T-shirt #279: thirtysomething - Merry Christmas

T-shirt #279: thirtysomething - Merry Christmas - the greatest gift ever

Merry Christmas, if Christmas is your thing. Merry some other Winter Solstice time holiday if that's your thing instead.

I was going to say that this picture is circa 2005 because of the date of the file, but given that I am posing in front of Mom's hospital bed, this is either Christmas 2000 or my birthday 2001. Ah... and because of my careful recording keeping, I have discovered that this was a gift for my Birthday in 2001. I gave up computer games in 2001 because they were eating my life, I wanted to get back to writing, and I had to help take care of the Marjorie, my mother, as evidenced by the hospital bed in my family's West Gull Lake Drive living room where my mother slept (with my Dad next to her on a roll away bed) from October 2000 when she came home from two long stays in two hospitals, which had started with a coma in March of 2000 to near Christmas of 2001 when she finally graduated back to her bedroom upstairs, almost two years since she last slept there.

I saved this shirt for today, Christmas, because I thought the picture came from a Christmas celebration with my family, but alas, it's a birthday celebration.

Nevertheless, the shirt will work for what I want to write about today. First some comments about the greatest TV show of all time and then my story of the greatest gift of all.

First, some explanations: Above you can see a picture of me with all the thirtysomething DVD sets. These sets were a gift from my best friend and fellow thirtysomething mega-fan, the Lord of Chaos, also known as Tom Meyers. I am dedicated to re-watching them but given the challenges I face in watching stuff, it may be a while until I make it through the seasons. This is the fifth set of episodes I have owned. The first set were recording from the original TV broadcasts from the show's debut in 1987 through 1991. The second set came from the re-broadcasts on Lifetime Network. The third set were a complete set made by someone selling recordings on the Internet. The fourth set also came in this way, be a third-person party via the Internet but on DVD, and now these, the fifth and official, commercially licensed complete set of programs.

The shirt is also a gift, from my parents surely, though I am not sure from which holiday. It's one of my two thirtysomething T-shirts and so I intend to write more about the show in a future post and less in this one.

I knew from the start that thirtysomething (see Wiki link) was going to be great. I watched the first episode and was immediately hooked. I do not recall the circumstances of what drew me to the show. I remember watching the pilot and feeling a strong affinity with the characters and the storylines. My best friend Tom Meyers discovered the how independently, and we bonded about our love for this excellent, ensemble TV drama.

Partly, I think I was drawn to thirtysomething because I was twenty-five years old in 1987. I had graduated from Kalamazoo College two years before, and I did not know what to do with my life. I had gone to WMU to finish some classes I needed and because my parents were pushing me toward something more practical than novel writing or filmmaking. I started courses in secondary education until I discovered graduate school in WMU's English department. In September of 1987 (when the show debuted), I had just started in the MA and MFA program at WMU. I had landed a graduate assistantship, and I still was not sure what to do with my life, but I felt I had chosen a direction (writing) and eventually teaching.

thirtysomething seemed like a glimpse into the near future. As a twenty-five year old single male entering graduate school, the world of the thirtysomething program seemed like a glimpse into my future about seven years ahead. I identified most with the single and commitment-phobic Gary, the English professor as I did not as easily identify with the other two men, though my friend Tom strongly identified with the character of Michael.

The way the show of thirtysomething realistically addressed the real issues of relationships and created strong, round characters with flaws makes it one of the best (in my opinion the very best) television shows of all time. It also burned brightly for four years and then ended before it lost its freshness and was run into the ground with poor writing to stretch a concept that found a natural progression.

thirtysomething list of episodes.

thirtysomething FUN CHRISTMAS FACT: I wrote a story for the TitanTalk APA (Teen Titans comic book fanzine) loosely based on the season two thirtysomething episode "The Mike Van Dyke Show," which was in turn a take off on The Dick Van Dyke Show. A Christmas-themed program about the main character Michael Steadman caught in a snow storm as he tries to get home to his wife and child, I replaced the characters of Michael and Hope Steadman with Dick Grayson (Robin/Nightwing) and Donna Troy (Wonder Girl/ Troia). Though I have a hard copy in my files, I am afraid that I may have lost the only digital copy. Recovering these manuscripts is one of my principal projects for 2014.

More thirtysomething content to come when I feature the other shirt in my collection.

THE GREATEST GIFT OF MY LIFE: MY WIFE and FAMILY

The greatest day of my life was the day I married my wife. Liesel and her two kids (I guess I can say our two kids, though I am the step-dad) are the greatest gift I have ever received.

Yes, I know, it took me 279 to get to this subject, but what better day to share about the greatest gift I have ever received than on Christmas Day.

I will save the story for how Liesel and I fell in love and started dating for another time.

She is the love of my life.
She saved my life.
She is the greatest gift of my life. I am blessed and thankful to share my life with her.

In the following, you will find my favorite pictures from the wedding photos, though I was very selective to spare you too many photos (none from the actual ceremony). I have also reprinted the invitation and the ceremony itself.

My two favorite memories/parts.

We left the chapel after the ceremony to one of my all-time favorite songs: "Linus and Lucy" better known as the theme from Peanuts.

As we left the chapel, my friend Matt Frayer tossed my a disc (Frisbee to some of you), and so see a picture of me catching it in the photos below. Perfect thing.

Liesel Marie Kanohokula Creager

and

Christopher Burns Tower

request the honour of your presence at their wedding on the Third of October the ninth year of the second millenium at four o’clock in the afternoon :

October 3^rd 2009- 4 p.m.

Ceremony will be held at the June M. Sherman Chapel at the Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital, 1312 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49008.

A reception will immediately follow the ceremony at the Park Club -

219 W South Street, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007-4797.

 

Many more details (and directions) can be found at our wedding website -

http://kulatower.com

 

“We will wade in the shine of the ever...”

THE WEDDING CEREMONY OF LIESEL AND CHRIS

Pre-music: pianist: Martez Rucker
Processional: “Well Below The Valley” - Tasha & John
Aunt Rochelle & Mike
Mike & Sue
Rob & Elizabeth
Maureen
Elaine
Aubrey
Piper
Me with Mom and Dad - Lori pushing Mom
-pause-
Bride Processional: Ivan and Liesel
- Bagpiper - Some Scottish tree song

Welcome friends and family of Liesel and Chris.

Liesel and Chris wanted to get married on Halloween, which is on Saturday this year. Though they changed the date, please remember the feel of All Hallow’s Eve throughout today’s ceremony and reception themed for the harvest moon and the season of autumn.

Liesel and Chris are honored to have you attend their wedding and celebrate their union.

Marriage is not a union merely between two people; it is a union between two spirits, and the intention of that bond to perfect the nature of both. We are asked today to witness the joining of two such kindred spirits, whose love for one another has inspired them to formally declare the bond they share before witnesses. So to this assembled and dear community of Liesel and Chris’ friends and family: we welcome you with open arms. Let us be supportive and unconditional in our love, so that we may help to strengthen the foundation of the couple that we are uniting here today.

But there are also those who are here with us in spirit, those who could not attend in person. We would like to acknowledge those who could not be with us today. On Chris’ side, though his maternal grandmother died before he was born, his grandfather lived to be almost 100 and died just a few years ago around the same time his paternal grandfather died. We acknowledge Foster Delbridge and Walter Tower. Chris’ paternal grandmother Helen Tower would have liked to attend but age and health prevented her from making the trip; the same circumstances prevented Chris’ Uncle Ward Delbridge and Aunt Brenda Delbridge from attending as well.

On Liesel’s side, a large extended family back in Hawaii were unable to make the trip to Michigan with the exception of her Aunt Rochelle. Liesel would like to acknowledge her mother Estelle Allen, who is here in spirit. But most of all, Liesel is thinking of her friend Regan, an eight year old girl, who has been hospitalized at Bronson for almost two weeks. Regan is very ill and could not attend today, but she is here with us in spirit and this day of celebration is dedicated to her.

To honor those who cannot be with us, to form the bond of this new community of people that has been brought together by Chris and Liesel, and most especially as a moment of prayer and reflection for Regan, let us share peace with one another. Please turn to your neighbors, clasp hands (demo), and say “Peace be with you.”

And now a poem by ee cummings, read by Chris’ sister Lori Marie Beard.

POEM#1 - "somewhere I have never traveled..."

Because Chris has Scottish roots on both sides of his family, and both he and Liesel share an affinity for the Celtic, I will now share a traditional Scottish Blessing:

If there is righteousness in the heart,
there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character,
there will be harmony in the home.
If there is harmony in the home,
there will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
There will be peace in the world.
So let it be.

THE STORY OF CHRIS AND LIESEL

- Maureen improvises -

In Hawaii, the ceremony known as ho’ao was normally a ritual of the chiefly class and was meant to produce offspring for the kahuna. Later, the prayers were used at weddings. In the following, the purpose of the ritual is stated through suggestion and allusion.

Ho’ao will be read in English and Hawaiian by Rochelle Ribbentrop and Tasha Koontz.


POEM #2

One of my favorite pictures
of Liesel from the reception

Liesel and Chris believe that they belong together, that they were meant to be together. Not only do they believe that they are connected in a deep and profound way, but they believe that they are, and we all are, connected to everything, and that everything is connected to us. This is a belief that Liesel and Chris have both held dear for many years, but Chris did not have language and definitions for it until he met Liesel and learned about Huna mysticism and AKA cords. 

The Hawaiian Dictionary definition of "aka" is (1.n) "Shadow" (2 nvi) "Reflection, image, likeness, faint glimmer preceding the rising of the moon, essence of an offering rather than the flesh.

The idea of "aka cords" is central to an understanding of Huna thought, which is loosely (perhaps in some schools, too loosely) based on some Hawaiian traditions.

In Fundamentals of Hawaiian Mysticism, Charlotte Berney says of aka, "This invisible material, which has never been measured by science, is known in other metaphysical schools as 'etheric' or 'astral' substance. All things--including the Three Selves"--and all thoughts have shadowy aka bodies and can form connections via aka substance, which is sticky and elastic. These connections are in the form of cords or threads that reach between things. Aka cords can connect people or can stretch between a person and an object, or a person and a place. These aka cord connections are not limited by material obstacles or by distance, and they can connect persons on different sides of the world...”

Berney continues, "Throughout your life, you establish aka cord connections between yourself and people, places or things. These cords are created whenever you think about someone or something, speak about them, or take some action that involves them. Thus, by thoughts, words, and deeds you form many aka ties. Thoughts and feelings travel along these slender cords, and Basic Selves communicate with one another through them."

Because of these connections, we find reflections of these ideas in others, not associated with huna thought, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson who said “The only True gift is a portion of yourself.”

As we are all connected, as everything is connected, this community of person gather here today to witness Liesel and Chris exchange their vows. The declaration of vows will follow the Celtic handfasting ceremony. Liesel, Chris, Piper, and Ivan will literally “tie the knot” tied by Regan’s mother Angela Carpenter.

Handfasting

performed by Angela

includes Piper and Ivan

Formal declaration of vows and exchange of rings

Liesel repeat after me

I, Liesel, before family and friends, commit my love to you.

I promise to always respect your individuality and cherish our days together.

I vow to be faithful, supportive and loyal.

I treasure you and vow to bring you happiness.

I will support your dreams and always encourage you.

From this day forward, I will be proud to be your wife.

Chris repeat after me

I, Chris, before family and friends, commit my love to you.

I promise to always respect your individuality and cherish our days together.

I vow to be faithful, supportive and loyal.

I treasure you and vow to bring you happiness.

I will support your dreams and always encourage you.

From this day forward, I will be proud to be your husband.

Audience Support Vow
Now that you have heard Liesel and Chris recite their vows, Do you, Their dearest friends and family promise from this day forward to encourage them and love them, to give them your guidance and to support them in being steadfast in the promises that they have made?
To now show your support, please join me in saying WE WILL.

Chris, I believe that you may have something for Liesel?

Chris, Please repeat after me.

Liesel, do you accept this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you?

Liesel-Say I DO

Liesel-Repeat after me.

Chris, do you accept this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment to you?

Chris-Say I DO

To conclude, a modified version of a traditional Celtic Blessing:

May you both be blessed with the strength of the universe,
The light of the sun and the radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of the wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of the rock,
The tight webbed connection of the AKA cords
between the two of you and all the things of the world.

I now pronounce Liesel and Chris to be husband and wife.
Now is the time for you two to kiss.

Recessional: “Linus & Lucy” - Martez Rucker
Congregation stays seated
We return to release each row
accompanied by Martex Rucker - various
Bagpiper (outside)
Cones with confetti distributed
Bride and Groom leave

This was our Thank You Card.
We thought it was funny to send this
picture on our thank you card.

The Wedding party. L-R: My sister Lori Marie Beard,
Elaine Klein "Number One," me, Liesel, Piper (Maid of Honor),
Ivan, and Aubrey Butts.

My wife is an angel.

COUNTDOWN TO THE END OF THE BLOG YEAR: 86 shirts remaining

- chris tower - first published 1312.25 - 19:06
final publication - 1312.26 - 11:33

T-shirt #278 - Three Wise Men? Be Serious

T-shirt #278 - Three Wise Men? Be Serious.

Happy Christmas Eve.

Today is the day I celebrate Christmas with my wife and kids.

If you have landed here before my update, you will see just one picture. I plan to update this after our Christmas celebration with pictures of me and of my family on our special day.

Merry Christmas! (If that's your thing, that is... I never assume that everyone celebrates Christmas, so I usually say "Happy Holidays" but even that seems off for some people because of the use of the word "holy" with days.)

The joke of this shirt should be self-evident. It was a gift from a former T.A. though I am not sure which one. It's a "feminist" joke. Get it? Huh? Do you?

Liesel, the kids, and I must celebrate on Christmas Eve because Liesel works on Christmas and the kids spend Christmas with their Dad, step-mother, little brother, and paternal grand-parents.

Our Christmas Eve was a bit unusual this year as Chris (the kids' Dad is also Chris), his wife Lisi, their son Fiver, dogs Jethro and Cofi, and three cats all spent the night because they had no power as explained in Liesel's status below. We all managed happy Christmas cheer as they packed up this morning, leaving us to our Christmas holiday gift fest. I have posted pictured below to our grand fun.

Love to all and to all a good night.

"God bless us everyone."

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVE CELEBRATING!

Liesel with stocking stuffers
especially her eau de toilette
from Chanel No. 5

Me with my stocking, starting
with a special Kentucky bourbon.

Ivan with a Magic the Gathering deck.

Liesel super excited to receive her
gift card for laser skin care!
The blurry photo emphasizes the excited flurry.

Piper with a new sweater.
She may not look excited, but
she does love it. She's wearing it
as I type.

Piper cradling with love her
new iPad!

Liesel cherishes her Chanel No. 5 lotion.

Ivan received a big desktop, so
he can play League of Legends
as often as he wants (and we allow).

Ivan continues to open the computer
and monitor.

I am posing with a CD for the Jam.
A special edition of The Gift.

Ivan is still opening
his desktop and all its parts.

Piper receives make up.
Piper loves makeup.

A smidge blurry
but I am happy to receive
the Captain Action re-issue figure!

DR. EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dr. Evil - Captain Action re-issue

DOCTOR WHISKY!!!
Before the end of the day
a prescription will be in order.

COUNTDOWN TO THE END OF THE BLOG YEAR - 87 shirts remaining

chris tower - original creation - 1312.22
first published - 1312.24 - 08:00
Final publication - 1312.24 - 11:40

T-shirt #277 - UPA Central Regionals 2001

T-shirt #277 - UPA Central Regionals 2001

I know I said no more Ultimate shirts for awhile, but this one has to be a quickie.

I had intended to work all day and write comic book reviews in between grading robot intensity, but like all good plans, that one went to waste. I spent quality time with the dear wife buying Christmas gifts for the kids but in so doing, I am now behind the eight ball. I even bought a special, new shirt for my Mighty Marvel (and DC and Image and Dynamite) review session. But you will have to wait for it True Believers, until after Christmas. This delay may help as I had wanted to address the burning question, which I do not feel I have well addressed yet on this blog: "why do I love comic books so much?" I have written a great deal about the comics I love and why, artists I love and why, characters I love and why, and yet I do not feel that I have written just about the medium itself. Why comics? Why do I love the medium itself? So that's a preview of what is in my head. Stay Tuned.

In these pictures, you see me featuring the shirt I bought at the 2001 UPA Central Regional Championships in Versailles, Ohio, in which I traveled south with my friend Greg "The Brewmaster" Kormelink when we played with the guys from Minnesota and few guys from Detroit, which was really the beginning of our Masters' team.

I am still a bit stung from yesterday's Lions game loss, but as you can see in the pictures, I am trying to be upbeat about tonight's Pistons game.

I had a good day reading comics yesterday. I read fifteen issues of Uncanny X-Force, so this was going to be one of my reviews. Again, there's a preview for a future post.

Yesterday's post is already set and due to be published first thing in the morning. I intend to add photos to it either later in the day or the next day as our family (my wife and kids) celebrates our Christmas tomorrow.

Happy Holidays everyone. Thanks for checking out my blog.

COUNTDOWN TO THE END OF THE BLOG YEAR - 88 shirts remaining

- chris tower - 1312.23 - 17:27

T-shirt #276 - Starman by Robinson and Harris

T-shirt #276 - Starman - Zodiac Logo, Long-Sleeve, and Watch & GAMING

This is my oldest comic book themed long-sleeve shirt. It was a promotional shirt for the Robinson and Harris Starman comic published by DC Comics from 1994 to 2001. As you can see, I also own a matching watch, and sometimes I am known to wear them together. I already blogged about Starman in T-shirt #138, in which I mentioned that I would return with more Starman content. I am not going to deliver a lot of Starman content today despite my promise from T-shirt #138. I will give a snapshot and a small cover gallery. But mainly, I wanted to share today about gaming, as seen in the older pictures of me playing Magic the Gathering with friends, and last night we watched Cloud Atlas as a family, and I really liked it, so I want to make some comments about it. This theme of various subjects mirrors the T-shirt #138 entry, in which I wrote about many things in addition to Starman: Valiant comics, Optic Nerve, Lazarus, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Gun Machine and Dead Pig Collector, and off-hand mention of Gilligan's Island.  I also briefly explored DESIGN FICTION. Actually, my original plan contained more subjects for today, but I cut it down. Comic book reviews that I was going to do today, I will do tomorrow.

So here we go.

STARMAN CONTENT

Jack Knight is the son of the original Starman, Ted Knight.

Jack Knight Wiki

Jack Knight on ComicVine

In my reading, I came across an interesting article on why superheroes disappear.

Top 10 Reasons that Superheroes Disappear

I like Tony Harris' art. I really liked the art deco look of all the Starman covers during this period. Harris' run on Ex Machina, written by Brian K. Vaughan, was also a comic I enjoyed immensely. Based on the strength of Robinson's writing for Starman, I was ready to anoint him as one of my favorite writers, but I have not liked his work lately. I very much enjoyed his Golden Age comic for DC. He wrote the Justice Society comic for years, and I liked that work. But his recent work on Justice League of America and more recently Earth-Two left me cold. Now, he is set to take over The Fantastic Four next year; see article here: WORD OF THE NERD. I am trying to keep an open mind, as I have liked much of his work in the past, but I am a bit worried. Still, Robinson wrote some Fantastic Four in 1997 with art by Mike Wieringo, in a forgettable crossover with WildStorm.

BACK TO JACK.

Jack Knight has been off the canvas for sometime at DC after retiring at the end of the series known as Starman Volume Two. James Robinson wrote an issue of Starman in 2010 during DC's Blackest Night crossover, in which dead comic book titles were revived for one month. Jack Knight did not appear in the issue.

Part of the allure of Starman Volume Two is that Jack Knight is a bit of an anti-hero, he has tattoos, he smokes, he's reluctant to wield the Cosmic Rod and be a hero, he has father issues, and both with his own father and in being a father. Jack reluctantly takes over the identity of Starman after the death of his brother, David, who appears in the series as a ghost. Jack's dad Ted also appears frequently, heroically sacrificing himself to save their home Opal City in the ultimate story arc of the comic.

Robinson wrote several compelling story arcs with deep roots, such as the long running storyline named for Alfred Bester's important Science Fiction novel The Stars, My Destination as Jack searches in outer space for the last Starman, Will Payton, who turns out is the brother of his girlfriend, Sadie. Jack encounters many of the space-faring characters of the DC universe, including one of my favorites, Adam Strange, who is DC's SF update on John Carter of Mars (see covers #52 and #53 below).

ASIDE: I even included a Christmas themed cover because of the time of the year.

The Robinson/Harris Starman saga remains one of the best DC superhero comics of the later period (since the 1990s). I love the and watch logo because it is such a great icon, mirroring the zodiac, in a smart, art-deco-ish design.





GAMING

I started playing Magic the Gathering in 1995. Just two years after it came out. I remember buying a box of ICE AGE cards in the summer of 1995.
By 1996, I was hardcore addicted to this game. My addiction for this game and computer games coupled with my propensity for depression ruined my relationship in which I was involved at that time. The loss of that relationship eventually prompted me to stop both frequent game play of Magic and of computer games. By 1998, I was no longer playing Magic every week. By 2002, I had quit computer video games completely because I could not even play a little without risking becoming addicted again.

This issue of my addiction has been discussed in my marriage as I cannot play XBox or computer games with Ivan without the risk of becoming addicted again. Plus, the learning curve to work the controller fro XBox is so steep that I would require so many hours of constant play that I am not sure I can even find the time to play to get functional let alone good.

As for Magic the Gathering, I stopped making decks in 1997-98 and just bought pre-constructed decks for the sets as they came out in the hopes of being able to find an occasional game: List of sets. Eventually, I could not keep up with buying the sets and play even more infrequently these days.

There was a period of time (2001- 2007) in which I played no Magic at all, and I missed it.


I had the good fortune to make some very good friends at WMU while teaching and eventually found someone, Stevie Pitts, pictured here, with whom I could play magic. His then girlfriend, Jenni Griesbeck (now Corwin) is also seen in the photos. The photos were taken by sometimes player Miranda Rosenberg (now Wolfe) in 2007 at one of our few (far too few) Magic gaming sessions.

Many of these good friends were at my wedding, though I wish all of them could have been. I remember well Stevie Pitts taking me aside at my wedding and telling me that I am responsible (he gives me too much credit) for changing the course of his life. He had been a student in my Technical Writing course, and I encouraged him (and convinced him) to take my women's studies media criticism course. Because of my course in media, he switched his major to psychology and the rest is history. He now has a good job, a Master's Degree (?), and is in a band TAKING OUR OWN.

I cherish his kind words.

We're overdue for a game of Magic.

See? I started with Magic the Gathering and came around to dear friends and a sweet memory.

I am due to play more Magic this holiday season.

CLOUD ATLAS

I liked this movie quite a lot. I found its intersecting and nested stories to be fascinating. I may read the book. But mostly, I loved the theme: EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED.


Other people can express thoughts and opinions about Cloud Atlas much better than I. And I am trimming back my content for the day. I hope you also know, dear reader, especially the regular and faithful, that I often put these links here so I can find them again and read them in more depth. My method, often, when sharing links is to share links that I find when searching for images. This method of searching often bears better results than the more engineered searches with straight up text/keyword.

This Geekyrant link below has a couple of good promo videos for the movie and a breakdown of the stories in the NOVEL by David Mitchell. The Wiki (linked to the word NOVEL in the former) also breaks down the six nested stories. The Wiki about the film also broke down the nesting stories. Apparently, critical reception to the movie was "polarized," but generally positive.

GEEKYRANT

I also found to great blogs about the movie. I like these a lot more than the top choices in searching for reviews. The Belbin includes some of the music.

DAVID BELBIN

WE BIRTH OUR FUTURE - PatriseArts

It's a long movie, nearly three hours, but its stories, images, and themes will worm their way deeply into your consciousness. Elements could have been handled better or focused better, but I would not have wanted too much overtly explained as it would have detracted from the way the viewer must construct the story in his or her mind.

In any case, some featuring of Cloud Atlas seems fitting and fits with today's shirt subject of Robinson and Harris' Starman. There are parallels.























 
COVER GALLERY

COUNTDOWN TO THE END OF THE BLOG YEAR - 89 shirts remaining

- chris tower - 1312.22 - 15:34

T-shirt #275 - Smokey the Bear

T-shirt #275 - Smokey the Bear

I love this shirt. I think it's iconic, and yet usefully informative.

SMOKEY THE BEAR'S WEB SITE

The website is pretty cool. Check it out. Tour through the Smokey memorabilia. I checked this post for the 1970s Nostalgia category because my best memories of my Smokey are from the 1970s especially during the years I was a Cub Scout and a Webelos Scout. I did not advance to Boy Scouts as they did things on Saturday mornings, and I prefered to stay home and watch cartoons. Had I grown up in the age of VCRs or DVRs, I would have recorded those shows and gone camping.

Today's shirt is a favorite. I consider it kind of "dressy" because of the collar. Imagine my consternation when, as a puppy, Satchel slashed a hole in the shirt. Hence, my "before" photo above left. I had a local seamstress patch the shirt, and thus, the next photo (directly left) is an "after" photo. If you are local and need seamstress work done, her name is Joann Wespinter. I have her contact information if you leave me a message or look her up. Beware, she also sells Amway but not too evangelically.

I am happy to have one of my favorite shirts repaired. You have to get your face right next to the fabric to see the patch.

This is another post that went up on its original day incomplete. I am finishing it the next day.

As for the hat, I unearthed it while packing up things during the move my parents made back in January of this year (2013). I had many T-shirts that I let go in that purge. I have mentioned this sequence of events before. I had the idea for the T-shirt blog in time to start it January 1st 2013, but I didn't think anyone would be interested, considered it overly narcissistic, and was not sure I could keep it going on a daily basis. Thus, when I was going through stuff for my parents' move, I let many T-shirts get away, old ones that I had not worn in a long time or ones that did not really fit anymore. Had I known I would reconsider the T-shirt blog, I would have kept the clothing.

Old toys also re-surfaced in this packing and moving enterprise. The Smokey hat came to my house and was soon propped on a light in my office where it has stayed all year. I believe it has been seen in the blog several times already. I have also written about letting go and growing up a few times, enough to justify a category. Keeping the hat in plain sight and wearing the shirt makes me feel connected to my childhood and keeps my parents alive for me. I really miss my mother. She's still alive, but she is not the same as she was before she contracted bacterial meningitis. I often wonder what our lives would have been like had she avoided that coma of 2000 and the resulting paralysis. This shirt and the hat symbolize these thoughts and these wonderings.

The picture above is from our Hazelwood house where we lived from 1969 to 1978, just northwest of Richland, near the Upjohn (not Pfizer) farms. It's possible that the Smokey the Bear hat is under that tree in one of those wrapped presents. This photo pre-dates the built in couch my father put in that living room, and so is probably from the early 1970s. My sister was probably 2-4 years old, I am judging, by the presents, and so I am guessing this photo comes from 1971-1973. I may update this part of the blog if I can get confirmation from my father on the likely year of the photo.

Given that Smokey the Bear warns of the dangers of forest fires, I thought I would share this photo from one of our Long Lake vacations in Traverse City. Given my hair and that awesome Tigers shirt plus the size of my sister, I am guessing this photo comes from 1973 or 1974. Again, I may update if my father gives more information. He should have named the photos with years.

I had an idyllic childhood. For that, I am forever grateful and blessed.

COUNTDOWN TO THE END OF THE BLOG YEAR - 90 shirts remaining

- chris tower - first published - 1312.21 - 21:12
final publication - 1312.22 - 9:41