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James dorm room
Not his father’s dorm room

Not his father’s dorm room

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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…

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Hummel newspaper ad
Walter

Walter

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Christmas is a big deal around our house. When the boys were little, we went a bit nuts with what went under the tree. To counteract that gimme-gimme message, we always made a point of anonymously donating wrapped gifts to children in need. It was a fun family activity to pick out gifts for these boys and girls and wrap them in festive paper. When James was in Beta Club in high school, he came home one day with a…

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James at Rose-Hulman
Room with a view

Room with a view

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“Mom! Come see this beautiful sunset!” With bedroom windows peering in a southwest direction, James always seemed to catch a beautiful sunset before the rest of us. He’d head outside to watch the changing colors and often grabbed a few photos at just the right moment. Other times, he slung a guitar over his shoulder and sang to the birds, deer, and the occasional groundhog as dusk settled. Mom never tires of hearing her red-haired grandson has a poet’s soul….

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James 2017 - a few years before In the Basement
A teen no more

A teen no more

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Happy Birthday to James – as you turn 20, that means Dad and I no longer have any teenagers. (Yes, it’s all about us.) Tom became a teen in 1997, so that means we’ve have teen(s) in the house for 22 years. Other parents don’t particularly like to hear this, but our three “brudders” were never a bother. No real “terrible twos” or teen-angst years to grit our teeth through. Just three extremely likable, reasonable, hard-working, kind, creative, and amusing…

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Oldest von Trapp daughter's memoir
‘A book report …’

‘A book report …’

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One of my happiest moments on stage back in college was playing my soul sister, Lucy van Pelt, in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The Peanuts gang is tasked with writing “a book report on Peter Rabbit” and the characters each approach the musical assignment in their own way. Lucy, of course, concentrates on the number of words required and is very, very, very careful to hit 100 on the nose. Funny thing, I remember back in second grade…

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Alice in Chains
The Wiggle Pit

The Wiggle Pit

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Since he was a wee lad, James’s musical preference was clear. He’s a metal head. Even before James could sit up unsupported, oldest brother Thomas would sit with him or prop him up in a bean bag chair and crank up Metallica. From the very start, the baby’s tiny head would bob to the beat. No doubt about it, he was a head-banger. As he got a bit older, James would crawl up onto the rocking chair and point at…

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Gary and Paula Werne family, 2002
Too Much Brudders

Too Much Brudders

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This whole retirement thing has been a fascinating experiment. Tomorrow marks the start of Week 2; the most interesting part so far has been the reaction of my (now former) co-workers. “What will you do?” “Will you stay in the area?” “Will you travel? All questions were accompanied by looks of deep concern. It was baffling. The worst part was the incessant use of the term “your next chapter.” So in fact, those questions were: What will you do in…

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James at Rose-Hulman building a snowman
Frosty the Snowbot

Frosty the Snowbot

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When I showed this photo to grandson Cameron, 6, his reaction was immediate: “Goose! Goose! Is that Frosty the Snowman?” My grandson calls me Goose. I hope he never stops. The photo is from Saturday. James (the freshman who’s technically a sophomore at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) sent it. That’s James (Uncle James if your name is Cameron) the third builder in from the right. Wearing a toasty-warm blue jacket. But no hat and no gloves. As a side note,…

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