Friday!!

Yes! It is Friday and I’m really excited about this weekend…I love visitors!

And on Monday…dinner with KRISTIN!!

Speech at the 2009 Inauguration by Tiger Woods

“I grew up in a military family – and my role models in life were my Mom and Dad, Lt. Colonel Earl Woods. My dad was a Special Forces operator and many nights friends would visit our home. The y represented every branch of the service, and every rank.

In my Dad, and in those guests, I saw first hand the dedication and commitment of those who serve. The y come from every walk of life; from every part of our country. Time and again, across generations, they have defended our safety in the dark of night and far from home.

Each day — and particularly on this historic day — we honor the men and women in uniform who serve our country and protect our freedom. The y travel to the dangerous corners of the world, and we must remember that for every person who is in uniform, there are families who wait for them to come home safely.

I am honored that the military is such an important part, not just of my personal life, but of my professional one as well. The golf tournament we do each year here in Washington is a testament to those unsung heroes.

I am the son of a man who dedicated his life to his country, family and the military, and I am a better person f or it.

In the summer of 1864, Abraham Lincoln, the man at whose memorial we stand, spoke to the 164th Ohio Regiment
and said: ‘I am greatly obliged to you, and to all who have come forward at the call of their country.’

Just as they have stood tall for our country – we must always stand by and support the men and women in uniform and their families.

Thursday Update

So Thursday is over….wow…what a difference an hour of sleep makes! I’m glad I stayed with Alyssa’s mom and dad last night…I’m staying again tonight….

We only had a small hiccup during the swine show, one which could have been avoided, but we took care of it…its good to have the support of the Fairboard in my decision making….

We’ll see how the beef show goes tomorrow…I’m assuming that is going to be the show which gives me trouble, if any of them….after the beef show…shows are DONE!

Butler County Fair 2009…Wednesday Update…

Well today went well, or at least I think it did…all of the judges showed up this morning, and while we had a few questions, everything went well.  Last night I was here until 11:45…in a fairboard meeting…that could have been over in an hour…but whatever.  Got 5 hours of sleep…I think I should have found a place to stay the rest of the week, but I am staying with Alyssa’s parent’s tomorrow night and on Friday night….Saturday I’m going to go back to Lincoln and pick up Lil’ Green from the office…we are having him out at the Fair on Sunday.  Monday will be a tough day to get through…final check out of exhibits, and picking up everything and take things back to the office….I am taking Tuesday of next week off…..to sleep…

Fair Insert Article…2009

This is the article I wrote for the David City Banner Press which was included in their 2009 Fair Insert.

I can’t believe it is July already! The year has flown by and now we are approaching one of my favorite weeks of summer: County Fair Week.  Some of you, I am sure are groaning- because we all know that fair week means hot weather, high humidity and lots to be done.  But others, like me, are looking forward to seeing all of the hard work, in the 4-H projects and in open class entries that will be on display.  Each year when thinking about fair, I am instantly taken back to the summer of 1993, my first year in 4-H.  I had worked hard all year long and was really looking forward to taking my rabbit to the fair to show.  I have older cousins and went to the fair with them every year so this wasn’t my first ‘rodeo’.  I took photography, cooking and my rabbit as projects that first year and amazingly enough, all of my projects were finished well before judging (I don’t think that ever happened again during my 4-H career).

The cooking and photography judging days were before fair started so we could display our projects with the other members of our club in a booth on the fairgrounds.  I did pretty well with my cookies, I am still the only one in my family who makes them right- my mom turns them into hockey pucks, but you didn’t hear that from me!  And my photography project was selected to go to the State Fair held in August in Columbus.  I was pretty proud when I heard my name called as the representative for Carroll County, especially since I was up against a lot of older kids in that project area.

But back to the rabbits…I only had one rabbit at the time, Blackie, who was a black Mini-Lop I bought from my cousin Angela.  We worked all spring and early summer to get him to sit still and I learned the proper way to hold him when I flipped him over for the judge.  The day of the show dawned bright and humid, a typical mid-July Ohio day.  We got to the barns early as the show started at 9 am.  The showmanship classes were first in the program, with the novice showman – youth 9-11 who have never showed before- going first.  I went to the podium, got my number, pins and a program for my mom and dad.  Then I went back to Blackie’s pen and waited until they called us to come into the ring.  I remember being terrified, terrified I would forget something I learned about my rabbi and terrified he would hop off the table and run away.  Fortunately, I remembered everything, even to smile and look at the judge, and Blackie didn’t hop away.

Although I didn’t win or place in showmanship that first year, it gave me a learning experience that I would not have had anywhere else.  It taught me that it doesn’t matter if you win, lose or are asked to leave the ring because there are too many kids inside, all you can do is be prepared and to do your best when it is your turn with the judge.  While none of those lessons were realized that day, and I was pretty upset about not getting a ribbon, the experience lead me to want to work more with my animals for showmanship and increased my interest in  learning the most I could about the breed of animal I was showing.  And nine years later it paid off when I won both the Senior Showmanship class and the overall Rabbit Showman of Showman class.

When I received these awards, I thought back to that day of my first rabbit show and the journey 4-H had taken me on since that day.  I thought back to all of the people, places and experiences that had influenced me and made me into the showman I was that day standing in the ring.  I might not always have got it exactly right but there was always a lesson to be learned.  It turned out to be much more than just showing up and hoping to be prepared.

During this year’s fair, no matter your level of preparation, you may not get the color of ribbon you like on every project, or entry, but it is the skills, information and lessons learned you learn stick with you for the rest of your life.  Hope to see you all at the fair!

And so…fair week begins!

That week for which we work and toil towards all year for is now upon me…and I can’t wait to see what happens. There may be some hiccups, some tempers, but as long as I keep mine in check…we should be fine.

Beth told me the other day to smile, nod when appropriate and not to make any quick decisions….I like the fact that a) I have a Dean who is as supportive and understand as Beth is, and b) that she knows me well enough to not include OPEN YOUR MOUTH in her instructions for surviving county fair.

That may be the challenge this week…..

P.S. Had an awesome time visiting with Bethany and Joshua tonight! So good to see them and meet Winston and Etta!

The First ‘Greatest Generation’….

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090718/ap_on_re_eu/eu_britain_obit_oldest_man

Only a handful of World War I veterans remain of the estimated 68 million mobilized. There are no French veterans left alive; just one left now in Britain; and the last living American-born veteran is Frank Woodruff Buckles of Charles Town, West Virginia. The man believed to have been Germany’s last surviving soldier has also died.

So a ‘handful’ means two? Because judging from this paragraph, that’s how many are left. These men need to be honored for what they did.

We all talk about the generation that fought in WWII to the “The Greatest Generation” and while I am not trying to take away from what they did, because they did accomplish great things through great sacrifice…but this generation of soldiers did as well.  They saved the world the first time.

I…

LOVE MY JOB!

Please remember this is being posted before the Butler County Fair…and also take into consideration it is Friday….hopefully be back next week with some during Fair updates…that aren’t complete venting sessions…

RIP Darrell “Shifty” Powers

I got this in an email this morning….

We’re hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.

I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell “Shifty” Powers.

Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you’ve seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.

I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn’t know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the “Screaming Eagle”, the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he’d been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.

Quietly and humbly, he said “Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . ” at which point my heart skipped.

At that point, again, very humbly, he said “I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know where Normandy is?” At this point my heart stopped.

I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. At that point he said “I also made a second jump into Holland , into Arnhem .” I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day.

I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France , and he said “Yes. And it’s real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can’t make the trip.” My heart was in my throat and I didn’t know what to say.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I’d take his in coach.

He said “No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man very happy.” His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.

Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade.

No big event in Staples Center .

No wall to wall back to back 24×7 news coverage.

No weeping fans on television.

And that’s not right.

Let’s give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.

Rest in peace, Shifty.

A Lesson From Woody Hayes

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/12/greene.excerpt.hayes/index.html