My highschool had an indoor swimming pool. As part of gym class, all students were required to swim 50 meters, or they would fail the class. If you failed gym, you could not graduate. And since I could not swim, that would be a bit of a problem.
Any student who could not swim had to take swimming lessons. I took the lessons and improved slightly. However, I never mastered the technique to breathe correctly. I could swim, but I had to hold my breath. That proved to be my downfall.
On the big day, I had to swim 25 meters, touch the wall, and return 25 meters. So, I took a deep breath and off I went. Somehow, I made it to the wall. I took another deep breath and attempted to make it the remaining distance (knowing, that if I came up short, I would fail gym, and subsequently not graduate).
I almost made it, but ...
As I was still in the deep end, I ran out of air and slowly started to sink to the bottom. If it wasn't for one of the Hertzberger brothers, I would have been remembered as the kid who almost made it. I may have had a plaque put up in my honor. "Here lies Dave, the kid we could not save.".
But, the lifeguard earned his life-saving medal and I am here to blog about it all these years later.
ps: I did pass the class and I graduated from Chartiers Valley (they never had seen anyone hold their breath that long in an attempt to swim 50 meters).
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Rusty's Newest Friend
Over the years, our dog Rusty, has made many friends. There was Annie, Cody, Hershey, and Kiki just to name a few. All of those dogs used to run away from home to our front door so that they could come and play with Rusty in his fenced backyard (and his very own doggy pool). It may also have been to partake in the vast variety of doggie treats that Rusty would enjoy. I think the other dogs saw all of our PetSmart bags and knew that this would be a nice place to visit.
Rusty's latest friend is named Sammy. When the weather is a little cooler, we walk in a field (close to the Snake Field) that borders some houses. Sammy's family lets him run out to the field and play with Rusty. If Sammy doesn't appear right away, Rusty will just sit and stare towards his house. After a few minutes of yanking on Rusty's leash to try and get him moving, he will lay down and not budge. After a few more minutes of explaining to Rusty that Sammy is not home, he will finally walk away.
Our other dog, Bob, is not friends with Sammy. I will write about that in a future blog.
Rusty's latest friend is named Sammy. When the weather is a little cooler, we walk in a field (close to the Snake Field) that borders some houses. Sammy's family lets him run out to the field and play with Rusty. If Sammy doesn't appear right away, Rusty will just sit and stare towards his house. After a few minutes of yanking on Rusty's leash to try and get him moving, he will lay down and not budge. After a few more minutes of explaining to Rusty that Sammy is not home, he will finally walk away.
Our other dog, Bob, is not friends with Sammy. I will write about that in a future blog.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Beginners Luck
My grandfather loved doing crosswords. One time when I was visiting him, he encouraged me to try to create a puzzle for him to do. I was probably about 12 years old. Back then, there were no computers (TV had just been invented, I think).
So, I got some graph paper and proceeded to create a huge crossword that was of course, centered around sports. It took me a few months to create it (it was super-large). I'm not sure how good it was, but my grandfather sure enjoyed it.
That was the start of an on again / off again hobby that I still do to this day. I will have future blogs describing some neat experiences I have had related to crossword puzzles. Right now, I am creating a puzzle for a guy in the recording industry whose clients include Bon Jovi, Kenny Rogers, Reba McIntyre and The Beach Boys. I somehow became one of the most popular 'intenet-based' crossword constructors in the US. Some months, my puzzles had over 250,000 downloads.
A few years ago, I came across a website dedicated to the people who create the puzzles that appear in newspapers and other publications. I read up on the process that desribed how to submit puzzles to newspapers and decided to give it a try.
I had a few that I thought were pretty good, so one evening, I submitted one to Tribune Media Services.
The next morning, I received an email stating that my puzzle was accepted and would be published in newspapers all around the US (it appeared locally in the St. Pete Times).
I thought, wow, I can make some money doing this. I had quite a few that I could submit. So, I started to submit more puzzles only to learn that it is a real competitive market (most puzzles are not accepted). I have had other puzzles published and will soon begin submitting more.
I learned later, how unusual my accomplishment was. Almost noone ever gets published on their first try and the 'editor' who replied the next day has the worst reputation for getting back to people.
All in all, it was a case of beginners luck.
But, it was an accomplishment that my grandfather would have been proud of. Without him, I doubt I would have ever developed this talent.
I do have a website featuring my puzzles: http://www.davescrosswords.com/
So, I got some graph paper and proceeded to create a huge crossword that was of course, centered around sports. It took me a few months to create it (it was super-large). I'm not sure how good it was, but my grandfather sure enjoyed it.
That was the start of an on again / off again hobby that I still do to this day. I will have future blogs describing some neat experiences I have had related to crossword puzzles. Right now, I am creating a puzzle for a guy in the recording industry whose clients include Bon Jovi, Kenny Rogers, Reba McIntyre and The Beach Boys. I somehow became one of the most popular 'intenet-based' crossword constructors in the US. Some months, my puzzles had over 250,000 downloads.
A few years ago, I came across a website dedicated to the people who create the puzzles that appear in newspapers and other publications. I read up on the process that desribed how to submit puzzles to newspapers and decided to give it a try.
I had a few that I thought were pretty good, so one evening, I submitted one to Tribune Media Services.
The next morning, I received an email stating that my puzzle was accepted and would be published in newspapers all around the US (it appeared locally in the St. Pete Times).
I thought, wow, I can make some money doing this. I had quite a few that I could submit. So, I started to submit more puzzles only to learn that it is a real competitive market (most puzzles are not accepted). I have had other puzzles published and will soon begin submitting more.
I learned later, how unusual my accomplishment was. Almost noone ever gets published on their first try and the 'editor' who replied the next day has the worst reputation for getting back to people.
All in all, it was a case of beginners luck.
But, it was an accomplishment that my grandfather would have been proud of. Without him, I doubt I would have ever developed this talent.
I do have a website featuring my puzzles: http://www.davescrosswords.com/
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Amazing Bryce
With the exception of last year, my wife and I have been administrators for a children's discipleship program at our church, called TeamKids. We served in this ministry for approximately 7 years. The program ministed to over 100 children each year and we were blessed to work with over 30 adult volunteers.
TeamKids awards children (grades K thru 5th) with points for accomplishing various bible skills (memorizing scripture, learning the books of the bible, etc). It also includes recreation and a story time. The kids can spend their points at a 'concession' store at various times during the 8 month program.
At the end of the year, the TeamKids are recognized during a Sunday evening service. At one of these recognitions, an amazing event occured.
During the service, selected Teamkids would read a bible verse they had memorized. One little boy (who was in kindergarten), Bryce tried to read his verse, but he got nervous and started to cry. Poor little kid. All the other kids did well.
At the end of the servive, the pastor asked Bryce's parents if he wanted to try again. He came up on stage and the pastor put his arm around him and helped him get started on his verse. What happened next still gives me a thrill.
Bryce had not memorized one verse, but an entire chapter within Psalms. As he repeated verse after verse, I watched the people in the congregation. They were stunned, because they assumed this little boy was just trying to repeat a little verse.
It took Bryce several minutes to repeat all the verses (there had to have been close to 50 verses).
Anyway, when he was finished, he got a standing ovation.
It was an amazing thing to witness. It was also convicting. I need to get back to scripture memorization.
TeamKids awards children (grades K thru 5th) with points for accomplishing various bible skills (memorizing scripture, learning the books of the bible, etc). It also includes recreation and a story time. The kids can spend their points at a 'concession' store at various times during the 8 month program.
At the end of the year, the TeamKids are recognized during a Sunday evening service. At one of these recognitions, an amazing event occured.
During the service, selected Teamkids would read a bible verse they had memorized. One little boy (who was in kindergarten), Bryce tried to read his verse, but he got nervous and started to cry. Poor little kid. All the other kids did well.
At the end of the servive, the pastor asked Bryce's parents if he wanted to try again. He came up on stage and the pastor put his arm around him and helped him get started on his verse. What happened next still gives me a thrill.
Bryce had not memorized one verse, but an entire chapter within Psalms. As he repeated verse after verse, I watched the people in the congregation. They were stunned, because they assumed this little boy was just trying to repeat a little verse.
It took Bryce several minutes to repeat all the verses (there had to have been close to 50 verses).
Anyway, when he was finished, he got a standing ovation.
It was an amazing thing to witness. It was also convicting. I need to get back to scripture memorization.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Snake Field
One of the few places I can take my dogs for a walk is the "Snake Field". It is called that for obvious reasons. I have only seen a few over the years and none have been 'bad snakes'.
Of course, the grass is so high right now, that I could be walking next to them without knowing it.
The field can be seen from I-75 as you drive south (between Bruce B Downs and Fletcher).
The other places I walk the dogs are mostly in woody areas where the mosquitoes are waiting for any dumb person to walk along. Hopefully, they will die off soon.
So, two or three times a day, I load the dogs into the car and drive to the field.
Rusty, the retriever, does not have to be on a leash. He has slowed down enough where I could catch him if he started to run after something. The other dog, Bob, is walked with a leash. This is because, the one time we let him roam, he got a sharp 'burr' on his paw and when he tried to bite it off, it got stuck under his tongue. He needed to have a mini-procedure to have it removed.
The funny thing about the walk is that Rusty will take a few steps into the field and then just roll on his back for about 10 minutes, or just enough time for me to walk Bob down the field and back to Rusty. (Not much excerise for the overweight Rusty).
Rusty has always loved to roll on his back. He seems to be smiling the whole time. He especially loves to find Armadillo 'waste'. He will roll in that until we have to force him away from it. He gets a bath after those adventures.
Of course, the grass is so high right now, that I could be walking next to them without knowing it.
The field can be seen from I-75 as you drive south (between Bruce B Downs and Fletcher).
The other places I walk the dogs are mostly in woody areas where the mosquitoes are waiting for any dumb person to walk along. Hopefully, they will die off soon.
So, two or three times a day, I load the dogs into the car and drive to the field.
Rusty, the retriever, does not have to be on a leash. He has slowed down enough where I could catch him if he started to run after something. The other dog, Bob, is walked with a leash. This is because, the one time we let him roam, he got a sharp 'burr' on his paw and when he tried to bite it off, it got stuck under his tongue. He needed to have a mini-procedure to have it removed.
The funny thing about the walk is that Rusty will take a few steps into the field and then just roll on his back for about 10 minutes, or just enough time for me to walk Bob down the field and back to Rusty. (Not much excerise for the overweight Rusty).
Rusty has always loved to roll on his back. He seems to be smiling the whole time. He especially loves to find Armadillo 'waste'. He will roll in that until we have to force him away from it. He gets a bath after those adventures.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Working from Home
A lot of people would love to work from home. It does have it's benefits. But, having worked from home (for three consecutive years) while I was with Verizon, I prefer going into the office.
Having just worked a 12 hour+ day with my new job, I was reminded that you tend to work a lot more hours at home. When I was with Verizon, I had support duties that were almost around the clock (besides developing new systems). So, it was normal for me to keep the computer on from morning to late at night. The PC almost became physically attached to me.
Also, you lose the human contact when you work from home. My two main companions when I worked from home were Bob and Rusty (the dogs). They loved it. My breaks were centered around their walks, meals, and playtime.
I have been fortunate that I have had great and fun people to work with since I 'retired' from Verizon.
Going into the office is something I look forward to.
Although, having the option to work from home now and then is nice. I may even consider asking if I can do it once a week.
Having just worked a 12 hour+ day with my new job, I was reminded that you tend to work a lot more hours at home. When I was with Verizon, I had support duties that were almost around the clock (besides developing new systems). So, it was normal for me to keep the computer on from morning to late at night. The PC almost became physically attached to me.
Also, you lose the human contact when you work from home. My two main companions when I worked from home were Bob and Rusty (the dogs). They loved it. My breaks were centered around their walks, meals, and playtime.
I have been fortunate that I have had great and fun people to work with since I 'retired' from Verizon.
Going into the office is something I look forward to.
Although, having the option to work from home now and then is nice. I may even consider asking if I can do it once a week.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Triple 20
Over the past few weeks, a few of the guys from work have ventured out on a Friday evening for some golf, pool, and darts. The excursions have been a lot of fun. This past Friday was no exception.
Marbert, Mark, and myself started off at the driving range. Due to extreme heat, we only hit one Pro size bucket of balls (around 50 each).
Marbert had his 'bat club' with him and he did pretty good (especially, near the end of his ball supply).
Mark, on the other hand struggled. He blamed it on his recent cruise where he was not able to find time to practice his swing. He got so desparate that he made a point of saying that he would call my ex-golf-coach, Javier, to make an appointment. I will write a future blog about Javier, but to give you an idea on how bad he is. If Tiger Woods took lessons from him, he would have to give up golf and get a job at Busch Gardens, working with real tigers.
After golf, we went to Peabody's where they have pool tables and dart boards.
Mark and I arrived and had time to play a game while we waited for Marbert. We thought maybe he was intimitated since I had beaten him the last time we played. But, he eventually showed up.
We played some games and I admit Marbert did pretty good. He did lose to Mark during one exciting game. Mark's strategy was to let Marbert make every ball and then scratch on the 8-ball.
After pool (and some wings and fries), we decided to finish the evening with a game of darts.
Due to a mixup with the game instructions, only two players could play (Mark sat out). He may have been trying to call Javier (I'm not sure).
Anyway, Marbert and his 'pitching-arm' dart throw jumped out to a huge lead. He was bragging pretty good. I cut into the lead and was down by 80 when I stepped up to throw my last 3 darts. After the first dart, I was down by 61 and know that I needed the hardest score to get (a TRIPLE-TWENTY). I aimed and somehow scored 60 points. For my last dart, I closed my eyes and let it fly (knowing that only a score of 1 would prevent me from winning).
After the winning toss, I turned around to see Marbert's expression. He was gone. I asked Mark where he went. He said, he ran out just as I was starting my turn. It turns out, he had to make an emergency trip to the bathroom. Something, about a bad omelet he had across the street that morning.
Mark and I waited about 10 minutes before Marbert emerged. It took some convincing from Mark, but Marbert finally accepted his defeat.
I still think he knew he would lose and was in hiding.
Marbert, Mark, and myself started off at the driving range. Due to extreme heat, we only hit one Pro size bucket of balls (around 50 each).
Marbert had his 'bat club' with him and he did pretty good (especially, near the end of his ball supply).
Mark, on the other hand struggled. He blamed it on his recent cruise where he was not able to find time to practice his swing. He got so desparate that he made a point of saying that he would call my ex-golf-coach, Javier, to make an appointment. I will write a future blog about Javier, but to give you an idea on how bad he is. If Tiger Woods took lessons from him, he would have to give up golf and get a job at Busch Gardens, working with real tigers.
After golf, we went to Peabody's where they have pool tables and dart boards.
Mark and I arrived and had time to play a game while we waited for Marbert. We thought maybe he was intimitated since I had beaten him the last time we played. But, he eventually showed up.
We played some games and I admit Marbert did pretty good. He did lose to Mark during one exciting game. Mark's strategy was to let Marbert make every ball and then scratch on the 8-ball.
After pool (and some wings and fries), we decided to finish the evening with a game of darts.
Due to a mixup with the game instructions, only two players could play (Mark sat out). He may have been trying to call Javier (I'm not sure).
Anyway, Marbert and his 'pitching-arm' dart throw jumped out to a huge lead. He was bragging pretty good. I cut into the lead and was down by 80 when I stepped up to throw my last 3 darts. After the first dart, I was down by 61 and know that I needed the hardest score to get (a TRIPLE-TWENTY). I aimed and somehow scored 60 points. For my last dart, I closed my eyes and let it fly (knowing that only a score of 1 would prevent me from winning).
After the winning toss, I turned around to see Marbert's expression. He was gone. I asked Mark where he went. He said, he ran out just as I was starting my turn. It turns out, he had to make an emergency trip to the bathroom. Something, about a bad omelet he had across the street that morning.
Mark and I waited about 10 minutes before Marbert emerged. It took some convincing from Mark, but Marbert finally accepted his defeat.
I still think he knew he would lose and was in hiding.
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