October 2, 2011

Hot Dog it’s Sausage Dogs!!!!

By Bryan Strickland

Last Saturday Savannah hosted the 2011 Wiener Dog Races at Morrell Park on River Street. With 174 competing Dachshunds, the city of Savannah set up bleachers to accommodate the large number of spectators and dog owners. There were close to a thousand spectators in attendance and all were there to feed their love of animals. This is the 12th year the wiener dogs have been put to the test in Savannah and the event is only getting bigger.

This kind of activity is what makes a city like Savannah appealing. There are different things like this to do all of the time. A lot of which are free. These fun kind-spirited events get families off of the couch and out of the house. I believe that is what we all need, community events that are low cost so all citizens can participate and enjoy them. The more we take our children out of the house and into the world the more they will learn and the more they will be willing to continue these events when they are our community leaders. Exposure to social events teaches children and some adults that there is more to life than to sit in front of the television eating potato chips. I believe my own attitude about life would be different if I had these same opportunities where I grew up. I grew up with the entertainment of television and that is one of my problems now. In a place like Savannah you can just about always find something to do on the weekends.

I also believe that this particular event is a great outlet for animal lovers. The wiener dog races are of course for wiener dogs but any dog owner or lover would have a great time. Let’s face it, all dog owners pretty much like all dogs. We have three dogs but if we had the time, money and room we would have more of different kinds. Any event that promotes the health and well-being of animals is a plus in my book.

Below are some pics from Saturday’s contests. No matter who you are, cute is the word that comes to mind.

                                                                                                                                                             

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September 16, 2011

Remembering Captain Sandy

By Bryan Strickland

This is by no means a new subject to those around Savannah but it takes me back to a good time in my life. While at the beach today I saw something that brought a flood of memories to me that made me feel warm inside even though the ocean water is getting cold. Being retired and ten minutes from the beach gives me the freedom to just drop in when I feel like it, pun intended. That’s what I did today around high noon. It was going to be 95 degrees today but turning cool during the weekend so I thought this might be my last chance to have a dip in the sea.

I was floating around in the water when a formation of pelicans flew overhead very low. So low that I felt myself  involuntarily sink down a foot or two just to grant the needed clearance. All at once it hit me. I suddenly had these memories of Wilbur the Weather Bird from Captain Sandy’s weather forecast on WSAV in Savannah back in the 70’s. We didn’t live in Savannah but I visited my grandparents farm every summer in Jesup. There were only a few TV stations that we could pick up on the antenna in those days and my grandmother always watched WSAV for the news. In the 70’s I was under 10 and didn’t really care about the news but I did struggle through the endless talk of politics and disaster so I could see that pelican come down out of the sky and hand Captain Sandy the weather for the next day. There were other characters such as Calamity Clam but I really only remember that bird-on-a-wire dropping into the shot with a card in its mouth.

On an earlier trip to the beach I told my wife about Captain Sandy and she quickly loaded a YouTube video of him on her phone. I conveyed to her the memories it brought back to me. Seeing the pelicans today triggered those same thoughts. Although the fond memory of a stuffed bird that was used to make the news interesting to kids started all of this it was really the memories of the farm that brings the good feelings back.

At that age the farm was a wonderland of adventure and imagination for a young boy. When granddaddy wasn’t in the field I could beg him to ride me on the tractor. I was always willing to get up in the middle of the night to walk down to the tobacco barn and check on the tobacco that was cooking in the rafters overhead. Let me tell you there is no better smell in the world than cooking tobacco leaves right out of the field. I was always up on time to have breakfast with my granddaddy and drink coffee out of the saucer just like he did. Then it was off to get corn from the corn bin to feed the hogs. All this meant I could ride in the back of the truck free as a bird. We would back up to the hog yard and I would hand him the buckets of corn like I was a real man. He wouldn’t let me out of the truck at the hog yard fearing the sows would freak out if I got in between her and her young. I loved sitting on the tailgate of the old green truck shucking corn and doing whatever it took to be outside with my granddaddy.

Although the outdoor adventures with granddaddy were fun I did so love my grandmother. There has never been and kinder more sweeter woman to walk this earth than her. I would sit in granddaddy’s chair and peel butter beans and peas with her. This was thunderstorm work because if it wasn’t raining I was outside.  She would watch “Days of Our Lives”every day at lunchtime. I became acquainted with the tortured lives of Don and Marlena at a young age.  Grandmama introduced me to the sweet southern nectar we call sweet tea. I could drink it by the gallon if she would let me.

I could type all night about the fun I had on the farm when I was a child but the point of this was to convey how memories come like domino’s falling. The pelicans lead to Captain Sandy that led to the farm in Jesup. I can visit the farm in Jesup and not have the same flood of thoughts that those birds brought to me today. However they got there I am glad to have had them. I now have an urge to go shuck corn but I know it wouldn’t be the same. I need a hard working man named J.W. Strickland, a 1972 Chevrolet truck and a bushel of the sweetest corn in Georgia to get that feeling back. I have something that time and a lot of years can’t take away. I have memories that pelicans can bring.

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September 14, 2011

No, You Cannot See My Receipt!

By Bryan Strickland

I write this blog with much thought and many years of dealing with this issue in different ways. I absolutely refuse to show my receipt to the greeter at Wal-Mart. There are several reasons why I have chosen this as a way to express my sense of patriotism and independence. There have been numerous attempts by the greeter/security force at Wal-Mart to see my receipts but I resisted those attempts in several different ways. Some of those ways have been a polite “No thank you” but I will admit that my gruff nature has made most of them an overt display of rudeness. There are reasons for that path as well. Let’s explore the origin of the issue; for me anyway.

A long time ago in that galaxy that seems to get further away I was a Georgia State Trooper. I am retired.  I no longer have to operate my life under the policy manual that governs the lives of the members of the Department of Public safety. When I suggest that DPS/GSP keeps its employees under a veil of policy I am not exaggerating. For example, if you work for DPS you can’t display on your Facebook page who you work for. This is not for any reason of its employees doing any clandestine work. It’s for the reason of, well hell I don’t really know why but you can’t put DPS or GSP as your employer on Facebook. This should give you a sense of the control over your life once you are a member of this organization. This life control is the reason it took me so long to express my issue with Wal-Mart. The boss in Atlanta might take offense to me expressing myself and I would be in yet another jam. But it was while I was with this agency that my Wal-Mart problems began.

There was a large group of Governors to have a conference in Savannah and I was in charge of communications for this detail. This mainly meant I drove and set up the Mobile Command Post. One part of this four day event was an event in Forsyth Park where about 20 troopers would be standing around the perimeter of the park out in the heat. I was instructed to go to Wal-Mart and get drinks for these guys and keep them in the Command Post. So I got dressed early and traveled to the Wal-Mart on Ogeechee Road in my patrol car. I bought several cases of cokes and other flavors of carbonated relief along with water and headed out of the door. There I was met by a Chatham County Deputy who demanded to see my receipt. I thought he was kidding. He let me know he wasn’t kidding and made another request. I was pissed. There I am in uniform with a gun on my side and this guy wants to check to see if I’m stealing.  Apparently common sense does not play in the game of Wal-Mart security. They want to see a receipt if you have any items in your buggy that is not in a bag. Just to get along I showed him the receipt. The two of us had words later but that’s not the point here.

There was another instance where I was in uniform and was questioned about my receipt. Another customer approached me and told me that her car was on fire in the parking lot. As I went through the exit I was questioned about the receipt for my one item that was in a bag. I didn’t have time to play that game at the moment so I ignored the greeter. After the minor fire was taken care of I came back in the Wal-Mart and had a very long conversation with the manager about why in the world someone would need to see a receipt for something in a bag being carried by a State Trooper in uniform. I mean, are there a group of troopers running around out there stealing from Wal-Mart?

Being somewhat knowledgeable of the law I just don’t believe I need to show anyone a receipt at the Wal-Mart exit. Once I pay for that item the contents I purchased and the receipt are MINE. You can’t search my property without probable cause of theft or a warrant. So, with that in mind I just keep on walking. While they are asking for the receipt I am at the same time telling them no. Sometimes I just ignore them and stroll on out the door. This infuriates the hell out of them. They don’t have the authority or balls to physically stop me but they get pissed. Being honest with you that’s half the fun.

I wouldn’t really have a problem with this practice if they were consistent. If you leave Sam’s they will check your receipt and actually look at every item in your possession.  They check every customer. There will be a line to get out of the door. At Wal-Mart it is hit or miss. You may come across a greeter who is busy and doesn’t catch everybody and so then it’s OK not to get checked. There is no uniformity in the Wal-Mart process that I have experienced.

Recently we moved back to the Savannah area and we use the Wal-Mart on Whitemarsh Island. I noticed something odd at this Wal-Mart. They don’t attempt to see your receipt at all. I bought a new flat-screen TV and there was not a peep out of anybody in the store. This Wal-Mart has customers that are mainly islanders and are white. Could it be that Wal-Mart only checks receipts at the stores in the less fortunate or black areas? Is Wal-Mart as a company racist? I’m not telling you this is why there is an inconsistency but it sure does smell bad.

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September 4, 2011

They’re all dead aren’t they?

By Bryan Strickland

Last night my wife and I attended the first ever Bonaventure Cemetery after hours tour. This was an event that came to me through a Facebook invitation. I had ridden by Bonaventure several times in my past life in Savannah but I had never entered the gates. When I did think about it the gates were locked. My wife and I love Savannah and want to experience everything that defines her. So after a quick check with Michele I bought the tickets.   They were not terribly expensive but they were not so cheap that I didn’t expect a good tour. In my opinion I got what I paid for.

As with everything I do I arrived 30 minutes early. After watching the others I figured out that I was parked in the wrong place. I was parked inside and the whole point of the event was to be in the cemetery AFTER the gates were locked. After getting the go ahead from Jennifer, a very nice young lady who was clearly an organizer of the event, I moved the family truckster to a spot outside the gates. Around that point I noticed Shannon Scott. At that point I didn’t know his name but his arrival in his Mustang with a Georgia Prestige tag of “SSGHOST” led my mind to believe he had something to do with this. We gathered outside of the pedestrian gate in a circle and awaited the beginning of the event. Jennifer met us with a smile on her face offering water and giving directions on what was about to occur. Something to note; in the entire three plus hours I was there I only ever saw a smile on Jennifer’s face. That means a lot to a customer. I feel better when the people there at least act like they are happy to be there and this staff was nothing but enthusiastic. Shannon appeared and got things started by personally introducing himself to every person there. I had never seen this done before. In my years of going to meetings and training there was always that damn go around the room and introduce yourself. I am certainly glad we didn’t do that. We entered the cemetery grounds and Mr. Bui or Bowie, I don’t know which, locked the gates and Shannon described him as one of the hardest working people in town. As Shannon started to get things started the rest of the crew showed up. It is irritating when people can’t go along with the program and be there ON TIME. But that’s another blog.

Shannon starts the tour with a poem. He gives us the lowdown on the history of Bonaventure and how this whole thing got started. With the first instruction of “Let’s head this way Gang”, we head off to the first grave site. This is the point where I knew I was getting my money’s worth. I expected a tour of many many graves with a one minute explanation of how they passed on to the other side. What I got was a very detailed story of the lives of the people buried there. We covered many graves and every one was explained in detail. Shannon describes himself as a storyteller. That he is. It is obvious that he has done much research and knows his subject matter. He seemed to bring the subjects of his stories back to life with the details of their lives and subsequent deaths. I felt like I was there with Little Gracie when she left us. I felt like I was present when Johnny Mercer handed a new song to Nat King Cole. Shannon clearly takes this seriously. He conducted the tour as a storyteller and not a tour guide. There was no rehearsed script as someone suggested at the beginning of the event.  He clearly needed no notes on his subjects. This, I appreciated. A tour guide is doing a job for a paycheck. Shannon did this as a storyteller who has a close connection with the property and the people buried there. I won’t go into details of the different stories. I paid for that and there is no way I could ever tell it all correctly. Towards the end we were treated to a special surprise that I will not reveal, gotta pay for that too. The tour ended at the bluff which I think is the prettiest. We took the long walk back to the main gate but along the way you get to see the lush moss hanging from the trees. It was a great date for my wife and I.

Back at the main gate we received goody bags and took group photos. My wife and I had many conversations on the way home about the stories and our experience. Michele told me that she had read some negative comments about this event earlier that day. Shannon made mention that there was some resistance to the whole idea. Seeing as how this was the first one I don’t see how anyone could have a negative opinion. I mean it hadn’t happened yet. The thirty or so of us paying FIRST customers have the right to criticize if we so choose. I choose not to. My only problem with the entire evening is that one sand fly bit me. That’s right, one. Shannon promises to add new stories to the tour so you never take the same one twice. That was an enticing bit of information and I am anxiously awaiting another tour. I would like the tour to start later, preferably after dark. I am sure this was discussed and although I don’t know I’m certain some lawyer somewhere discourages this because some poor soul might trip over a root or a rock.  Get over it. Give me a waiver form and I’m there with a flashlight ready to enjoy myself.

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August 26, 2011

Changing Gears

By Bryan Strickland

I originally said that this new blog would be about nothing but my motorcycle adventures. Well, there haven’t been that many. After moving to Savannah there hasn’t been enough time. It’s also been hot as HELL. Once again, I don’t pay motorcycle payments to be miserable. Riding in 100 degree weather definitely fits the definition of miserable. I have told a slight un-truth. I had to ride Sluggo from Albany over to Savannah just to get it here.

Michele and I came to Albany on a Friday afternoon and checked in at the Hampton. We got up the next morning and had the free breakfast. We went over to the house and I helped Michele with a few things then I headed for Savannah on the bike. I though long and hard on the route I was going to take. I finally decided on taking GA 300 from Albany to Cordele and then tuning onto US 280. I took US 280 all the way to GA 204. At this point my ass was as hard as concrete. I could take the pain no longer. I had just had a gas/ass break in Pembroke so I tried to press on. While on 204 it started to rain. It was over 100 degrees that day so I welcomed the cool life giving nectar with enthusiasm. I knew I didn’t want to go the Abercorn route all the way to through town so I decided to cut over to US 17. Before I got there I needed another ass break. I pulled into a church parking lot and drew suspicion quickly. Cell phones were used and soon a man in a church van showed up to offer me something to drink. Although outwardly generous I knew the real intention was to check me out. I guessed I passed the test and he moved on. I saddled up and took another stab at it. By this time I had turned a 4 hour trip into a 5 hour trip. You can’t eat on a motorcycle. At least I can’t. After I got onto US 17 the thunder storm hit. I mean it was a frog stranglin’ gully washer. Lightening was popping near me and I was soaking wet. When I turned onto Liberty my worst fears were confirmed. It was high tide and it was pouring. Victory Drive was flooded. I had to ride sections of Victory in the median next to the Palm trees. Water was churning up in my lap and I was sure that the bike was going to drown. Sluggo came through like a champ. He never gave me a minutes trouble. I arrived home with no problems other than 2 gallons of water in my boots.

So the blog will be about everything. Motorcycles, kids, the beach and of course my three dogs. I won’t say too much about Michele, I keep her to myself.

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May 5, 2011

Osama Bin “See Ya Later”!!

By Bryan Strickland

Just a quick note to the U.S. Military, GOOD JOB!!!!! Yes, I know that it was the Navy SEALS that smoked Osama’s ass but you have to recognize the CIA and everybody else who helped in this four year mission. Thank you George W. Bush for getting all of this started and thank you whoever you are that didn’t let Obama puss out and give up the mission. Ding Dong the witch is dead.

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January 9, 2011

The Gun Show Must Go On

By Bryan Strickland

Driving down Westover Blvd the other day my fifteen year old announces that he saw a billboard for an upcoming Gun Show in Albany. He was even so thorough as to read the dates. Of course once I verified this wonderful information I immediately made mental plans to take said young brewd to the gathering of weaponry and testosterone. The first encounter with my lovely wife had me telling her of my plans. I got a thumbs up and all was right with the world.

Upon arriving at the show I was met with a disturbing sign. “No Loaded Weapons Allowed”. WTF?!?!?!? You mean i am going to a gun show and I can’t wear my .45 to show that I have a rod and don’t be fucking with me. I really wore it because I wanted a holster for it and thought it would be wise to bring it for fitting purposes. So I had to down-load and have my slide locked back. A zip tie was used to secure it back. Now I’m all about safety but come on. I figured that the one place I could wear my gun would be a damn Gun Show. I thought that would be a poster event for the 2nd Amendment. Not true, I was wrong……as usual.

More on this situation later………..

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December 2, 2010

Anti-Social Networking

By Bryan Strickland

For a couple of years now I have been immersed in the world of Social Networking. Specifically Facebook and Twitter. About a year ago I deleted all of my friends on Facebook, save three, with the idea that all of those people were not my real friends. They were just contributing to me having a high friend count and stroking my non-existent ego just a little. Twitter was a way to link to interesting news articles and a way to post status updates on the two pages at once. I had the misguided idea that anyone really cared about my status or anything about me. I again had the illusion that anyone else wanted to see my pictures or videos. After about a month of no Facebook I again started to rebuild my friend count and reached a number of 275 friends on Facebook and 78 followers on Twitter. Last night things had to change again.

I was laying in bed not sleeping. I have gained about thirty pounds back and with every pound acquired another 10 minutes it took to get to sleep. My snoring has worsened to the point that Michele has to sleep with earplugs. I am all too familiar with my food addiction but there are other factors that contribute to my weight gain. Actually, there are MANY factors that contribute to my weight problem. After going through the long list, one reason stood out. The things that I do that enable me to stay on the couch inactive are some of the worst weights on my weight. I will never completely give up the computer but two of the main reasons for booting up are the aforementioned social networking sites. So as a man I want to solve this problem. Eliminate the sites. So at three o’clock in the morning I busied myself doing just that. I first deleted my Twitter account. I deleted the Twitter and Foursquare apps from my cellphone. Then I logged onto Facebook and went about deleting all of my friends except Michele. I feel I need to have the account just to keep up with Michele and see what she is interested in. She surfs the net with unequaled enthusiasm and that leads to interesting stories. I locked down my privacy settings so I can’t get messages or friend requests. No one can search for me or see anything about me. That was that.

Eliminating these distractions allows me to do other things without feeling like I have to keep up with posts and what’s going on. I’m retired. I don’t need to know what’s going on with anybody unless they are close enough to call me and tell me. The freedom will allow me to get out of the house more and actually become more personally social. So it is my opinion that someone like me who is a loaner and does not socialize the web-based social networking sites are just contributing to our phobias of people. They allow the individual to remain the individual and stay at home and hide from the world. I’m not going to be running for public office but I will be out of the house more, Socializing and Networking.

 

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November 14, 2010

Funeral For A Friend

By Bryan Strickland

For the third time in as many weeks I found myself loading Windows Vista on my Gateway laptop. I keep having weird crashes, extremely slow performance and just weird things happening in general. I have loaded Windows and downloaded all of my necessary programs over and over again. It’s just not working. Finally, on the last attempt, it simply wouldn’t work. After the Vista Service Pack downloads the computer screams about a corrupt or missing file and it’s all over. Another load of Windows doesn’t replace this file either. Luckily, Tinkerbell was there to save the day.

Either out of pity for me and my computer woes or out of just plain being tired of my whining my wife offered to buy me a new laptop for Christmas. She says she had already planned to get me one but was hoping that my old computer would limp along until Christmas so I would have the big surprise on the big day. Alas, she wouldn’t hold on. I politely protested because I do feel a sense of guilt having that much money spent on me. But in the back of mind I was overwhelmed with joy. A new computer is just about the best gift I could receive. I am an electronic geek extraordinaire. Michele countered my polite protests with advising me that I was going to get a new laptop and I could either pick it out and get it now or she could pick it out and give it to me Christmas morning. With the possibility of using my phone  browser for internet usage for six weeks I quickly opted to go ahead and pick it out.

The shopping begins. No there wasn’t a lot of store jumping and deep research going on. Twelve months of interest free financing through Sam’s was the way to go. Choosing from the Sam’s in stock line up I found and fell in love with the HP G62. 4G of RAM and 350G of hard drive space is all I need. It has more features than I expected and it ACTUALLY works. I must admit I didn’t read all the reviews before hand and I didn’t consult anyone. The price was right and the RAM and ROM were what I needed. The screen is bigger than I thought I wanted for my next computer but now that I have it I’m glad that I didn’t go with a smaller one. I don’t travel much and I don’t take my laptop to many places outside of home. So I’m perfectly happy with what I have.

I have only used it for two days now but I have no regrets. Windows 7 is not that different and seems to be easy to use. some people will tell you to get a Mac but I just can’t seem to bring myself to spend that extra money for something that isn’t all that much better. There must be some reason more people use Windows than Apple based products.

I now have to figure out what to do with my old friend the Gateway. She was a good computer for almost four years. I have thought about buying a new hard drive and selling it on Ebay. I have also thought ab out drilling a hole into the hard drive and throwing it away. I’ll decide soon.

So a big thank you to Tinkerbell and off into the wonderful land of internet addiction I go!!

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November 13, 2010

Behind The Times (Written SPRING OF 2010)

By Bryan Strickland

A lot has happened since I last posted. I have been demoted, transferred and humiliated. I guess if I thought I deserved such treatment I could take it better but I know the reasons and the politics behind it and that has caused the most pain. Other than that turmoil, here are a few updates:

Daphne has grown to be quite the young lady. She had her first Westie Style haircut and looks like a real dog now. She has gotten protective of her yard and house and can’t stand for Michele or me to give anyone any attention. I must say I like it. It’s nice to have someone jealous of you whether you admit it or not. She has increased her cat chasing to a point that we are going to have to curb her appetite for feline fur. As much as I despise Bud I would hate for him to get hurt. That would bring on more drama in the house than I can stand right now.

Jacob is getting taller and leaner. He is 130lbs of bone and hair. He is behaving better in school but he is still not giving the scholars a run for their money. He could if he would. But that’s another story all together.

Sarah is about the same although she has gotten taller and leaner as well. The exercise from swimming seems to have done her well.

Michele is sweeter than ever. She has become the dream wife. We are finally planning a short Honeymoon. We are going to Savannah for a few days and are just going to be child free and happy.

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