Vocabularious!

I got a little freelance writing job through Elance, a website Jerusalem told me about.

I had to do 10 rewrites of 5 blog articles so that the author ended up with 11 versions of each article instead of just one. Each title had to be rewritten 10 times. Each sentence had to be rewritten 10 times.

In one article I encountered a section of bullet points. One of the points was just 2 words: Sodium Free.

OK ... write Sodium Free 10 more ways.

Here's what I did:

1. Is sodium free.
2. It's sodium free.
3. Free of sodium.
4. No sodium.
5. Has no sodium.
6. Contains no sodium.
7. Amount of sodium: none.
8. Amount of sodium: zero.
9. Sodium content: none.
10. Sodium content: zero.

One of the best writing jobs I ever did! Verbosity is not always a bad thing.

After all, it is a practical certainty that numerous methodologies appertain to the removal of a feline epidermis.

Jobless ... Sort Of

I've been over 4 months without full-time employment now. I wouldn't recommend it.

I haven't exactly been idle, though I obviously haven't used the time for posting!

I do most of the kitchen work, except when Tanya cooks a meal.

I've given a lot more time to our eBay store, YARD SALE MANSION.

I've spent a lot of time applying for jobs found in the classified ads... haven't gotten any, which has been an unpleasant surprise. I think I'm in that Over-Qualified quicksand...

I did get the part-time job with the radio stations, which I am enjoying -- even though it has meant listening to some awful football games (winless Gurdon HS and the sub-par Razorbacks.)

I still have my pastorate and church duties every Sunday, thank Heaven!

Had some time to get our church website back up and running.

I have checked on a lot of on-line & telecommuting jobs via Craigslist, etc. -- most seem to be scams.

I've signed up to be a substitute teacher for Arkadelphia schools this year. Had orientation last week, so I'll probably get my first call soon. Should be ... interesting.

(Calvin says, "Yeah, kill the messenger.")

For the first time in my life, I'm drawing unemployment -- and grateful for it, let me tell you! Worried, too, since it will run out in a few more weeks.

Like I say, I wouldn't recommend an extended period of unemployment. It's pretty much ruin't me! Can't stand the thought of another j.o.b. ... but it better happen soon!

Back in the saddle again ...

After 11 years away from radio, I'm back in the control room ... at the station where I started in 1976! Bill Deaton gave me an hour on Saturday night to play "Jesus rock" on KVRC-AM while I was a student at Ouachita Baptist University.

While attending seminary in Memphis, I got hired on at gospel station WMQM-AM (owned by a Jewish lawyer from New Orleans!), where I had made commercials and had duties as a D.J., music director, and program director.

After seminary there was a stint working for Gary Vaile at KITA-AM in Little Rock where I dee-jayed and produced Bernie Tuazon's morning sign-on show, "Good Morning, Manila!" aimed at the central Arkansas Filipino population.

Years later, after returning from Alaska, I was DJ, producer, and music director at KALR-FM in Hot Springs, then moved to KYTN-FM in Little Rock where I ran board ops, made commercials, occasionally dee-jayed, and eventually managed the office for KITA-AM and KYTN-FM.

Now that I've been out of full-time work for over 3 months (longest stretch ever in my life!) my OAO (One And Only) encouraged me to check into radio again, since I loved it so much ... and whadya know, the Arkadelphia stations -- KVRC-AM (talk), KDEL-FM (rock), and KYXK-FM (country)-- are under new management and looking for some help. So I'm back, baby!

It's only a modest part-time return, but it's a start. I'll be running board ops for the Gurdon Go-Devils high school football games on Friday nights ...

and for the Arkansas Razorbacks on Saturdays.

A good way to break back in! Oughta be fun ... now where does this wire go?

Happy Birthday, Mom!

" Nana" turns 80 on August 26!

Congratulations, Mom. We love you!
Ooops, told your age!

CAMP MEME!

We love having the grandsons come to visit ... short visits ... they tend to take over one's life (as grandchildren are supposed to do!). This year, She Who Brooks No Challenge decided the summer visit needed to be extra special and came up with the idea of making it a real 2-boy summer camp, with field trips, crafts, cooking, recreation, etc. He Who Is Out Of His Mind said he would help. Voila -- Camp MeMe! What were we thinking?!?!?

Blackberry picking at 5K Orchard, near Donaldson.

Making popsicles in the Mess Hall.

Visiting Ka-Ho-Da Indian Village near Murfreesboro.

Pow-wowing at the ceremonial fire site atop the Ka-Ho-Da Temple mound.

Meeting the Clark County Judge at the county courthouse in Arkadelphia.

Models of World War II aircraft on display at the Clark County Historical Museum.
(Photo by Wylie Greer.)

Checking out the Civil War cannon at the Clark County Library, Arkadelphia.

Cooling off in the Best Western pool. (Aunt JuJu works there.)

Big Fist and Big Grin of the Jingle Bell Tribe with their handmade costumes and trail pouches on the last day of Camp meMe 2008.

It was a blast!
Hey, what're we doing next year??!!

Song #1 - Happy Birthday, America!

The inimitable Ray Charles starts our Happy Birthday card to America.

Song #2 - Happy Birthday, America!

The Gaither Homecoming choir helps us celebrate -- solos by Terry Blackwood and David Phelps.