Time Travel

March 10, 2024: I've done it! My experiment in Time Travel has proven successful. Unbeknownst to hundreds of millions of people who were fast asleep, I managed to push time forward in most of the United States by 60 minutes. This will no doubt cause mass confusion and likely a decline in Sunday morning Church attendance. I must now somehow find a way to reverse this forward time travel. If my calculations are correct, it will take months before I'm able to harness the curvature of time. Hopefully I'll be able to return to absolute time in the fall. --- Professor Spiff Carner (No relation to Spaceman Spiff)

 

The Road Not Taken

"I shall be telling this with a sigh ... Somewhere ages and ages hence ... Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, ... I took the one less traveled by, ... And that has made all the difference."

The Road Not Taken --- Robert Frost

(Marietta Square)

Those Were The Days

21 years ago yesterday (1/31/2003) Cox Radio pulled the plug on Fox 97. Gads! 21 years ago? Seriously? Seems like just yesterday, or the day before yesterday at the most. A little less than nine years later in October 2011, "The Randy & Spiff" show was taken off life support ending our incredibly fun (thanks to all of you) run on the airwaves of Atlanta. 

Cue Mary Hopkin! 

♫Once upon a time there was a station 

Where we used to spin a disc or two 

Remember how we laughed away the hours 

Good Times and Great Oldies we would do. 

Those were the days my friend 

We thought they'd never end 

We’d play the songs we loved in our heyday 

We'd live the life we choose 

We'd fight and never lose 

For we were young and sure to have our way. 

Then the busy years went rushing by us 

Fox 97 died along the way 

If by chance you see me in the Walmart 

We'll smile at one another and we'll say 

Those were the days my friend 

We thought they'd never end 

We’d play the songs we loved in our heyday 

 We'd live the life we choose 

We'd fight and never lose 

For we were young and sure to have our way. 

La la la la...Those were the days, oh yes those were the days♫

Sugar High?

Well, I've gone and done it again. Janet has banned me from the kitchen for the next week because I snorted the powder sugar she was planning to use on our apple turnovers. The shame is real.

Hanger History

As I grabbed my winter coat from our closet today, I noticed this old hanger that I had gotten from my folks. Of course, I had to Google “The Elms” to see where this hanger came from. Turns out that the story of The Elms began with the discovery of healing mineral waters in Excelsior Springs, Missouri in the late 1800s. 

In the 1930s, The Elms Hotel was a playground and health spa for the well-to-do. Management brought in prominent citizens from all walks of life as well as both sides of the law. Politicians, sports stars, and crime figures created a heady combination of hotel guests. Al Capone, “Pretty Boy” Floyd, and Bugsy Moran reportedly hosted illegal gambling and bathtub gin parties. Police tried to raid The Elms during Prohibition on several occasions. During one memorable attempt, the police busted in on a cocktail party that included the Governor of Missouri. The Governor memorably told the cops to go out and bust someone who was “really breaking the law.” Jack Dempsey and the New York Giants visited and trained there. In 1948, 

The Elms hosted its most famous guest. Harry S Truman checked into The Elms in secrecy on November 2, 1948, accompanied by six secret service agents. The President wanted to enjoy the quiet graciousness of the hotel and escape the stress of the Democratic campaign headquarters in Kansas City on Election Day. 

One old hanger, one interesting trip down the Google rabbit hole.

Glasses Tree

I had to start wearing glasses my freshman year of high school. Being an active kid, I often found myself bending the frames, scratching the lenses, or simply destroying pair after pair. Every time I had a glasses mishap and needed to get them replaced, my mom would say to me, through clenched teeth … “You know, glasses don’t grow on trees!” So, imagine my surprise, when hiking a Kennesaw Mountain trail today, when I stumbled upon … a Glasses Tree. There it was, plain as day … not three feet off the path. Perhaps, when I was a kid, there were not any Glasses Trees. That could be the only explanation. 

Farewell

One of our favorite restaurants is closing it's doors on January 15th. Although I'm very sad to hear this news, the memories of the fun and happy times we spent there will always bring a smile to my face. Not only was it a hangout for Janet, me and the girls ... it also was a gathering place for the Fox 97 gang. I think Christos fb message today says it all. Farewell Kouzina Christos. 

"For over 45 incredible years, Christos has been more than a restaurant; it’s been a heartbeat in the community, a place where memories bloom and friendships flourish. As January 15, 2024, approaches, marking the end of an era for our beloved Christos, we are reaching out with warm hearts and open arms. Our journey, like our dishes, has been rich and full of flavor – seasoned with laughter, resilience, and triumphs. Founders John and Maria, alongside Sandy and the rest of our family, have been privileged to be part of your lives, through every celebration and moment of connection. Before we take our final bow, we ask you to join us once more. Let’s fill our dining room with the sound of clinking glasses, the aroma of favorite meals, and the warmth of shared stories. Come, be part of the grand finale of a place that's touched lives and fostered a spirit of togetherness. Here’s to the traditions, the bonds, and the simple joy of a meal shared. Christos is not just saying farewell; we're commemorating the indelible mark we've made in each other's lives. Let's make these last days glow with the essence of what we've built together. Toast with us. Dine with us. Share your stories with us. It’s not just a goodbye, it’s a tribute to the legacy we've all created."

Me & My Shadow

 

I Can't Tell You

 

Once upon a time, a young man in Illinois won the lottery.  The Vietnam Draft Lottery.  Number 31 to be exact.  Luckily for this fella, he excelled in science and mathematics while in high school and maxed out on the written tests given him at the induction center.  He tested so well that the United States Air Force offered him a job as a “Radio Communications Analyst Specialist.”  When he inquired about what that job entailed, his Sergeant just said, “I have no idea.  It is top secret.”  And so, off our youthful Airman went on his “Top Secret” adventure.  First, he spent a year on a tiny 2-mile by 4-mile piece of rock, nestled between the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, in the Aleutian Islands … Shemya, Alaska.  This tiny speck of tundra was 15-hundred miles from Anchorage and 200 miles from Russia.  Wonder what he did there?  Can’t tell you.  It’s top secret. Then it was on to Iraklion Air Station on Crete, Greece for the next 18 months.  An Air Force station so small, it didn’t even have a runway.  Besides enjoying the beauty of Greece and the Mediterranean, wonder what he did there?  Can’t tell you. It’s top secret.  And finally, on Independence Day in 1974 our Air Force Sergeant (how he was promoted, we will never know) was discharged from the military.  When he asked the Captain during his exit interview what he should tell future employers about his Air Force job, the Captain replied, “tell them you were a clerk typist.”  So, that’s the story the young man was told to tell by his superiors, and he is sticking to it.  Oh yeah, one more thing.  The Captain at the exit interview must have known something, because a month or two after leaving the Air Force, the then college student was notified by the NSA and CIA that he should apply for a job with them.  Who knew that there would be a shortage of “clerk typist” at that time?  Apparently, that Captain did.  However, the college freshman passed on the generous offers from the NSA and CIA and proceeded to graduate with a BS degree.  And he lived happily ever after BS-ing his way to limited fame and even more limited fortune.

Spiff Carner

Sergeant

USAF February 1971 – July 1974 

♫ And I only have eyes for you ♫

This is one of Janet's best friends. It lives in the fern plants outside our front door. Janet babies those ferns. Then one day, when this little frog hopped out of the plants, Janet gently scooped it up and put it back in the pot. The next day while "misting" the ferns, Janet gave the little frog a quick shower, which it seemed to really enjoy. Janet also drops a couple mealworms in the frog's vicinity every now or then. Janet has determined there are three or four little frogs living in or near the ferns. It seems that they adore Janet and anticipate her arrival. But then, so do I.

The Hair of the Dog

In an effort to clear our yard of Corgi hair, we've hired a *House Sparrow to remove all hair from our yard and deposit it down the street in a neighbor's grass.  

*No relation to Captain Jack Sparrow

Free Bird

Every year the Osprey return to Allatoona Pass Battlefield Park. And every year I am just as fascinated watching them raise a family. Here are a few interesting Osprey facts: 

1) They occupy every continent except Antarctica. 

2) Only the osprey and owl have special opposable outer toes, allowing them to grasp slippery fish with two toes in front and two behind. 

3) They’re so well adapted to hunting in water that they have a transparent membrane they can pull over their eyes so they can see underwater. 

4) Fish makes up 99% of their diet. 

5) During their lifetime, they can rack up over 160,000 miles of travel. 

Is Heaven a one-way street?

So, is the path to Heaven a one-way street? It appears so to me after I spotted Marietta First Baptist Church ... on Church Street ... which just happens to be one-way only. I lucked out (or perhaps was blessed) with the lighting and wispy clouds. The church property covers an entire block, so the back side of the building is also on a one-way street, which oddly enough is going in the opposite direction. So, I've answered my own question ... apparently there is more than just one path to Heaven.

♫ I see the bad moon a-risin' ♫

 

Jurassic Dark

See what I did there with the title? Jurassic DARK … as in Low Key. Get it? Okay, so I’m the only one chuckling. It’s not the first time and most likely will not be the last time that I’m the only one laughing to myself. Anyway, the title may be the best part of this week’s "Low Key" challenge for me. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the lighting and detail on my dinosaur looking lizard buddy, but … the title just slays me. I mean, come on … Jurassic DARK!!! Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

 

Grocery Shopping for the Kids

 

The September of My Years

So, I think to myself, “Details is the challenge this week, so I’ll just grab my ol’ macro lens and shoot me some flowers.” Which I did. Then, at a local festival on Friday, I noticed this interesting looking older gentleman. I say older because he looked about my age. The beard, the weathered face. I can relate. The details of his life are unknown to me, but his life experiences are vividly displayed on his face. My mind wanders about how fast life is flying by. 

♫ One day you turn around, and it's summer ... Next day you turn around, and it's fall ... And the springs and the winters of a lifetime ... Whatever happened to them all ♫ -- "The September of My Years" - Frank Sinatra

Ut-oh!

That moment you realize that eating at Taco Bell before a long hike in the woods was probably a really, really bad idea.

Hibiscus Stigma

After a quick sun shower early this morning, I swear I heard the hibiscus say to me ... "Mr. DeSpiff, I'm ready for my close-up."