Random Thoughts on Friday

 My best pal Jimmy is a pretty smart guy, who has worked his way up from literally nothing.  He has his own company.  He is solid.

Well, he told me a story about when he was a teenager, and his getting involved with a mall modeling agency.

It's something he is embarrassed about now, and I am sure that, as an adult, he wouldn't fall for the scheme again.  In all honesty, it was his mom who fell for it.

I don't recall anything like this in the mall I grew up in, but I have seen retro 80s TV shows making fun of the whole thing.  Some sales guy at a mall convinced Jimmy's mom that Jimmy had "It" and could be a model.

He even jokes now about how they would go on and on about how he had the look, and the attitude.  Jimmy's mom paid a lot of money, to this company, for pictures and for him to be at model events.

Even though I don't remember any businesses like this when I was a kid- I can say that I once worked next to a similar modeling agency.

My company at the time and the modeling agency were in a very run-down old building.  I'll just say that mostly shady businesses were run out of the place.  That didn't keep the parents from bringing their perfect, model quality children into the building for the modeling business.

It was mostly moms and their kids too.  The moms were the ones I noticed mostly walking out with their attitude, and their noses in the air.  Moms love to hear how great and perfect their kids are.  Moms will pay lots of money to a modeling business that goes on an don about how perfect their little kid is.

At this dilapidated building, there was a bin under a stairwell in a rarely used area.  It was off to the side, where the offices were vacant...  Only a few people who worked in the building ever used these stairs.

The bin was huge.  I'm not sure why it was there, but a couple of businesses, including the modeling agency, started to put their trash in the bin, instaed of taking it to the outside dumpsters.

Well, one day we noticed that the modeling agency had put a ton of "publicity photos" in the bin.  When I say a ton, I mean that somewhat literally.  There were thousands of these photos, I am sure weighing in at close to a thousand pounds.  I assume these were unpurchased pictures that they tried to sell to those moms with perfect children.

We looked at the pics....  I don't recall any standing out.

My friend Jimmy, by the way, said that he threw away all of those photos his mom bought years ago.

Gibbon Falls, Yellowstone National Park

"Gibbon Falls, 84 feet high, Gibbon Canyon, Yellowstone Park, is one of the principal attractions between Norris Geyser Basin and Madison Junction on the Grand Loop Road of the Park.  It was named for General John Gibbon, who explored the canyon in the early days.

Random Thoughts on Friday: Nostalgic Restaurants

 A long time ago....  Heck, in the 90s, I spent a bit of time in Nebraska.  I spent a cold January there.

It's a long story, for another day- I have talked some about it here, but it was actually a pleasant time in my life, though I was very isolated.

I did not have a car, and I did a lot of walking.  It was nice (though again, Nebraska in January=cold).  A couple of nights I walked to a restaurant by myself and enjoyed some meals there.

The restaurant....  doesn't matter.  It was a fast-food place.

But the whole experience and time there was very sweet to me, and it was a major moment in my life.  When I came back to Kentucky things changed, in a good way.  Spending time away was good for me, and I would start dating my future wife right when I came back home.

The trip, and the time away was a significant moment in my life.

And there are days that I think about hanging out at that restaurant.  Some days I look it up on googlemaps and think about how lucky the people are that get to go there and work there.  I am kind of jealous of them.

I feel a bit of an attachment to this odd little restaurant, in smalltown Nebraska.

Arial View Of Niagara Falls Old Postcards

 This colorful Niagara Falls postcard shows the falls from a generally unique angle.  It went through the mail to a friend in Pennsylvania in 1957.

Random Thoughts on Friday: Covid masks

 I was going through a drawer the other day, doing some downsizing.  I came across some covid masks that we had.

My mother-in-law made a ton of them- for us, for friends.  A half dozen would have been plenty, but she probably made 50 or more for everyone she knew.

We had a few masks that we picked up in our travels.  There was a cool free one that was given away at a Tennessee visitor center.  I remember they were giving everyone a bag with some travel brochures, a mask (with the 3 starred flag on it) and some hand sanitizer.  I also had a Similar one from Indiana that I can't recall how I acquired.  There were a couple of others too.

I feel bad about throwing them out, because, again, my mother-in-law made them.....  but I am so gla we are done with all of that.

Virginia Military Institute, West Point of the South, Lexington Virginia Old Postcards

   This beautiful, though slightly bent postcard shows the Virginia Military Institue in Lexington Virginia- forever linked to Stonewall Jackson.

This postcard was sent in 1944.

High Level Bridge Across Maumee River, Toledo Ohio Old Postcard

 I love the colors on this great old linen postcard showing "High Level Bridge Across Maumee River, Toledo Ohio".

It is unused and undated. 

Through the Gorge by Trolley, Niagara Falls, NY

Someone sent this card to a friend in New Jersey, boasting that they were on the way to the fair.  It was sent in 1904 from Niagara Falls.

Wrigley Field - Chicago 1940

This postcard went through the mail in January of 1940.  The sender was in Chicago and tells their friend that the temps are negative 14!

Random Thoughts on Friday

 I have been watching the great youtube channel, "FatalBreakdown" lately.  Check it out when you have a moment.  They do very well-done video reconstructions of situations where people get trapped in caves.

The stories involve a lot of getting trapped in tight spaces, water, not being prepared for an adventure in a wild cave, etc.

I do love caves.  You know, mostly the well-developed, tourist type stops with a ticket office and gift shop.

Being trapped in a tight squeeze passage is a legitimate fear.  

I watched a video of four young people swimming through a wild underwater cave.  It involved swimming through a small passage to get to a cave.  All four ended up drowning.

I mentioned Floyd Collins in my book, and if you are not aware of the strange story of Floyd, look it up.  He was searching for a cave to develop and hopefully make money on- opening it up for tourists.  Different sources have different measurements, but he was at least 60 feet underground, and probably 150 feet plus from the opening.

Floyd got trapped and died a slow death underground.  When I tell people about Floyd I stress that, he wasn't in a nice, spacious cave that most of us think of (again, ticket booth and gift shop).  He was pretty much crawling and wiggling through a hole underground.

Getting trapped like that, to me, is the ultimate stuff of nightmares.

James Merle Wilson

 

My father passed away several years ago now.  He was a Vietnam veteran and made it out alive. We enjoyed a lot of time together, and I am grateful for that.   

When I go back to the area where I grew up, I always visit the grave of his friend, James Merle Wilson who was killed in action in 1967.  His lifetime and mine did not intersect directly.

I did know his mom who passed away many years ago.

He is buried in Mt. Zion Cemetery in Owensboro Kentucky (the Windy Hollow area).

I would love to hear from anyone with a connection to him.

Old West Point New York Postcards

I found these postcards recently, showing cadets at West Point.  They are blank, and undated on the back.

 

Random Thoughts on Friday

 I was on a road trip recently....  It was a nice one, in a very rural area.

I stopped at a business.  It was a small shop, mostly catering to tourists, selling souvenirs.  

Two very kind young ladies were working there.  

There was a local (I assume) older fellow that was there too.  He wasn't shopping.  He really wasn't doing anything.  

He wouldn't stop talking though.  I had a bit of a hard time asking about items for sale, and even when I paid for my purchases, the guy was going on and on.

He was dropping names left and right.  Apparently, he knew some local celebrities at some point and claimed to have some notoriety himself.  

I felt bad for the two young girls.  They really couldn't do much.  They were the old guys captive, reluctant audience.  Also, I think most of us have had friends with some claim to fame.  Most people I know in that position don't go around telling everyone about it.

I usually enjoy chatting with locals here and there when we travel, but you get the occasional person eager to impress anyone who will listen with their inflated stories.  

We tried to politely remove ourselves from the man's monologue.

1970s Matchbook Cover, New York City

 Here is a nice matchbook cover showing NYC from the 1970s!

Mayville Village Park, Mayville, NY Old Postcard

 This old linen postcard shows Mayville New York.  It is unused and undated.  I am guessing it is from the 50s.

Random Thoughts on Friday: Bank Robbery in Berea

 Yesterday, there was a bank robbery in Berea Kentucky.  I have had a lot to say about the great small town, and the college, half an hour south of Lexington.  I spent several years of my life there.  I still go there frequently- in fact, I was there just a couple of weeks ago having a beverage at Just Love Coffee which is a few steps from the bank that was robbed.

AND, two people were murdered during the robbery.

I was glad to hear that a man is in custody, but what an absolute tragedy for Berea and those two families.

"Extreme Expeditions 3: Bigfoot Versus Yeti" by Adam Davies

On our recent trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, we stopped by "Bigfoot in the Smokies" in Townsend.  The shop is a cool gift shop devoted to all things bigfoot.

The place is cool, and I found several things there that I had to have.  

One thing I noticed was a section of Adam Davies books, signed by the author.

Well, I realized that Adam Davies was actually there at the shop running the place!

Mr. Davies is a well-known researcher in the cryptid world.  He is all over the place.  In fact, we had just been watching a Josh Gates show featuring Adam!

He was very friendly, and he told us he is at the shop frequently, but not every day.  

So, I picked up the book "Extreme Expeditions 3:  Bigfoot Versus Yeti".  The volume is an interesting read, and each chapter kind of covers a specific investigation that Davies participated in (I picked volume 3 up because it includes his adventure with Josh Gates).

The book is perfect.  It is interesting and honest.  The author will let you know that, on many investigations, nothing happened.

BUT, that's not always the case, and he does have some interesting encounters.

 

Random Thoughts on Friday: Alice

 I have mentioned here before that I love old TV shows that I remember from my younger days that give me that warm, fuzzy nostalgic feeling.  My two all-time favorites are Newhart from the 80s and Northern Exposure.

I would often watch those shows on a small black and white TV in my parents' kitchen.  I would  see them, in reruns, after getting home from work late at night.  I loved the fact that they both happened in places a bit foreign to me at the time.  Newhart was in Vermont, and Northern Exposure was in Alaska.

Another TV show that I enjoyed was Alice.  I remember watching Alice when I was a REALLY little kid.  It is one of those shows that just was always there, my parents must have liked it a lot.  Like my two favorite shows, it also took place somewhere exotic that I have now come to love- Phoenix Arizona.

There was something sweet and dreamy about all of the shows, and their characters relationships to the places.  All involved an outsider moving to a new place.  Newhart moved to Vermont to run a B&B.  NE featured a New York doctor moving to a small cold Alaskan town to treat people.  Alice's car broke down in Phoenix, causing her to quickly have to set up her life in a new location.

I grew up in the 80s, and the thought that your car could break down causing a massive life change, and move, does seem logical to me, from a 40 years ago mentality.  Cell phones, the internet, and general instant help wasn't what it is now.  There was a time not too long ago that a car break down literally could cause a person to relocate.

It might be hard for audiences to "get" Alice now.  I don't think I would tell my friends kids, "how watch this, you'll love it".  It doesn't translate to "now."  I enjoyed it, but it wasn't what I remembered.  The jokes, the punchlines are very dated.  But I enjoyed it, because I watched it as a kid.

Panoramic View of Niagara Falls Old Postcard

 This wonderful postcard of Niagara Falls is unused and undated.  I am guessing that it is, or is close to, a century old.

Random Thoughts on Friday

 We took a little road trip recently, as we often do...  And I realized at several moments, someone gave me something just to be nice.  It really made me feel special, and made me appreciate people, and the world a bit more again.

On our trip, we stopped by a museum.  It was a nice visit, and I talked to a nice lady there a bit about the museum and our travels.  I bought a couple of books, and I noticed she put a really nice museum pin in my bag too!  I love that sort of thing!

We stopped at a great BBQ restaurant and ordered a couple of meals.  A nice young lady working there was pleasant, and told us all about the meats, sides etc.  I asked about a couple of sides I wasn't familiar with and she answered our questions.  When we got our food, I realized that she included several sides I had asked about for free.  Maybe they made a lot, and she knew they wouldn't sell all of it, but I sure thought the gesture of the free sides was very kind.

Then, when we got home, I received a package from legendary Vermont author Joseph Citro.  I have mentioned Joe on this blog before, but if you enjoy ghost stories and folklore, especially relating to New England, Joe is the guy.  A couple of his books are absolute classics.  Anyway, I have ordered books directly from him before, and I ordered one from him again before leaving on our trip.  When I got home, I had a package from him with the book I ordered, AND a bonus book, just because Joe is a nice guy.

It was just a nice feeling experiencing such generosity.

Gothic and Strange True Tales of the Civil War by Keven McQueen

 I have read a LOT of books on the Civil War.  I do enjoy picking up a book or two about a particular battle before visiting a battlefield.  I've read a lot of biographies too, and other books.

Honestly, it does get hard at times, finding something that is interesting and original.  Seriously, what more can be written about it?

Well, Keven McQueen has put out a great book- "Gothic and Strange True Tales of the Civil War."

McQueen puts books out a LOT.  His releases are more frequent than some magazines (I have thought about asking him if I can subscribe to his books).  

His books are mostly collections of short stories relating to a topic; true crime being a specialty.

This one is an impressive collection of strange, dark, and just fascinating stories from the Civil War.

He does cover a few handfuls of stories we all know, but, for the most part, the collection is very obscure.  You will find a nice selection of stories relating to death, burial, amputation and all of the other dark subjects.  

I was most impressed with his exceptionally big (and well sourced) section on Confederate soldiers who were black.  The topic is controversial, but he digs up some interesting, and often ignored accounts.

This is easily one of my favorite Civil War books to have come out in some time.

Matchbook Covers from Niagara Falls, 1970s.

 I found a nice set of Niagara Falls Matchbook Covers from the 1970s!  One of my favorite places around!

1970s Matchbook from the Skyon Tower, Niagara Falls Ontario

Here is a nice, simple matchbook cover showing Canada's Skylon Tower from the 1970s, located at Niagara Falls!  We've been there!

Random Thoughts on Friday: Rereading a book from my youth

I briefly brought this up the other day.  Back during my elementary school years, I remember my teacher, Mr. Tanner giving everyone in the class a book.  I remember thinking that was such a kind gesture.  He didn't have to do that.  A book was perfect though.

That was years (oh heck, multiple decades) ago.  I remembered reading the book, and a couple of small details, but I could never really remember the book.

I had tried to google the book before, with the detail or two I sort of remembered, but I could never get it.

I am not a fan of AI, BUT, AI WAS very helpful figuring this one out, and for that I am grateful.

Anyway, I tracked down a (signed!) copy of William Sleator's "Into the Dream" which I had not read in a very long time.  I did this some years ago with another book I read as a kid, "The Indian in the Cupboard" AND I found and read all of the sequels to that one too.

Characters and scenes I had forgotten came back into my mind.  It is still a good book that holds up!

Reading it again was a nice link back to my old (now gone) school and my childhood.

 

Portland Head Light by Night, Portland Maine

 I have been there many times myself.... I found this old postcard of the "Portland Head Light by Night, Casco Bay, Portland, Maine" and I think it is just perfect.  The postcard is unused and undated.