Way Back Machine - Tales Of Crooked Stumps

In the spirit of the holiday season, the way back machine takes us back about ten years to my parent's place. It had always been a tradition in my family that the tree was a real one; fake trees need not apply. Of course, when the purchaser of said tree is the master negotiator (my dad), some of the trees over the years were, let's say, original. My mom would always work her magic, though, in getting the tree up to Christmas standards. Whether it was moving the bald side of the tree to the corner or jimmy-rigging the tree holder to accept the crooked stump where it actually looked straight, she had a gift. That all changed one chilly December evening, however.

In came the tree that the master negotiator had purchased with one of the more impressive stump angles that I had seen in quite some time. Up went the tree and was decorated as impressive as ever. The retired couple went to bed that night only to be awoken in the wee hours of the morning by the sound of ornaments falling as down went the tree! Not to be denied, the negotiator's wife cleaned the damage, got the tree upright and Christmas was on again! It was short lived, however, as the tree took a second fall a little while later. And that, my friends, was the end of real Christmas tree tradition in my family. The next time I was over to the house, it was fake green on!. I wasn't there to see the act but I'll bet my mom threw that crooked tree to the curb with quite a vengeance that winter day.  

Happy Holidays

Trail Head

X-mas Party 2.0

I have to give a shout out to Mike W. for the title of this post. Mike and I were the lame-o's that missed the previous weekend's CMU x-mas gathering. He lives two-plus hours away so his alibi in not making it was a bit stronger than mine. Here nor there, Mike would not be denied of hanging with friends so Friday afternoon/evening was Party 2.0 with five former Merrill Hall residents in attendance at my compound. Mike still had his x-mas gift that didn't get distributed the previous weekend and I had mine so you are looking at the proud recipient of a Mel Weaver CD (good tunes) and two delicious micro beers from the west side of the state. Mike's kids are probably trying to out clap each other with The Clapper as I write this.

Clap on, clap off....
Trail Head

"Bullied" By Your Friends

priceless gift

So there I was yesterday evening, headed west for the annual CMU Christmas gathering. I had my priceless gift to distribute ("The Clapper") and my dish to pass (pistachios); I was ready to go. So out the door I went; slowly I ventured through my neighborhood as my two wheel drive truck with no weight in the back LOVES the snow (insert sarcasm). It took me about 30 minutes to make it to the highway as I had to do the "little engine that could" chant at each one degree incline on Grand River. With that, I made the business decision to head back to home base rather than having to call AAA from a ditch. After getting home, I sent out a text to the homeowner and a couple others that I wouldn't be making it. The replies I received are why I love my friends. One was just plain, "pussy." Not to be outdone, the second reply comes in from another, "need a new truck; pussy." Hilarious.

No, this was not "bullying" as I wouldn't expect any other reply from my friends. I thankfully came from the era where a "bully" was just a bad-ass dude. In my junior high years, I guess you could have classified R. Cooper as a bully. He had an entourage before the word was even used. He never picked on me but he had a presence; until we all outgrew him in high school. Then he was just a short dude.

Sorry I missed the party Chippewa-ers. Maybe we'll see you next week.

Until then, shovel on.

Trail Head 

East Lansing - Parking Ticket Stories

Four Spartan alums returned to the place where the parking ticket police bring in the second highest source of income besides tuition to the university. As we drove through campus looking for a place to tailgate, the way back machine was spinning as we passed the Public Safety building; the place where you paid your parking tickets. Yep, they collected their fare share from me (umm...thanks Mom) as one spring day back in '89, yours truly was walking out of the IM East building, looking for the red VW Rabbit that I used to drive. After 20 minutes or so of walking the lot, I came to the only conclusion possible. Someone had stolen my car! Then again, why would someone want to steal a 10-year-old car with bald tires, wires coming out of the seats and a gas gauge that doesn't work? After reporting this blatant crime to the authorities, it was determined that young Tim had accumulated a few (read: whole lotta) parking tickets in his two year stay in East Lansing. Another valuable lesson learned in the life of the large melon.    

Parking ticket blues aside, it was great to be back in East Lansing. While the students were off on break, that didn't stop the spirit that this group pictured below had going. I'll bet they all have a parking ticket balance with the Public Safety folks as well; one ticket away from the dreaded tow truck. Until then, piggy-back on! 

Trail Head

nice view of Lansing from the stadium

TIMBRRRR!!!!