Can't Take Me Anywhere

Ok, the water gun picture has prompted some more memories of some activities that I at least participated in and on some occasions may have orchestrated. I'll recall as many as I can remember and rely on the rest of you to fill in some other things, to include actions of your own. Some may have been alluded to in your comments already.

Gun Slinging...
Ok, even the new Supreme Court ruling on the Second Amendment doesn't redeem this, but... I think a car full of us may have gone to Johnny' Toys to visit Paul, where he worked putting together and fixing bikes. So either there or perhaps somewhere like Bigg's a few of us purchased some cap guns. I know that we used them in the skits we video taped at Matt F.'s (Matt do you still have copies of any of the videos we made?), but I don't remember if we bought them for the skit or if we used them in the skit because we already had them. Anyway at least a couple of us had Colt 45 revolver cap guns, with the orange plastic tips in place mind you. We then drove around shooting the cap guns at innocent by standers, and at the very least seriously startled a man walking in Matt's neighborhood. We were very lucky not to get caught. (Legal disclaimer: Anything on this blog that could be used in a court of law, should be considered as fictional representations of things that could have really happened, but may not have.)

...and Pebble Flinging
I don't know how many of you were on this scouting trip, but I'll add some lead-in background material to jog some memories. This was the camp at which I did the Wilderness Survival merit badge, where we hiked five mile with our pack, were given a potato and a match, and told to build a lean-to...the camp counselors (later fired) got drunk with their girlfriends under the picnic shelter and we bombarded them with our raw uneaten potatoes. I think it may have been the same camp at which there was a big emergency where a leader and/or scouts broke their legs and had to be air lifted. Then again I could be mixing all my scout camps all together. Anyway, to finally get to the story, this was the first camp which included a Sunday and we went to church services at a big amphitheater. I noticed a scout whose pants buckled out, about three to four rows ahead, which made a good basket for all the pebbles available, given the amphitheater was basically gravel covered steps. I began by skillfully tossing a pebble into the boy's pants and he didn't stir. I thought, "how could he not feel that?" So, I decided to toss another, and another, until I had at least seven pebbles in the boy's pants. He never stirred, but shamefully it was fun all the same.

YSWM
Then there was the time at Matt F.'s that we called the newspaper and listed Jughead in the classified section for people seeking companionship. I can't rememeber the details, but I think there may have been some responses.

Drive to Palmyra
Ok I am not going to post what my signs said, but several of you may remember that on our trip to Palmyra I displayed some less than appropriate signs in the back of Isaac S.'s parents copper colored minivan. Other notable things on that trip were when after 20 minutes of discussing Lake Erie, Jughead said, "Hey, everyone there's Lake Erie." In his defense, he probably had been sleeping. On the drive back, about 11pm Sister S. got too tired and there were no other leaders to drive, so they had me take a turn driving. I was really nervous considering I was tired too and didn't want to cause the untimely deaths of all my friends.

Anyway, these are just a few examples

Graduation Photos

I was happy to have so many friends at my high school graduation. The school tried to make it a distinguished ceremony but that was soon destroyed by the air horn supplied by Nathan. You can even see it in his hand on Dave's left shoulder. My favorite part of this photo is everyone's glasses. Those are classic 90's.

This photo is from Seminary graduation. If I remember correctly the water gun Dave is pointing at the camera was someone's keychain. Do you remember Dave? We have some new faces here that hopefully we all recognize. Dang! My hair looked good.

I have more but I will try to spread the out over time. I may have to run a few past Dave for editorial review also.

Let's get this started...

The classic pick up or drop off for Paul

A Call for Pictures

I won't be able to add any old photos until I make it back to Ohio, so if you have any old pictures that you can scan in to be posted, send them my way. Also feel free to write and post your NUJ period memories here as well. Just send them my way too, or request admin privileges to do it yourself. Anyway, I am very glad that we have been able to reestablish contact with one another, and I hope we can stay in touch for years to come.

It's from England

Fort Knox, Summer 199?

Youth Conference, this unremembered year (probably 1991 or 1992), was held on the military base that is so famous for storing America's gold, which we saw none of. We slept on the bunk beds in the barracks, cooled somewhat from the summer's heat by large industrial fans. We were guarded by leaders, which included "Lumpy," but this didn't stop a handful of hormonal boys from sneaking out to meet up with the young women (oh how blessed I was by shyness.)

Those who stayed behind in the barracks, and some who returned, engaged in some typical practical jokes. I remember shaving cream in Gary N.'s hand, then face as he went to swat away the irritant that tickled his nose. There was shaving cream in Justin O.'s toothpaste, but I believe he could tell something was amiss. Anyway you get the picture. All the while, Lumpy and other leaders struggled to get us to go to sleep.

Reuben F. complied, which brought added entertainment as he was prone to talking and walking in his sleep. We witnessed him spinning around on his bed on all fours, saying "I can see you, I can see you!" He then stopped spinning and took two fingers and slapped his wrist as if he were pointing out an imaginary watch, exclaiming "It's from England! It's from England!"