 Editorial
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12-20-02
End of the Year Potpourri
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Well, friends and loved ones, 2002 is all but done.
Or, maybe by the time you read this it will be done.
I recently traveled up to Virginia from Florida to
attend a SpringerConnection get-together and was rewarded
with a great time and lots of warm fuzzies from all
involved. For those of you who found out too late
to attend, I apologize. Because not everyone reads
the bulletin boards, I think we need to mass e-mail
the notice of get-togethers in the future.
Of course, I took a lot of ribbing about Florida from
everyone. People in Virginia love making cracks about
the craziness that goes on in Florida, but I'll have
you know that Virginia is not without its own wackiness.
For instance, I picked up the newspaper the other day
and, without even looking, found the following three
weird articles about the land of my birth:
- Item Number 1: Linda Tripp, of all people, starts
a business with a company called "Christmas Sleigh",
which is a year-round Christmas shop in Middleburg
VA. I know that when I think of Christmas gift-giving,
I naturally think of Linda Tripp first. Let's see,
who did I buy that blue dress and beret for?
- Item Number 2: There was a near riot at a Circuit
City store in Colonial Heights when more people showed
up for an autograph session with "Stone Cold"
Steve Austin (a.k.a. Steve Williams) than the store
could handle. Say, didn't Steve Williams go to school
with us?
- Item Number 3: A deer runs amok through a Kroger
grocery store in Blacksburg VA, then exits out the
back door, where he is promptly struck by a van driving
down the street. The deer escapes.
I noticed that the fox was the Roadkill Species of
Choice during my trip to Virginia. I believe I saw about
25 foxes dead on the road this trip. Mind you, I usually
never see foxes on the road. What drives a certain species
to run out into the road at any give time? My bet is
that the fox population is overcrowded this year and
hunger forces them to cross highways in search of food.
I did get to go to Carneal's Restaurant in Highland
Springs for a cheeseburger. While talking with Mr. Carneal's
son, I discovered that he had gone to the SpringerConnection
website and searched for the story on their restaurant.
No doubt he was in need of the recipe
for his dad's burgers. He needs to know that the
secret is making hand-pressed patties from fresh meat,
with onions cooked in the meat, and not using preformed
meat patties.
I stopped at the local Hardees and got hot dogs. They
were fantastic. Yeah, that's right, Hardees! It has
something to do with Virginia. I have eaten hot dogs
all over this country, and I am here to declare that
you cannot get a really good hot dog outside of the
Old Dominion, period.
On a serious note, I was saddened, as were we all,
to hear of Lisa Blackwell Gill's passing. I got to see
her sister Nita while I was up there. We hugged and
I asked her to give my love to Lisa. She said that Lisa
was very appreciative of all the cards and letters she
had received, though she was not able to respond to
them. They made her smile.
Lisa and I corresponded back and forth a few times
before she went into the hospital. Lisa said that, although
not an active participant, she enjoyed reading the postings
on the message board. I thought everyone would like
to know that.
Thanks to everyone for allowing Dan and me to bring
you this site, and thank you all for joining up and
participating. I wish you a safe and happy Holiday Season
and a joyous New Year.
Hugs and kisses. I mean it.
Jack
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