs, but both really. Although, I am not a hugging greeter. I don’t like to hug people when a handshake will suffice. Actually, I don’t like to touch people so I would rather wave than even shake hands.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
I dare not say what’s on my work mousepad. I don’t have one at home

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
The movie Twilight

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)?
My kids’ laughter, rushing water, a really good burp

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? ?
Probably Cancun Mexico although Los Angeles may be farther

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I can anti-cross my eyes…instead of both eyes going in to my nose, I can send both eyes outward

46 WHERE WERE U BORN?
Manassas, VA in a taxi cab along the interstate…delivered by a blind truck-driver.

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER?
My current wife and I met  the first day  of class in a college literature class during our freshman year.

49. WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT DRIVE YOU CRAZY?
Sounds like a high school year book question…”um, haters, people who cheat and that weasel Billy Smith”
Naw…I hate intolerance, hate, bad attitude and the little tiny salt packets they serve at Wendy’s

 

Ok, so play along.  I think it will  be fun to see how crazy some of you all are too!