It had to be while I was in mid school age that I became inerested in rockets. I first read a large book from the library on how to make your rocket. It was comlicated and dangerous. You used metal tubing and for the solid rocket types made a caremel candy mixture. Basic rocket chemicak(gun powder) mixed with caremel and gradually heated on a stove. When it was all melted, you poured it into the bottom part of the rocket-the "engine," then let it cool. This typef mixtore does not explode unless you have a gap or crack in the middleof the fuel(it is now solid, Any cracks causing air space causes the explosion. It is the air pockets that make the rocket blow up. Just like an m-80 firecracker has some gun powder inside and the rest is air-this air makes it goes boom. The book, "Amatuer Rocketry," was very complicated and the more I read the more dangeous I saw building one from scratch and mixing your own fuel-it could even ignite on the stove, this author's ideas and homemade rockets wee dangeous. He talked of one leaving the launch pad and then trun vertical, going 300 miles/hour(about how fast Amanda drives) and igniting all the brush as it whized by.
Then I saw an ad for Estes Industries. They made engine and rocket tubes from laminated cardboar, balsa wood fins and nose cone and platic bag-like material or silk, for parachutes, so the rocket would float back to earth and a new engine inserted for another flight. The engines were no longer than a finger and were size aa,a,b,c, and,d-small power to greater power. the a-b-c-engines were about the width of a dime while the d, about a nickle. A small soda sraw was glued to the side of the rocket(usually by a fin). The engine was insurted(tight fit) and above the engine was a wad of insulation material and the parachute-attached to the rocket and nose cone with a rubber band or shock cord, The very end of the engine fuel had an explsive charge that blew the top of so the parachute would come out and the shock cord held the rocket body ad nos cone in place. Some rockets dodnot have parachutes, but had other means of gently falling back down. Any rocket with a parachute, even set off in a dessert, would find a tree or roof top to land on!
These small rockets, usually 6"-12"(some were 24" and had 3 engines in a cluster and some were 2 stage. Instead of a bang in the first, to release a parachute, it sent up burning sparks and lit the second stage. To launch, the rocket's straw ran on a straigt wire-about as thinck as a metal coat hanger(many times we would cut a metal hanger, hammer it straigh and stick one end in a piece of wood. A piece of nicrome wire, diped in a minute amount of gun powder and looked like an inverted "V" was shove up the nozzle of the engine, with a small piece of kleenix wedged in to hold it in place, to the ends of the wire two flat teeth micro clips were attached and these had about 20' of wire on the othe end. they went to a 4 "D" size batter pack, inside a case which had a safety switch and a push button to light the nicrome up, which then lit the engine. Woosh! A cloud of smoke and within seconds, it was 700-1000' in the air. Wr had designed intruments and math to measure the heigh and at least 3 spotters trying to follow the rocket since thet usualy went out of sight and then you tried to see the chute open. There was always a "rush" of adreniline," as the rocket ignited and took off. And Estes was big on safety. Most common injury: as a kid got his straw through the metal launch wire and then guide it to the botom, he would poke his eye or some where on the face with the wire.
Next: some fun and creative things to do with "rockets"-send a mouse up in one, a rocket pistol for people you didn't like and a right and left rocket bazooka, mounted underneath my 1964, 39 hp vw and set off with push buttons in the floor shifter handle(wired in series to the car battery. As the girl I was dating around 1964 was taking a slow ride along the back roads of Pymatuning Lake(39 horse power could only go slow)-some smart a** in a muscle car with his girl would pass me up leaving us choking on the dust. He had to be punished. And next, how I did in his trunk lid!
Monday, March 28, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
home births our 5
our first son, tom, jr was the old school of having a baby in the hospital: dads stay in the waiting room, having a cigarette and reading mags, tilll his wife comes over the intercom, like mine did,"Tom, you have a son. Ultra sound was not invented yet. Then we had a bad experience with the birth of our second son, Aaron, which info I didn't find out till much later. I was allowed in the delivery room, sitting at Sharon head and looking at a convex mirror positioned to where the view of the baby being born could be seen. The type of mirror you see on a car:"objects in mirror appear closer than they really are". Dr. Peterson was the doc to "catch the baby". First he made a large cut so the baby would come out faster, and easier for him. Aaron;s head would start to crown, then he would slip back in as if to say,"I am not ready for the world!" During this time, Person's daughter came over the delivery room intercom, "I'm going to Mc Donald;s, do you want anything?" Here I am, thinking this is a sacred event, and he's ordering a cheesburger, fries, and a shake; evil s.o.b. and that is not "swell ol' buddy!" Then he started screaming at my wife, "Give me that damn baby, already!" His exact words. Probably had to get to a golf game. Finially, he took a pair of head forceps to pull Aaron out. Like he did with Tom. Both of them had a reddish "V" mark on their heads for quite sometime, made by the ends of the forceps. Finially Aaron was born @ 1:11 in the afternoon. He was quickly dried off, burning silver nitrate put in his eyes(in case my wife had a sexually transmitted disease(bastard). He was shown to his mom, wraped in a blanket and a little hat on his head to keep him warm, and then put in an incubator, which is just a clear view oven. But the biggest thing I learned later, was what the labor room nurse said to my wife(I was not in there all the time-like when they would check to see how far(dialaterd) she was. I suppose that was to much of a dirty scene for the husband to be around! But my wife told her, "Be sure to give me the baby right away as I plan to nurse him." They claimed Aaron was a premie and wa coming two months early(wrong!). The labor nurse gave a huff and said "No, you will be lucky if the baby lives"what a jerk! What a thing to say to a women in labor. Aaron was not a 2 month premie. He came into this world just exactly when the Lord felt it was his time and he weighed five and a half pounds. Not real heavy, but certaintly not a 2 lb. premie. The next day, we went home. Both of them were born in PA.
I was a student at Palmer College of Chiropactic when we were expecting Abram. I seen a notice on one of the bullitin boards offering home birth classes. The first one was free and the midwive/student explained the pros and cons of home vs hospital births. I got home and mentioned the clases to Sharon. Her first reaction was, "No way!" I convinced her we should at least go and hear what the instructor had to say and she agreed that we should go. After the class, she was , "sold," on the idea of a home birth. As was I. Sold, because of our terrible hopital esperiences with Aaron. So we went to the other 10 or so classes and also learned the lamaze breathing technics to have a baby without resorting to pain killing blocks, like a spinal or "saddle block," where the mom feels nothing from the waist down. I think she had one with Aaron and when they told her to "push," she said how? "I can't feel anything to know I am pushing or not pushing. We had another student couple attend the classes and Lynette was Sharon's Labor coach. Her husband Jim thought he would witness the birth but Sharon felt uncomfortable about him being present.
We had a small room at the top of the steps in our house. I painted it an it turned out to be cantalope in color. There was a small be(smaler thana twin) so I could easity be on either side to deliver or "catch" the baby being born. Still didn't know if it was going to be a girl or a boy.
We prepared by lining the bed with newspaper, which had an antiseptic nature in the ink. Then a sheet on top. the only other "equipment was a pair of white shou laces in alcohol to keep them sterile, my stethoscope, and a large plastic bowl which was to be used when mom delivered the "afterbirth," following the baby delivery. The afterbirth looked like liver(sorry, if I am grossing you out) and was round and made up of section, put together like a puzzle. It was important to examine it so all the "pieces" were delivered. If a section wa still in the womb, it would become infecteded, which would be dangerous to the mother's health.The "afterbirth "was connected to the baby by the umbilical cord and this was how the preborn child got it's nurishment. There is no rush (as opposed to the hospital births) to tie the cord tightly with two pieces of shoe string(they us cord clamps otherwise) since a series of tests at intervals was performed on the newborn. As long as he/she was connected, they still had a life line, so to speak. Tesst were things like reflexes, heart rate,(which gradually slowed down from around 150 beats in the womb) skin color changes,(baby should start turning a warm pink color) etc.Then I used sterile scissors and cut the cord-the part left on the baby would eventually dry up, fall off and a bellly button was left!. Most babies have the cord wrapped around their neck: Abram was no exception-just slip it over the head. As soon as the baby was born, he was covered with a soft blanket and put at mom's breast as their "sucking" helpes the womb tocontract and expel the afterbirth. The baby also is cover with a cream like substance (vernix casanovix). Hospitals usually wipe this off right away, wrong! One, it protects the baby's skin in the womb-ever see what your hands look like if in water to much? Then when he is out into the world, this lotion like substance should be graduallly and gentle rubbed into the skin-it is vitamin enriched and helps prevent skin disease, later in life. neat. the mom does not produce milk right away, but colustrum-which is also full of vitamins and natural antibodies. If you don't want to nurse at least try for a few days so the child gets the colostrum(probably spelling all this wrong!). then everything is cleaned up and mom and baby have time to love and bond with each other.
My big job was to keep the baby from coming to soon and tear mom. Two other pieces of "equipment: an ear syringe to remove mucus from thr newborn's mouth and nose and the best book on child birth is a little paperback, spiral bound booklet, about a quarter ofan inch thick. It is standard in al police cars, etc. and is called, "emergency chuldbirth." which uses the KISS formula-keep it simple, sweetie." A few weeks later, I went to the county courthouse, and paid two dollars to register the birth-hand writen! And thats it. We did take all our babies to a pediatrcian for a neborn checkup. Side note: my biggest surprise wa how slipery the newborn is-one hand under the neck to support the head and the other to hold onto the rest. It was like someone coated them in butter or baby oil. That was the hardest part-holding on to the baby while doing the tests which is called agpar score, 1 to 10-the higher the total number the healthier the baby is.
Dad helping to delver his wife (or, I supose another emergency from another mother: there is no thoughts of the woman's anatomy or sex, as some might suppose. It is a very intense, total concentration ordeal as two lives are at stake. After each home birth, I was elated and full of joy and called family members and close friends. Only after I wa sure all was OK did I crash from exaustion because of the intense, total concenration thing.. The next 4 we had at home with amanda being the last. when we found out we were going to have Ariana, Sharon opted for a home birth; but the Spirit whispered to me and I said "No." That was the right decision because as she was"coming" out, the cord was so tight around her neck she started to turn blue. Sharon asked why and dr. overcash said it was just the lighting of the birthing room-he lied to calm her fears but he could barely get two fingers under the cord to clamp and cut righ away-or the baby wouldno be able to come out and would strangle. I couldn't handle that fast enough so thank God for the gift of the Holy Ghost and listening to His promptings that she neeo be born in thehospital. Besides, it was 9 years since I delivered a baby and I was feeling a litle rusty!
Anyway, some of youhave ben asking me about our home births, so this is a little history of hoLater, I might mention a unique experience with each one; but for now, this is how and why we got started.
I was a student at Palmer College of Chiropactic when we were expecting Abram. I seen a notice on one of the bullitin boards offering home birth classes. The first one was free and the midwive/student explained the pros and cons of home vs hospital births. I got home and mentioned the clases to Sharon. Her first reaction was, "No way!" I convinced her we should at least go and hear what the instructor had to say and she agreed that we should go. After the class, she was , "sold," on the idea of a home birth. As was I. Sold, because of our terrible hopital esperiences with Aaron. So we went to the other 10 or so classes and also learned the lamaze breathing technics to have a baby without resorting to pain killing blocks, like a spinal or "saddle block," where the mom feels nothing from the waist down. I think she had one with Aaron and when they told her to "push," she said how? "I can't feel anything to know I am pushing or not pushing. We had another student couple attend the classes and Lynette was Sharon's Labor coach. Her husband Jim thought he would witness the birth but Sharon felt uncomfortable about him being present.
We had a small room at the top of the steps in our house. I painted it an it turned out to be cantalope in color. There was a small be(smaler thana twin) so I could easity be on either side to deliver or "catch" the baby being born. Still didn't know if it was going to be a girl or a boy.
We prepared by lining the bed with newspaper, which had an antiseptic nature in the ink. Then a sheet on top. the only other "equipment was a pair of white shou laces in alcohol to keep them sterile, my stethoscope, and a large plastic bowl which was to be used when mom delivered the "afterbirth," following the baby delivery. The afterbirth looked like liver(sorry, if I am grossing you out) and was round and made up of section, put together like a puzzle. It was important to examine it so all the "pieces" were delivered. If a section wa still in the womb, it would become infecteded, which would be dangerous to the mother's health.The "afterbirth "was connected to the baby by the umbilical cord and this was how the preborn child got it's nurishment. There is no rush (as opposed to the hospital births) to tie the cord tightly with two pieces of shoe string(they us cord clamps otherwise) since a series of tests at intervals was performed on the newborn. As long as he/she was connected, they still had a life line, so to speak. Tesst were things like reflexes, heart rate,(which gradually slowed down from around 150 beats in the womb) skin color changes,(baby should start turning a warm pink color) etc.Then I used sterile scissors and cut the cord-the part left on the baby would eventually dry up, fall off and a bellly button was left!. Most babies have the cord wrapped around their neck: Abram was no exception-just slip it over the head. As soon as the baby was born, he was covered with a soft blanket and put at mom's breast as their "sucking" helpes the womb tocontract and expel the afterbirth. The baby also is cover with a cream like substance (vernix casanovix). Hospitals usually wipe this off right away, wrong! One, it protects the baby's skin in the womb-ever see what your hands look like if in water to much? Then when he is out into the world, this lotion like substance should be graduallly and gentle rubbed into the skin-it is vitamin enriched and helps prevent skin disease, later in life. neat. the mom does not produce milk right away, but colustrum-which is also full of vitamins and natural antibodies. If you don't want to nurse at least try for a few days so the child gets the colostrum(probably spelling all this wrong!). then everything is cleaned up and mom and baby have time to love and bond with each other.
My big job was to keep the baby from coming to soon and tear mom. Two other pieces of "equipment: an ear syringe to remove mucus from thr newborn's mouth and nose and the best book on child birth is a little paperback, spiral bound booklet, about a quarter ofan inch thick. It is standard in al police cars, etc. and is called, "emergency chuldbirth." which uses the KISS formula-keep it simple, sweetie." A few weeks later, I went to the county courthouse, and paid two dollars to register the birth-hand writen! And thats it. We did take all our babies to a pediatrcian for a neborn checkup. Side note: my biggest surprise wa how slipery the newborn is-one hand under the neck to support the head and the other to hold onto the rest. It was like someone coated them in butter or baby oil. That was the hardest part-holding on to the baby while doing the tests which is called agpar score, 1 to 10-the higher the total number the healthier the baby is.
Dad helping to delver his wife (or, I supose another emergency from another mother: there is no thoughts of the woman's anatomy or sex, as some might suppose. It is a very intense, total concentration ordeal as two lives are at stake. After each home birth, I was elated and full of joy and called family members and close friends. Only after I wa sure all was OK did I crash from exaustion because of the intense, total concenration thing.. The next 4 we had at home with amanda being the last. when we found out we were going to have Ariana, Sharon opted for a home birth; but the Spirit whispered to me and I said "No." That was the right decision because as she was"coming" out, the cord was so tight around her neck she started to turn blue. Sharon asked why and dr. overcash said it was just the lighting of the birthing room-he lied to calm her fears but he could barely get two fingers under the cord to clamp and cut righ away-or the baby wouldno be able to come out and would strangle. I couldn't handle that fast enough so thank God for the gift of the Holy Ghost and listening to His promptings that she neeo be born in thehospital. Besides, it was 9 years since I delivered a baby and I was feeling a litle rusty!
Anyway, some of youhave ben asking me about our home births, so this is a little history of hoLater, I might mention a unique experience with each one; but for now, this is how and why we got started.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
finding truth at last
About 1976-77, I applied for a night cleaning job so with both of us working we could pay the bills. We already moved from the ghetto place to a big house-803 Farnum st. the other side of Palmer but still in walking distance. There was an ad posted at school and I went at night to. O. Cecil Wright's upstairs appartment and filled out the standard office max type of employment application. Strange thing: he wrote in pencil at the top two sententences. 1. Do you partake of alcoholic beverages; and 2. Do you partake of tobacco? Must be importantant to him and I checked, "no." It wasn't till several months later he called me and asked if I wanted the job. Seems one of his workers, D. Craig Campbell bought a foaming, commercial rug shampooer and was getting so many business accounts, that he decided to go on his own. He was to train me for a few nights as his replacement. There were about 7 employees and almost all the cleaning work started around 10-11 PM to 4 AM. Mostly restaurants. Strange: I discovered that they were all "Mormons."
I was trained at Jumer's Castle Lodge-the food part-the kitchen was so dirty I would not let my dog eat there-a chef spilled some greese by a fryer and instead of cleaning it, just poured 2 lbs of salt on it. The inside of the fryer door was green from old fats. Hard to believe. Even today, if we go out to eat, I peak inside the kitchen and check out the bathroom. If they are filthy, we leave. Years before this time, in PA., I stopped in Isialy's- a restaurant chain that also serve ice cream like Baskin Robbin's. I ordered a club sandwich and could also see into the kitchen, The cook was scraping the grill, and to see if it was hot enough, spit on it to see if it would sizzle. I got up and left.
Anyway, the 2nd, and last day of my traing, Glen dropped me off at 4AM in front of our house-never expecting to see me again. He was a student and his way was being paid by his uncle and dad, who were chiropractor in Utah. Having a family member or a military loan was about the only way to have enough money to pay for school.
Befire I got out of his van, I looked at him and said,"Glen would you come over and explain the Book of Mormon to me." He about had a stroke and said, "yes." When I awoke, I asked Sharon if it was OK. She readily agreed. Being around 3 little kids 24/7, she welcomed adult company. That night, Glen and Kathy(his wife) came over and our discussion ended with whether or not we would like the missionaries to come over. Yes. A couple of "funnies:" I was drinking a cup of coffee and had a cigarette lit. I politely asked if it bothered them and he said,It's your house," to which I replied, " Yes, but you are my guests." And promply got rid of both. A year or so before, Glen, a newly returned missionary, was trying to get an Institote(of religion) program started at Palmer and also was talking about the church to other students. Got nothing but, "no's." So he made up his mind not to talk about the church to anyone anymore. THEN I CAME ALONG, AND asked HIM! Rarely happens and it renewed his determination and probably he asked forgiveness.
We had the Elders come and teach us everyweek for 3 months. Now they got it down to about 3 weeks!
We stunned them because at one point, we told THEM that when we are baptized... The normal way is for the missionaries to challenge investigators to set a date. In any case, on June 25, 1977. we were baptised, then confirmed and recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost the folowing Sunday. On the day of our baptism, Sharon said that this was it-no more looking for the truth, We found it. And we promised one another we would never quit or become inactive.
One of the misionaries was brand new: O. Glen Taylor(what's with all these middle name guys?) he had a number of companions, but remained as one of our instructors the entire three months. About 20 years later and now married with kids, he gave me a surprise visit here in washington, IL. He wanted to show his family where he served in Davenport and then "The Valencic's. It was a sweet visit.. Then a number of years after than, having our missionaries over for dinner(a regular custom of memebers is to feed them) I asked them where home was and one said,"Snowflake, AZ." This is where Glen was from and I asked if he knew him. The elder got all excited and said Glen was his Bishop and Scoutmaster and now was the Stake president. It choked me up. I said,"Elder, 25 years ago, Glen was sitting here as a misioary, teaching us the Gosple of Jesus Christ." Small world. Side Note: everyone wears white when they are baptised by imerssion. The males, white shirt/pants or a white "jump suit." Ladies wear a long white dress. But Sharon was very much pregnant with Abram and a white dress just wasn't enough-her belly made it rise up. So, besides the dress, she also wore a pair of slacks-kinda maternity style, because, just a dress would float up on top of the water. Abram was born August 21, 1977, to give you an idea of how close she was to delivery-our first home delivery of five. Tom & Aaron and Ariana, our last, were delivered in a hospital, It was our bad hospital experience with Aaron that swayed us to have a home birth: Mom,me, and a Labor Coach..
I was trained at Jumer's Castle Lodge-the food part-the kitchen was so dirty I would not let my dog eat there-a chef spilled some greese by a fryer and instead of cleaning it, just poured 2 lbs of salt on it. The inside of the fryer door was green from old fats. Hard to believe. Even today, if we go out to eat, I peak inside the kitchen and check out the bathroom. If they are filthy, we leave. Years before this time, in PA., I stopped in Isialy's- a restaurant chain that also serve ice cream like Baskin Robbin's. I ordered a club sandwich and could also see into the kitchen, The cook was scraping the grill, and to see if it was hot enough, spit on it to see if it would sizzle. I got up and left.
Anyway, the 2nd, and last day of my traing, Glen dropped me off at 4AM in front of our house-never expecting to see me again. He was a student and his way was being paid by his uncle and dad, who were chiropractor in Utah. Having a family member or a military loan was about the only way to have enough money to pay for school.
Befire I got out of his van, I looked at him and said,"Glen would you come over and explain the Book of Mormon to me." He about had a stroke and said, "yes." When I awoke, I asked Sharon if it was OK. She readily agreed. Being around 3 little kids 24/7, she welcomed adult company. That night, Glen and Kathy(his wife) came over and our discussion ended with whether or not we would like the missionaries to come over. Yes. A couple of "funnies:" I was drinking a cup of coffee and had a cigarette lit. I politely asked if it bothered them and he said,It's your house," to which I replied, " Yes, but you are my guests." And promply got rid of both. A year or so before, Glen, a newly returned missionary, was trying to get an Institote(of religion) program started at Palmer and also was talking about the church to other students. Got nothing but, "no's." So he made up his mind not to talk about the church to anyone anymore. THEN I CAME ALONG, AND asked HIM! Rarely happens and it renewed his determination and probably he asked forgiveness.
We had the Elders come and teach us everyweek for 3 months. Now they got it down to about 3 weeks!
We stunned them because at one point, we told THEM that when we are baptized... The normal way is for the missionaries to challenge investigators to set a date. In any case, on June 25, 1977. we were baptised, then confirmed and recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost the folowing Sunday. On the day of our baptism, Sharon said that this was it-no more looking for the truth, We found it. And we promised one another we would never quit or become inactive.
One of the misionaries was brand new: O. Glen Taylor(what's with all these middle name guys?) he had a number of companions, but remained as one of our instructors the entire three months. About 20 years later and now married with kids, he gave me a surprise visit here in washington, IL. He wanted to show his family where he served in Davenport and then "The Valencic's. It was a sweet visit.. Then a number of years after than, having our missionaries over for dinner(a regular custom of memebers is to feed them) I asked them where home was and one said,"Snowflake, AZ." This is where Glen was from and I asked if he knew him. The elder got all excited and said Glen was his Bishop and Scoutmaster and now was the Stake president. It choked me up. I said,"Elder, 25 years ago, Glen was sitting here as a misioary, teaching us the Gosple of Jesus Christ." Small world. Side Note: everyone wears white when they are baptised by imerssion. The males, white shirt/pants or a white "jump suit." Ladies wear a long white dress. But Sharon was very much pregnant with Abram and a white dress just wasn't enough-her belly made it rise up. So, besides the dress, she also wore a pair of slacks-kinda maternity style, because, just a dress would float up on top of the water. Abram was born August 21, 1977, to give you an idea of how close she was to delivery-our first home delivery of five. Tom & Aaron and Ariana, our last, were delivered in a hospital, It was our bad hospital experience with Aaron that swayed us to have a home birth: Mom,me, and a Labor Coach..
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
more church
aftre my near fatal car accident in 1969, and not getting much answers from traditional medicine, I starrt seeing a chiropractor in Erie. After awhile he thought I would make a good doctor of chiropractic. I was accepted at Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, IA. Which is how we wound up in the Midwest. The school was started by the founders and considered the best; I had enough precollege credits to be accepted and started in 1974. Our first getto apartment made Sharon cry. Only one bedroom and a pull out couch. But it was within walking distance which was good as we no longer had a car. Sharon found work as a waaitress and tom, jr., and Aaron were not much more than babies. College was extremely hard since studing the body was an exact science with no generalities like in business. The apartment was actually a small house with another student couple living upstairs.One day he came down, all excited. He bought 2 paperback ccopies of the Book of Mormon and gave one to us(only $1.00 at the bookstore) He said it said terrible things about the Catholic church(He was a lay Methodist minister-part time) The book never mentions the Catholic church. I thumbed through it, looking at the painting prints and I just new there was something magical, so to speak, about this book, although I did not read it until 2 years later.
I came to realize we would never have enough money to finish school, as there were no fed loans or grants available. Chiropractic, back then was not recognized as a legit healing art.
I discovered beer in Iowa was dirt cheap and available everywhere, unlike PA. Drinking to ease the pain from the car wreck, instead of meds, was a mistake. And after the drinking career and lack of college funds and we were expectin Abram, I quit. I use to be a restaurant mgr., and was cooking at Ponderosa Steak House. Pete, the manager saw how good I was and that I was with the co., before talked me into going back into management and was kind enough to sell me one of his cars dirt cheap. Eventually, I was transfered to Peoria, IL. But in between was the wierd story of the cleaning business and how we found the church. That will be the next topic. Side note: Abram was born in August of 77 @803 Farnum Street- He was our first baby we had at home. We took home birth classes, I delivered him after Sharon did all the work. Interesting thing about his hair: it had a perfect part!
I came to realize we would never have enough money to finish school, as there were no fed loans or grants available. Chiropractic, back then was not recognized as a legit healing art.
I discovered beer in Iowa was dirt cheap and available everywhere, unlike PA. Drinking to ease the pain from the car wreck, instead of meds, was a mistake. And after the drinking career and lack of college funds and we were expectin Abram, I quit. I use to be a restaurant mgr., and was cooking at Ponderosa Steak House. Pete, the manager saw how good I was and that I was with the co., before talked me into going back into management and was kind enough to sell me one of his cars dirt cheap. Eventually, I was transfered to Peoria, IL. But in between was the wierd story of the cleaning business and how we found the church. That will be the next topic. Side note: Abram was born in August of 77 @803 Farnum Street- He was our first baby we had at home. We took home birth classes, I delivered him after Sharon did all the work. Interesting thing about his hair: it had a perfect part!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
the search begins
Aftet Sharon and I were married, we spent about seven years looking for a church that was true-set up like Jesus set up the His church while on earth 20000+ years ago. He had the Authority and was the sole owner of His priesthood. He called 12 apostles and three were also set apart as the first presidency: Peter as the the President-prophet, seer,and revelator; with James and John as his two counscellors. and with the twelve, it was done with the laying on of hands-His, on each of their heads. When the prophet dies, all the priesthood keys to administer the gospel fall back on the twelve and a new president is called; by custom, the senior apostle. Then another is called to keep the quorum at twelve. As I looked at the Catholic church and compared it to the time He was on earth, there was no comparison betwen the two. The Lord did not walk around in costly vestments, have a cathedral with marble statues and cut marble altars. Rome claims keys of authority from Peter, who they claim was the first pope. Wrong. Peter was dead hundreds of years when the catholic church was organized. And he did not speak orwrite in Latin, which only a few of the upper crust could do. Nor did he drink wine from a gold, jewel lined chalace. The church of Rome formed the doctrine of transubstaniation, which claims the sacrement of bread and wine literally become Hid body and blood, That is cannabalism. When, at the Last Supper he gave that sacrement it was thus. He broke bread to show his body would be torn and given up; and said do this in REMEMBRANCE OF THAT ATONEMENT. Same with the wine; drink it in REMEMBRANCE OF MY BLOOD THAT WAS ABOUT TO BE SHEED, NOT, HERE, DRINK MY BLOOD. hOW ABSURD! tHIS IS JUST A LITLE lesson in history. The Jewish leaders(who were usually apointed and change at the whim of the Roman caapturers followed the Mosiac laws-except they added to them, making them unbeliably complicated for the average person to follow. Example: no work on the sabbath, which could be punishable by death. One of their additions was that you were not allowed to walk on grass on the sabbath. Reason: it could be in seed, and walking on it was considered thrashing it or working. They literally believed an eye for an eye and did not know what the word fogiveness meant. And they also walked around in costly attire so everyone could see how important they were. Then Christ starts His minisry of love-180 degree turn around. If someone steals your coat, give him also your cloak. If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn your head and let them hit you again. When he taught, the crowds were enourmous-20-30 thousand at one time-which is why he got in a boat and preached from it. He was a real threat to the Jewish rulers and they found an illigal way to put him to death.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, His church was ruled by His apostles. One by one they died or were put to death, and the Jewish leaders took over again mixing His simple, pure, authoritative gosple with their own brand of philosophy. Centuries later His church was unreconizable and wielded enormous power. Along comes Constitine who, instead of continuing the fight with Rome, made it his state religion and ordered ALL to join. He also took the luxury of apointing church officials-no more calling a man through inspiration of the HolyGhost and the laying on of hands with Christ priesthood authority. I t was a mess. The common man could only believe what the bogus priests tod them-no mass production of the Bible nor in a languge they could read. The Gutenburg press changed that; along with Luther(a former catholic priest in germany) who wrote the bible in german and made it possible for all to read. of course, he was kicked out of the catholic church. others followeded, like Calvin, etc.
So now in the 1800's. the prophecy of Isiah came true; everything was so screwed up, there was only one thing left to do: wipe the slate clean, and start over. And that's where the Church of Jesus Christ came into existance; set up with priesthood authority and organized just like Christ organized His church while he was on earth. Sacred records were hid up, written by American continent prophets, the last being Mormom and his son, Moroni. The Book ofMormon contained the pure and true gospel of Jesus, translated by the power of God by the prophet Joseph Smith. Once again, priesthood authority and the Lord's gospel were on the earht, in this, the last dispensation, called the fullness of times-and it has remained true and cosistant till today.
So, when we left the Catholic church, there was no sense joining any Protasent churh; they broke away from rome and were just as false. So what do we do? Search. For the truth. We looked into everything from psychic phenonomen, Unity Village, but always had the feeling something was missing. Next: how we became members of the true Church. And rememer: God is always the same-yesterday, today, and tomorrow; or He would cease to be God. So it follows if He is always the same, then ALL churches would teach exactly the same thing. They don't. So a restoration had to be-time to start over fresh, organizing the churhc just as Christ did while He was on earth, No exceprtions, no adding philosophies and unreadable languages. Think about it and you will know I speak the truth. So, Coming up: how we found it or it found us.Side note: Christ says in the New Testament,"Let no man be called father, except your Father who art in Heaven." The word, "Pope," is from the Italian, "Papa," which means father, And Catholic priest are referd to as "father so and so. What a slap in the face to God and His Son.
After Jesus ascended to heaven, His church was ruled by His apostles. One by one they died or were put to death, and the Jewish leaders took over again mixing His simple, pure, authoritative gosple with their own brand of philosophy. Centuries later His church was unreconizable and wielded enormous power. Along comes Constitine who, instead of continuing the fight with Rome, made it his state religion and ordered ALL to join. He also took the luxury of apointing church officials-no more calling a man through inspiration of the HolyGhost and the laying on of hands with Christ priesthood authority. I t was a mess. The common man could only believe what the bogus priests tod them-no mass production of the Bible nor in a languge they could read. The Gutenburg press changed that; along with Luther(a former catholic priest in germany) who wrote the bible in german and made it possible for all to read. of course, he was kicked out of the catholic church. others followeded, like Calvin, etc.
So now in the 1800's. the prophecy of Isiah came true; everything was so screwed up, there was only one thing left to do: wipe the slate clean, and start over. And that's where the Church of Jesus Christ came into existance; set up with priesthood authority and organized just like Christ organized His church while he was on earth. Sacred records were hid up, written by American continent prophets, the last being Mormom and his son, Moroni. The Book ofMormon contained the pure and true gospel of Jesus, translated by the power of God by the prophet Joseph Smith. Once again, priesthood authority and the Lord's gospel were on the earht, in this, the last dispensation, called the fullness of times-and it has remained true and cosistant till today.
So, when we left the Catholic church, there was no sense joining any Protasent churh; they broke away from rome and were just as false. So what do we do? Search. For the truth. We looked into everything from psychic phenonomen, Unity Village, but always had the feeling something was missing. Next: how we became members of the true Church. And rememer: God is always the same-yesterday, today, and tomorrow; or He would cease to be God. So it follows if He is always the same, then ALL churches would teach exactly the same thing. They don't. So a restoration had to be-time to start over fresh, organizing the churhc just as Christ did while He was on earth, No exceprtions, no adding philosophies and unreadable languages. Think about it and you will know I speak the truth. So, Coming up: how we found it or it found us.Side note: Christ says in the New Testament,"Let no man be called father, except your Father who art in Heaven." The word, "Pope," is from the Italian, "Papa," which means father, And Catholic priest are referd to as "father so and so. What a slap in the face to God and His Son.
Monday, March 21, 2011
the church and why-part one of?
hi everyone
about my junior year of high school, I started to question the pracices of the Roman Catholic church. And I was a faithful member, singing in the boys choir through grade school and contemplating of becoming a catholic priest; i figured i would get the collections on christmas for my vacation somewhere warm, free house, dicounts from just about everyone, and i would, of course have a housekeeper, as all priest's residences had. most were old Polish women, etc., and that was out! She would have to be drop dead gorgeous, etc., etc. Hey, there was always death bed repentence and I surely could forgive myself!
Seriously, I had my application filled out for the seminary-where guys go to learn latin and how to do priest stuff and I had an inteviev with father houtt, at st. Phillips in Linesville. As he asked me questions, he became full of rage and yelled at me because I didn't say the word "father" at the end of each answer i gave. I left and told myself i would never want to become like that.
Since I worked 24/7 in my parents little ice cream stand, I took an hour Sunday morning to go to mass. I quit going, and, not wanting to offend my folks or be lectured, I would just go and park and rest for an hour or go to the drug store and read Popular Mechanics or Photography mags. then go home.
My senior year it dawned on me I should apply to a college. I did. only one. Gannon college(now a university), in Erie, Pa. And yes it was a catholic school. Far enough from home but close enough to visit during the holidays. In college, the only church service i ever attended was one at St. Peter's Cathedral-a folk mass, in which I played my guitar and sang with margie and her younger brother. I guess they were after the college crowd. I picked the music and songs, etc. the good thing: during communion we were first in line to sip the wine from the gold chalice after the catholic priest. And they spared no expense in getting the best wine; and the three of us spared no time in gulping down a goodly portion of the wine. Naturally, we sung and played better afterwords. More later; 7 years of searching for the true church.
about my junior year of high school, I started to question the pracices of the Roman Catholic church. And I was a faithful member, singing in the boys choir through grade school and contemplating of becoming a catholic priest; i figured i would get the collections on christmas for my vacation somewhere warm, free house, dicounts from just about everyone, and i would, of course have a housekeeper, as all priest's residences had. most were old Polish women, etc., and that was out! She would have to be drop dead gorgeous, etc., etc. Hey, there was always death bed repentence and I surely could forgive myself!
Seriously, I had my application filled out for the seminary-where guys go to learn latin and how to do priest stuff and I had an inteviev with father houtt, at st. Phillips in Linesville. As he asked me questions, he became full of rage and yelled at me because I didn't say the word "father" at the end of each answer i gave. I left and told myself i would never want to become like that.
Since I worked 24/7 in my parents little ice cream stand, I took an hour Sunday morning to go to mass. I quit going, and, not wanting to offend my folks or be lectured, I would just go and park and rest for an hour or go to the drug store and read Popular Mechanics or Photography mags. then go home.
My senior year it dawned on me I should apply to a college. I did. only one. Gannon college(now a university), in Erie, Pa. And yes it was a catholic school. Far enough from home but close enough to visit during the holidays. In college, the only church service i ever attended was one at St. Peter's Cathedral-a folk mass, in which I played my guitar and sang with margie and her younger brother. I guess they were after the college crowd. I picked the music and songs, etc. the good thing: during communion we were first in line to sip the wine from the gold chalice after the catholic priest. And they spared no expense in getting the best wine; and the three of us spared no time in gulping down a goodly portion of the wine. Naturally, we sung and played better afterwords. More later; 7 years of searching for the true church.
Monday, February 21, 2011
the war years part 2
most students, especially most of the males had this feeling of, "for what?" In other words, as soon as I graduate, I am no longer a full time student and my "number" is up. Most college kids today start pumping out the resumes looking to be hired after their senior year. Not so back then. Unless you had some sort of disability, you were not going to work; you were going to war. Yes, there are a lot of differences between Viet Nam and Iraq. Iraq was a volunteer army and we went to Iraq to win, even though the Iraqi who reported WMD's said he lied. We were allowed to win, none of this "you can only engage the enemy so far.
During my college years, no one my age trusted anyone over thirty-and I can see why as I look back today-they had complete control over our futures. As I look back at all the peace movements, I tend to agree with them. Sure, you had those in it just for the sex and drugs, but most students really wanted peace and for the war to end. It was an amazing sight to see the 100's of thousands at the Washington Monument.
When you come down to the bottom line, we just wanted control over our own destinies and not the politicians in Washington determining who was to live or die. Kids I went to high school and college who I never saw again. Again, you had to be there and live it to understand it; and the few "adults" who were for peace-the Kennedy's, King, eliminated. Being the college photographer, I was privy to hear all the lectures and musical groups. The biggest fruit cake was Timothy Leary, the lsd guru-better living through chemistry. I intentionally made his photo with large all white eyes. Some of the students were in it for the excitement; others wanted to go to war; but most just wanted to live and be a college student-and the majority who protested were sincere as they had candle light vigils at night in front of the draft board, reading off the names of the dead that day or from the town. It was a terrible feeling not knowing if you were going to have a tomorrow or be dead in 3 months. You had to be there and feel it otherwise you just cannot comprehend the atmosphere. Side note: the second semester of my freshman year (before I really started feeling the futility of everything controlled by the war, I signed up for Army R.O.T.C. I figured if I had to go, I would go as an officer-second lieutenant. When I called my dad and told him(he was a gunner's mate in the Navy) he said,"You dummy! They shoot them (officer's ) first!-aim for those metal officer bars on the hat and uniform. I guess the enemy felt if they they got rid of the platoon leader the whole group would fall apart. In any case, after one semester of playing soldier boy, I had enough and quit before I had to make a commitment. It just wasn't the life for me. There were those who REALLY gun-ho and looked forward to the day they were shipped out. Besides, with my short arm, none of my uniforms fit and I could not hold a rifle correctly since the stock was to long for me. But as the college photographer, I was asked by the student Army and the regular Army leaders, to go with them to Painesville, OH. This was the nuke center that was to guard Cleveland and Pittsburgh, etc. All the radar and tracking was in trucks-in case they were about to be bombed, they could move out of the way and still counter attack. And it was neat how they opened the underground silo's and raise the rocket's with nuclear warheads. I took a lot of pics. Which were all ruined-when you walk through the gate your entire body is x-rayed for an I.D. since every skeleton is different.(They didn't tell me this as I would have lined my case with lead. Also, our "tour" guide never left my side that had my camera case. Bottom line: radiation destroys camera film! I suppose today in the digital age, camera or picture taking stuff stays outside the gate.
During my college years, no one my age trusted anyone over thirty-and I can see why as I look back today-they had complete control over our futures. As I look back at all the peace movements, I tend to agree with them. Sure, you had those in it just for the sex and drugs, but most students really wanted peace and for the war to end. It was an amazing sight to see the 100's of thousands at the Washington Monument.
When you come down to the bottom line, we just wanted control over our own destinies and not the politicians in Washington determining who was to live or die. Kids I went to high school and college who I never saw again. Again, you had to be there and live it to understand it; and the few "adults" who were for peace-the Kennedy's, King, eliminated. Being the college photographer, I was privy to hear all the lectures and musical groups. The biggest fruit cake was Timothy Leary, the lsd guru-better living through chemistry. I intentionally made his photo with large all white eyes. Some of the students were in it for the excitement; others wanted to go to war; but most just wanted to live and be a college student-and the majority who protested were sincere as they had candle light vigils at night in front of the draft board, reading off the names of the dead that day or from the town. It was a terrible feeling not knowing if you were going to have a tomorrow or be dead in 3 months. You had to be there and feel it otherwise you just cannot comprehend the atmosphere. Side note: the second semester of my freshman year (before I really started feeling the futility of everything controlled by the war, I signed up for Army R.O.T.C. I figured if I had to go, I would go as an officer-second lieutenant. When I called my dad and told him(he was a gunner's mate in the Navy) he said,"You dummy! They shoot them (officer's ) first!-aim for those metal officer bars on the hat and uniform. I guess the enemy felt if they they got rid of the platoon leader the whole group would fall apart. In any case, after one semester of playing soldier boy, I had enough and quit before I had to make a commitment. It just wasn't the life for me. There were those who REALLY gun-ho and looked forward to the day they were shipped out. Besides, with my short arm, none of my uniforms fit and I could not hold a rifle correctly since the stock was to long for me. But as the college photographer, I was asked by the student Army and the regular Army leaders, to go with them to Painesville, OH. This was the nuke center that was to guard Cleveland and Pittsburgh, etc. All the radar and tracking was in trucks-in case they were about to be bombed, they could move out of the way and still counter attack. And it was neat how they opened the underground silo's and raise the rocket's with nuclear warheads. I took a lot of pics. Which were all ruined-when you walk through the gate your entire body is x-rayed for an I.D. since every skeleton is different.(They didn't tell me this as I would have lined my case with lead. Also, our "tour" guide never left my side that had my camera case. Bottom line: radiation destroys camera film! I suppose today in the digital age, camera or picture taking stuff stays outside the gate.
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