Category Archives: Friends

If bitten by a dog, stand perfectly still

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I emailed a story about how to avoid getting bitten by a dog to my blogging vet pal, Dr. T. Everett Mobley, thinking it might be fodder for his blog (it wasn’t). Here is a portion of his reply:

“I have had a few very severe wounds, as well as many minor ones. Fortunately, most dogs in my situation simply want me to go away, so they bite and let go (pretty soon, anyway). The part about not jerking back is absolutely true. However, one’s first experience probably won’t allow you to avoid that reflex. Unfortunately, I am now able to stand still (while yelling at the top of my lungs) until the dog lets go. The crushing is much more painful and damaging than the punctures. Adding a tearing component is certainly undesirable. Afterwards, I sometimes have to lie down before I fall down.”

Local artists exhibit new works

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Lichen

For some really amazing photographs, stop by the Rozier Gallery here in Jefferson City for a tandem show by Dr. Henry Domke and his good friend Vaughn Wascovich, a Professor of Photography at the University of Missouri. The opening is January 6 but their work will be exhibited through February 24. Henry has captured some beautiful images of lichen, while Wascovich “celebrates the power of photography and the land in our backyards.”

The Rozier Gallery (map) is located in the Union Hotel at 101 Jefferson Street. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Christmas in Kennett

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Barb and her brothers and sisters grew up attending the First Presbyterian Church in Kennett. When she and I started dating (1972) I attended a few services with her. The Big Event is the Christmas Eve service. Dr. Everett Mobley (Your Pet’s Best Friend) blogs this update:

Seated in the choir, we noticed what appeared to be an outlaw biker in the back of the balcony. It proved to be Trent Tomlinson, seated in an unobtrusive spot, but wearing black leather and a do-rag on his head. My guess is that this is an image thing, just like never seeing Roy Rogers without a cowboy hat, or the Lone Ranger without his mask and silver bullets.

Since Sheryl Crow and Lance Armstrong split, Sheryl is back in Kennett for Christmas. She helped anchor the soprano section with her sister and her mother. Despite being a glamorous rock star, she pulled out the reading glasses to see the music. One of the middle-aged (my age) ladies in the choir commented that it showed Sheryl was just like the rest of us. What she was really thinking (as she looked out over her own bifocals) was, “I look like a rock-star.” Maybe she does. I look more like Barney Fife, myself.

It remains one of Kennett’s endearing charms that such well-known musicians can sing in the church choir (or sit in the balcony) and not be bothered.

Favorite blogs and podcasts

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Henry wants to know my ten favorite podcasts and blogs. I read a lot more than 10 blogs a day, but if I had to pick 10, they would be:

Scripting News, Boing Boing, Dilbert Blog, Doc Searls, Jeff Jarvis, Mark Ramsey, Micro Persuasion, Podcasting News, Seth Godin, and GrowLearfield.com + all of the Learfield blogs. Links to the right.

As for podcasts, I don’t think I listen to 10 on a regular basis, only because I don’t have time. I sample others from time to time bu the ones I listen to regularly are:

MacCast, Keith and the Girl, Podcast 411, This Week in Tech, Diggnation, NPR Technology, This American Life, Cutting Edge (Business Week).

All are weekly except Keith and the Girl which is daily. Usually an hour.

John Mayer on Sheryl Crow

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John Mayer and Sheryl CrowSheryl Crow and John Mayer recently toured together and during the next-to-last date, John Mayer come onstage during SC’s set, dressed as a bear. The following night, Ms. Crow interrupted his set, wearing a bikini and waving around a baton (I’m pretty sure she was a twirler in high school). Based on this post from Mr. Mayer’s blog (10/12/06), they had a good time:

“Sheryl – I hope you realize, even if for a fleeting moment just once a day, that everything you’ve ever hoped you would be, you are. I’ve never heard you sing a sour note, your record collection could freeze a Lower East Side hipster dead in his tracks and you have one of the hardest to find traits in a musician; you believe that nice isn’t the opposite of bad-ass. Add to that the great people you surround yourself with, and it’s no wonder I walk away from every conversation with you feeling like I expend twice the energy but say half as much as you do.”

Ms. Crow looks pretty good (for any age). There’s no permalink to the specific post on the Mayer blog.

Mike Neely: 1948-2006

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Mike Neely died last week. I’m not sure about the date or just how he died. I’m told his health had not been good in recent years. I spoke with his mother, Myra, tonight and she said Mike and his family had visited in September. His death was “not real” to her yet.

Mike NeelyMike lived next door and we were best buds all through grade school. His family moved to California about the time we were starting high school. I think he did a couple of years of junior college before enlisting in the air force and serving in Thailand. After his discharge he moved back to Kennett and attended college at Arkansas State where he got an accounting degree. He went to work for some big accounting firm (Frost?) and they sent him to St. Thomas, VI. He and Jeanine have been there ever since.

Many of my best childhood memories include Mike. He was something of a golden boy. Great at all sports. Popular. He was a good kid. (He’s on the left in the photo above)

Mike and I could always make each other laugh. I’m talking about hysterical, gasping, tears-streaming-down-your-cheeks, can’t-get-your-breath laughter that literally leaves you rolling on the floor.

We didn’t keep in touch in recent years, as is often the case with childhood friends. I regret that. I might never laugh that hard again.

Mike and his wife, Jeanine, have two sons, Luke and Jake.

Jeff McVey studies Kung Fu in China

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Jeff McVeyBack in May, I posted on Jeff McVey and his wife (Deborah) who I live in a martial arts academy in a small village in the mountains outside of Yantai, China… studying Kung Fu from the Shaolin Monks who teach there. (I shit you not)

“I had my first kickboxing match this week. I think I did pretty well. They weren’t actually keeping points, but I controlled the fight and got in some good hits. It’s a little nerve racking to just put on a pair of gloves and go at someone. I know we practice this stuff daily, but it’s a different story when someone is trying to knock you out. However, I really liked it. It’s the best practice you can do for that sort of thing. I think I’ll be a bit more confident the next time we do this.”

John Reeder: 1924-2006

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John ReederJohn Reeder (known on-air as Johnny Mack Reeder) passed away in Mt. Ida, Arkansas on October 10, 2006, at the age of 82. John was living in a nursing home at the time of his death. He’ll be buried in Blytheville, Arkansas. John helped put KBOA on the air in 1947. He and my father worked together until John left Kennett (in the fifties sixties?). John Reeder was a great broadcaster. He established KBOA’s reputation for local news coverage. You can hear John’s great pipes in the brief interview segment on KBOA830.com. John was a talented and avid photographer and took literally hundreds of photos of the early days of KBOA. Almost every image on the KBOA830.com site was taken by John.

Colorado images by Henry Domke

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Willows by a Creek

Henry shares some beautiful (a poor adjective in this instance) images from his recent trip to Colorado, where he concentrated on Lichen and of the Aspen trees.

“At first glance the colors of the skies, leaves and lichen appear to be too saturated to me, but that is the color they were.”

You’ll also find some amazing new images at Henry’s website.

Dr. Everett Mobley: Your dog’s “wolf-score”

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Dr. Everett Mobley blogs at Your Pet’s Best Friend. He started in September and his posts just get more and more interesting and informative.

Now look at your dog. Notice the parts that look wolf-like and the parts that don’t. What kind of a wolf percentage do you have? Chances are that the lower your wolf-score, the more built-in problems your pet has.

You never know who’s going to be a good blogger. By “good” I mean someone who posts frequently and writes in an open and personal voice. I confess that I find it very gratifying to play even a tiny role in helping someone get started blogging. YPBF is a must-read for anyone with a pet.