How can you get through life and not know “things” that are all around you? I run across people all the time who don’t have a clue and don’t desire any clues. I guess I have always been interested in knowing about most things I see, leaving out those that are just too stupid to give any time to. I realize this can border on obsession but I feel I really need to know that zebras are really white stripes on black not black on white.

I guess my goal has been to know a lot about some things and a little about a lot of things.

And that’s all I know about that!

It’s been 36 years now since Chuck, Albert and I decided to go to Watkins Glen for the rock festival that was billed as “Summer Jam” in 1973. The promoters had expected 100,000 people at the most, but as the week drew down it was obvious that something was happening and we just “had to be there”. Chuck had been to Woodstock, and I was fascinated with his experience there, so there was no way I was going to miss this! By the time the actual concert started on Saturday, there were 600,000 rock & roll fans there, a record for attendance at a single event.

We got there on Friday and got closer with the car than I expected we would. Roads were clogged and in some cases blocked. There were cars parked alongside the road up to 30 miles away. We ditched the car somewhere near the raceway, I remember thinking “I have to remember where the car is”, and walked in. The fences were down and everyone was getting in for free by that time. State cops were around, but being friendly and there was no trouble. We worked our way to a place that was actually pretty good, relatively close to the stage, on a slight slope and planted ourselves. Except for a few trips to find water, we pretty much stayed there. A trip to the line of 1000 porta potties could take you an hour or two. I had packed in my backpack a blanket, space blanket and a jug of wine. I guess that’s all I needed, what more could you want? That night when it rained, I just covered up with the space blanket.

As a music event, it wasn’t all that memorable. The experience was the thing for me. The Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, and The Band were all great bands, but being a part of what to me was an important event in my life was better than the music. The sound check on Friday night turned into a 5 hour long concert in itself with all three bands playing. It was a less politically charged and more laid back party atmosphere than other previous events. The war had ended, Watergate was in full swing, we just wanted to have fun and party and listen to music. It was the last of the rock festivals of it’s kind. The only regret I have is that we left early, I guess we wanted to beat the crowds getting out, I don’t remember.


Not conclusive proof that I was there, but it sure looks a lot like me at that time.

The time has come! My old friend, my first Mac, is going to the recycling bin at last. The IIci was, in it’s time, the fastest Mac in the lineup. But old age and the learing insult of having been on a storage shelf for many years has taken the life out of it.

We Mac users have a habit of holding on to our machines like you hold on to those things from your childhood that you will never play with again, but just can’t seem to let go of. Look at them on the shelf and say, “remember when?” We also give our computers names, as if they were real. We’re a little nuts, but happy about it.

So, farewell, rest in peace, or pieces as it were, return again as a plastic bag or metal part and just “remember”.

Tonight we hosted the Chi Rho Conference Choir at church for a concert. There is not much that can beat 35 United Methodist Pastors singing from the heart. I've seen them sing many times and this was no disappointment. Our church has great acoustics for large group singing, mics were used for the soloists but none were needed for the whole choir.

It put me in mind of the funeral of former District Superintendent Vic Meredith. The sanctuary was filled, mostly Pastors who knew and loved him. The singing that day was so inspiring, filling the space. That time and once while singing at the 2004 Annual Conference were times that I physically felt the presence of the Holy Spirit, WOW!

Music, song, inspiring lyrics. All in all a great night!

I just finished a small book loaned to me by our Pastor, "Dinner With A Perfect Stranger" by David Gregory. It's premise is a businessman who receives an invitation to dinner from "Jesus". He is skeptical and believes it is a prank from his co-workers, but goes anyway. The rest is the conversations they have and his slow realization that this man really is Jesus. He has a lot of questions to answer, doubts to address, and Jesus brings him along toward making decisions about his work and home life.

So, the question is placed in the reader's heart, What would we do if we had an intimate "real life" conversation with Jesus? I'm sure we all would have questions and concerns enough to fill all the time we had.

I've given myself a project for this year. This is a photo of my house probably around 1840-50???, not really sure when it was taken. Sam Evans was the brother of my Great Great Grandmother, Dianna. In the picture is his sister, Aunt Betsey (Elizabeth). I don't know if they built the house or purchased it, it looks well "used" so I think he must have purchased it. Sam immigrated to this country in 1830.

So, my task is to restore this photo. It's going to take quite a while and it will be interesting to see what it will look like.
I'll post updates once in a while to show the progress.

First cousin, second cousin, twice removed? What's it all mean, Grandpa?
Sometimes if it gets too far down the family tree it becomes way too complicated. Genealogy.com has a good article here that explains some of it and has a chart to figure some of your relationships. Basically, my first cousin's kids are second cousins to my kids, and are first cousins once removed from me. OK, I guess it would be easier to just claim us all as "cousins".

Take a look at these two, isn't it great how much they look alike?
Lindsay (Mom) and Bridgett (daughter)



Genes, Maybe??

Last night after the Super Bowl (Yay Steelers!) I didn't feel like going to bed yet, so I switched through channels, and found a great surprise. On PBS, the Austin City Limits program had Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova in concert. They are touring as "The Swell Season" and have become some of my favorite singers. The movie "Once" that they starred in was the first time I had heard them and the music is really moving to me. You can hear selections on the band website or their mySpace page.

Sorry, gotta go watch the movie again!