Remember the panic about the H1N1 flu a decade ago? There was good reason for that. The first time H1N1 struck was back in 1918. In the U.S., it was originally detected among military personnel, in the spring of that year. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates one-third of the world’s population was infected (about 500 million) by what was then called the Spanish Flu. There were at least 50 million deaths. The death toll included Private John Henry…
It comes as no surprise that James was bound and determined to catch this year’s Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville. In spite of 2018’s exciting last-minute change of headliner to Alice in Chains, last year’s fest was nothing but a stick in the mud. Literally. Completely opposite of this fall, last September brought nearly non-stop rain. The festival was canceled, with the realization that slogging about in ankle-deep mud would destroy the beautiful outdoor venue. Poor James; his hopes…
Exploring the many branches of our family tree (another retirement project) is fascinating. Some of those limbs, though, are rather gnarly. Let’s get right to it: There was a murder in Ferdinand back in 1909. Gary‘s great-grandfather on his mom’s side, Henry Schum, was killed while trying to break up a drunken brawl. Note: I’m hoping enough time has passed that I won’t offend anyone by mentioning the coinciding murder of the English language. Coverage of the patriarch’s death unfurled…
Even though local schools head back obnoxiously early around here, September still feels like the true back-to-school month. It’s still not cozy-up-and-read weather, but surely we’re getting closer! Here’s a look at the four books I read this month. Week 1: Children of Nazis by Tania Crasniaski An uncomfortable read, yet fascinating. The author devotes a chapter to the children of each of eight high-ranking Nazis. Some referred to Hitler as Uncle Adolf and others were even named for him….
Such wonderful news – John is engaged! Aubrie is delightful. She’s brimming over with kindness, brains, and a sense of humor. Plus … she tells great stories. “How was your day?” I asked her last Friday when we got together to celebrate Gary’s birthday and the engaged couple’s happy news. “Well, no one threw poop at me today, so it was a good day.” Aubrie is an Occupational Therapist. She helps people, even those who don’t want to be helped….
I miss the brudders every day. They’re all where they need to be – and want to be – at this point in their lives, and that’s how it should be. But there are more than a few sighs around here as Gary and I reminisce. One of my happiest ongoing memories is of driving each one of our three sons to school in the morning. They were born so far apart in years (in 1984, 1991, and 1999), that…
Did you know Farmer Gary went to Rose-Hulman, too? Here’s the story: During his junior year of high school (circa 1972), Gary decided to participate in College Day. That’s the annual opportunity to meet with representatives from various colleges and universities. The appointment schedules for these one-on-one meetings were taped up in the hallway. As Gary made his way from list to list, he noticed one school’s sign-up sheet was blank. So he signed up. His interview with Rose-Hulman was…
Retirement is grand, no doubt about it. When I turned in my two-month notice, it was also time to figure out how to say goodbye to so many friends from over the years. After 28 years at the park, there were hundreds of reporters and travel writers, scores of industry pals, and, dare I say, thousands of coaster enthusiasts. A number of years ago, I served on the Communications Committee for IAAPA, the international trade organization for the amusement industry….
Happy birthday, Gary! When you’re born on the 13th of any month, you (presumably) get used to the occasional Friday the 13th birthday. Gary’s 13th birthday was on Friday the 13th back in 1968, which just happened to be the date The Beatles were on the cover of Life Magazine. Earlier in the year, their groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album was still number one, featuring the sweet and simple love song “When I’m 64.” As neatly as…
It was a beautiful early fall day. Back then, streaming news was nearly unheard of, but in 2001 I was able to log on to MSNBC.com and listen to morning news. It was spotty “reception” at best and I always wondered if IT would someday tell me to knock it off, but for now it kept me up to date. Hearing reports that a small plane had somehow veered off course and crashed into one of the Twin Towers was…