A life-long friend died today. I’ll post more when I think of something to say. This a photo of Joanne with her (twin) brother, Richard. It was taken at the old train station in Kennett, MO. Here are a few more photos.
Category Archives: Personal History
“Internet thing” catching on
Five years ago I used this elaborate timeline to illustrate where I saw myself in relation to others in terms of technology awareness. A little out front (at the time) of most of our company… waaay behind the Smart Kids.
For much of the past 15 years I’ve been annoying people (mostly at work) with the latest gadget or –more recently– app. There were early adopters like me; others who would get on board once they clearly saw some proven value to their current job; and still others who jammed their fingers in their ears, chanting “la la la la la la I can’t HEAR you!”
This group always referred to “the Internet thing,” and to this day think Twitter is about what you had for lunch.
But something has changed. People are starting stop by my office or my table at the Coffee Zone and ask for a crash course in all this stuff I’ve been yapping about. It’s as though they woke up one morning and realized, “Shit! I’m way behind!”
Let me hasten to add, there is NOTHING I know that any reasonably intelligent person can’t pick up. But just as you can learn to speek Italian from a series of CD’s, you won’t really understand the language until you live in Genoa for a few years. It’s a cultural thing.
If I had to guess at what has brought this on –if, indeed, something has changed– I’d say it’s the iPhone and the iPad. The web has moved from your desktop (which you leave behind every night at 5 o’clock) to your pocket.
These latter day Luddites are hearing more and more expressions (from customers!) the meaning of which they have only the vaguest idea.
I’m doing my best to purge any “I told you so” from my thinking, but the simple truth is, a lot of these folks won’t catch up. They’re trapped on the wrong side of the digital divide. By the time they scramble up and over… everyone will have moved on.
Ehi, aspetta per me voi ragazzi!
May 14, 1984
The recent death of Derry Brownfield, one of our company’s founders, stirred up lots of memories for those of us that have been with the company for a while. Reflections on how decisions that seemed minor at the time we made them turned out to be life-changers.
Long before blogs –or personal computers– I kept a journal (sporadically) and came across one while cleaning my home office last weekend. The entry for May 14, 1984, was written (on onion skin paper) after accepting a job at Learfield. For some reason I listed the reasons for taking the job.
1. A great career opportunity. LC is into satellites, communications, etc.
2. More money
3. Opportunity to grow in position and money
4. Get Barb off the highway and to a city where she’ll have more more professional opportunities
5. Jeff City is a city of 32,000 more or less. A good size
6. I won’t have to get up at 4am
7. I won’t have to work every weekend forever
8. I will be challenged more than spinning a feew 45s, reading the weather, and (writing) a couple of dozen commercials every day.
9. I will get off holidays from time to time.
10. I will have an opportunity to work with very talented people.
11. KBOA can only get worse and worse
I hope that last one isn’t painful for those who do or have worked at KBOA in the intervening years. It was just my opinion at the time.
Most of us wonder about the road not taken. Interesting to see my specific thinking from 27 years ago. Barb loves what she’s doing; I still get up at 4 a.m. but just to pee; holidays and weekends off, check; and lots of talented people. Good call 1984 Steve.
Joe Bankhead
Joe Bankhead died this week. Not sure of his age but he was well into his 90’s. He was a good friend of my father’s and one of the original employees of KBOA, the radio station where they both worked. And I did a 12 year stint there many years ago. Joe was one of the most self-confident people I ever met. Part of his story is here.
A Valentine’s Day Story
Barb loves flowers. So I sent her flowers on Valentine’s Day. But the arrangement was so “cheezy,” she sent them back. How bad does a floral arrangement have to be for a woman to return it on Valentine’s Day.
Years ago I started buying flowers from Busch’s Florist here in Jefferson City. I’d send flowers on her birthday, our anniversary and sometime just because I had “a love attack.”
Money was no object. Busch’s had my credit card and I rarely asked “how much.” I frequently asked that the person doing the arrangement “swing for the fence.” Really get creative.
It was a nice arrangement (so to speak), for Busch’s and for me. They did a good job and then a couple of years ago they suggested I try their “special events” plan (not what they called it). I’d pick several special days throughout the year and they’re remember to send flowers. Probably good for cash flow.
Yes, I put my love on auto-pilot and today it bit me on the ass. Who knows what happened. The florist probably has some excuses ready for when they return my call cancelling the plan. Rushed. A newbie did the arrangement, blah blah blah.
Doesn’t matter. Florists sell hard the concept of “this special day.” And when you fuck up, you pay the consequences. That’s life. And business. They let flowers become a commodity. Good enough.
I probably averaged two or three hundred dollars a year with Busch’s Florist, going back a dozen years? And I would have spent that much each year for the next dozen years.
Tomorrow they’ll probably send Barb a really nice bunch of flowers, “on the house.” But tomorrow isn’t Valentine’s Day. That was today.
I’ll be auditioning florists in coming weeks and I’ll post photos and reviews here. You’ve just read my review of Busch’s.
Hallelujah Chorus – Kennett,MO
Announced this event on Dec. 19th in church, put on facebook and a little article in paper. This is the result. No rehearsal. Accompaniment being played in mustang convertible with the top down. (Which turned out not to be loud enough for all to hear, thus we almost had a train wreck in the middle) But it turned out to be such fun. We are making this an annual event on December 23rd, 5:30 pm on court house steps. We will be better prepared next year. Louder sound system for accomp., lights and more music. (see the famous Crows on front row, 3 sharing the same book).
DJ Steve
It was almost 40 years ago I got my first taste of being “on the radio.” It as a very little pond but I was happy fish. It was easy to convince yourself a lot of people were listening to you. Very ego gratifying. I marvel at the freedom we had.
Somebody else said it better
In a month this blog will be 9 years old. Should be very close to 5,000 posts by then. My friend George has been following along for the last several years and he says the blog has changed. He says I’m much more likely to post a line or two followed by a block quote from some other source. Or a video. Or a photo. George is of the opinion that I used to write longer, original pieces. I’m not sure he’s correct and it would just take some time to check but I’m willing to stipulate that he is right. So, why the change?
- I’m less sure of my opinions. And, more importantly, feel less need to share them or -thank god- be “right.” I’m pretty sure I would be unable to pass Scott Adams’ “Ignorance Test” on a lot of subjects I’ve expressed opinions on. Oh, and it has finally sunk in that almost nobody really cares what somebody else thinks.
- More (better?) places to share thoughts/links. When I started this blog in February of 2002, there was no Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, Posterous, etc. A lot of the links and block quotes that used to land here, are shared somewhere else.
- Somebody else said it better. I think this is the Big One. I read more (and more varied) stuff now than at any other time in my life. The web has exposed me to an almost infinite variety of ideas and perspectives. From people who CAN pass the Ignorance Test. Who DO know what they’re talking about. And who express themselves clearly and powerfully. So, if there’s an idea that I think is worth sharing, I link to them with an excerpt to pique your interest.
George is right. smays.com has become more about aggregation and curation. Maybe a little like my personal card catalogue. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come back here to find a quote or a video or reference that would otherwise be lost (to me) forever.
Kennett’s Opera House
The little southeast Missouri town of Kennett, Missouri, once had a thriving “downtown,” situated around the county courthouse. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, you bought your clothes and shoes and just about anything except farm equipment from one of the stores “on the square.”
James Kahn’s Department occupied one corner and although it had a second story, I never had occasion to go up there. From time to time someone would mention the “old opera house” above the department store. James Kahn’s is gone now and the opera house has been renovated.
Kennett’s favorite daughter Sheryl Crow is home for the holidays and christened the Opera House with a performance.
smays.com Kennett corespondent Charles Jolliff shares the photo above.
One final thought (shop-talk, really). It wasn’t so long ago that a town or a business would create a web page for something like the Opera House. A really, nasty-ass, ugly, useless web page. Thank you Mark Zuckerberg for giving the world a much better way.
Palace Theater goes dark
The Palace Theater will close its doors this Sunday. It has been Kennett’s only theater for a long time. Growing up in the 50’s, we had a second theater for a while, until the Ritz burned (can’t recall the year). During the early 50’s, The Palace was “segregated” with people of color sitting in the balcony and colorless people below. I’m not sure if this was by choice or enforced. (Just the sort of question a white kid would ask, no?)
In front of the Palace Theater in Kennett, MO
Based on the movies on the marquee, I believe this photo was taken in 1954. My father is the one riding in the wheelbarrow. Jimmy Haggett is pushing him (in the annual Fall Festival Parade, I believe) because pop won a popularity contest pitting “pop” music against country.
In its day, The Palace was a fine old theater. We were lucky to have it.