I Saw A Mullet Today

It was Field Day at my daughter's elementary school. I took some time off work to go up there, cheer her on and take some pictures. I was looking through the viewfinder of the video camera when I spied a mullet. I looked up from the camera and sure enough it was a for real, business in the front, party in the rear, "number one on the sides, six on the top and don’t touch the back" mullet. Upon further inspection, there was actually a horizontal part in the hairline between the short hair and the flowing locks. I don't know why I was so shocked. I mean, I live in Winder, GA, probably one of the foremost mullet capitals in the deep south. Don't forget we still have the Winder-Barrow Speedway just over the ridge from my house where every Saturday night we are blessed by the symphony of roaring engines until 11:00pm at night. I still remember the first spring we lived in Winder. I heard the races from inside my house. I stepped outside onto the front porch and was so astounded by the volume that I called 911. The 911 operator yelled over to someone named Crystal and asked if the races had started up yet. She thought it was too early in the spring but no, Crystal confirmed, they start in March. My investigation of the races the following week confirmed my fears. I heard phrases like, "Darlene, I think they're taking your husband to jail. Yep, they got him." I knew I had moved to Mulletville, USA. I divagate. Later, when the kids were playing on the playground between events, I saw the Mulletman playing with his daughter. Then I realized he was gamboling with several of the kids, carrying a zip line back and forth so the kids could ride. I couldn't help but think that under that coiffure was a person who loved his kids. He had taken the time to participate in her school event. Was this man anything like me? Could I larn anything from this gent? In the post-apocalyptic red dawn, I'll probably be at his doorstep begging him to take me hunting for food for my family. In the mean time, it should be a crime to wear a camo t-shirt, denim painters' shorts, flip-flops with a mullet in public. 

I say leave 'em in the 80's and don't look back.

Yesterday's Jam

"Look at you! My IT Team. Team players each and every one of you...Team! Team, team, team, team, team! I even love saying the word "team"! You probably think that's a picture of my family. Uh uh. It's the A-Team!" Denholm, The IT Crowd, Series 1, Episode 1. 

I am very proud of my team. I am writing this post while logged onto the web using the wireless cloud at The Woodlands of Columbia that is part of a CATV and Internet package we installed. Everyone played a part and it works beautifully. This has been the largest, most complex project we have ever tackled. 

Along the way we have had many hardware disappointments where something didn't work as advertised and we've had to go back to the drawing board. Each time my team has come up with an alternative solution and here we are today. Official move in day and everything is working, 2 days ahead of schedule. 

Congratulations guys. 

Now more about my new favorite TV Show, "The IT Crowd". Why hasn't anyone told me about this TV series. It is probably one of the funniest shows on TV. I must admit that when the American version came out a couple of years ago, I never watched it because I thought it was called "The It Crowd" as in another "90210" or "The Hills". 

Anyone wanting to watch a show about the "it" crowd probably doesn't want anything to do with the IT crowd and so you can see why the show failed to produce a following. Check it out on Netflix or buy it at Best Buy. It won't disappoint. It delivers, just like my team.

Wisdom at Waffle House

I met a man last weekend who gave me some unsolicited advice but I haven't been able to shake it. He was a working man in blue coveralls with his name embroidered on the pocket. He was an older, local fellow with some teeth missing and askew. 

He noticed me waiting for a table and stopped to comment on my children. He mentioned that he had raised 3 girls in his lifetime. And then proceeded to give me some advice. I leave you with his own words as best as I can remember them: "People say raising girls is harder than boys, but I say it's easy. You just gotta be right there for them when they need Daddy. When I'm at work and I get a call from home, I just close up my tool box and head on home. My friends ask me, 'Don't you have a job?' but I tell'em my wife has 3 kids to raise and she can't do it alone." 

I've reflected on his words all week and they strike a chord within me. You can find morsels of wisdom anywhere you go.

BUSTED!

At work we have a LATE CAMERA. It is a web cam that sits near the front door. From 8:31 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. any motion triggers it to snap a picture with a time stamp and then e-mail that to everyone in the company.

My Lame Excuse: I forgot that I needed gas and left the house just in time to get to work. I only pumped 2 gallons but even that made me 3 minutes late. Doesn't everyone have a lame excuse for being late?

There is a problem when people are later than 9:00, but we can't extend the time because the productive people are going back out the door. Also, some folks have tried to sneak in the back door.

An issue that I struggle with is that some of the people who are habitually late, stay late and are the most productive (aka profitable) people. Others not. Some of my early people leave before quitting time.

As an employer, I'm not sure if I should look at tardiness as a personal discipline issue or rather allow people to play to their natural rhythms and work when they are most productive.

Your comments welcome. Are you a late person or early person? Why?

The 2lb Double Face Sledge Hammer

I was feeling sort of down. My rental house that, until just a few weeks ago, had been occupied by a "family" was vacant. The tenants moved back to their home country and left $16,000 worth of damage to the house. (Apparently the phrase single-family home in English doesn't translate to the same thing in other languages.)

I left early Saturday morning, just after breakfast and protests from all of my children to try my hand at some repairs. The list is long and just reviewing it makes me unsettled.

After some bone jarring gravel shoveling on the driveway to try to smooth out the ruts, I started removing all the carpet. My hands were blistered and cramped up. I could hardly open them. I was beginning to get in a really foul mood.

But then it happened.

I was getting a knife from the toolbox and when I lifted the top tray, I saw it down in the bottom. There it was, beckoning like some sort of Tool Time Excalibur. It had been hiding down there, just adding dead weight but at that moment it was clamoring to be wielded by an angry soul.

The 2 LB Double Faced Sledge Hammer.

With fervor, I obliged.

First to go was the makeshift door frame they had installed to close off the family room in order to make it another bedroom.
Next was the makeshift closet in the same room.
And finally, the downstairs shower, damaged by the upstairs shower being used without a curtain, was the last resister.

I came down full force on the tiles. Crack. They easily busted into dozens of pieces. It was almost too easy. Then I hit it. The big block in the center. It was solid brick covered in steel reinforced concrete. A worthy adversary.

With every blow, the block barrier gave small but satisfying results. Chips and flecks, chunks and steel mesh loosening and crumbling. The sound in the small shower enclosure was deafening.

My ears were ringing but I couldn't stop until the whole thing lay in a heap of rubble on the floor.

Victory!

• 16" Length



• Double face



• Polished face



• Hickory handle



• Forged steel head



• Used for general sledging operations in staking wood, concrete, metal and stone



• Common uses are drifting timbers and striking spikes, star drills, hardened nails and home security



• No toolbox complete without one

The Trilding

Trilding [tril-ding] -noun
1. a relatively permanent enclosed construction around any of various forms of vehicle for carrying goods and materials, usually consisting of a single, no longer functioning self-propelled unit, used for any of a wide variety of activities, as living, entertaining, or manufacturing while having a roof and usually windows.

2. South Georgia storage shed

3. The 8th wonder of Modern Day Redneck Construction

It's okay. Go ahead and click on the photo for an enlargement. I'll wait. Yes, you are seeing correctly. They backed the truck up, salvaged the wheels and bricked it in.

I saw this very unusual building addition on a previous trip to Statesboro. I was determined to hunt it down and get a picture this trip because I didn't think anyone would believe me. The picture speaks for itself.

After taking the picture, I wondered, "what type of establishment is this anyway?"

Well if you must know, it's Gnat's Landing. Seems to be quite popular with the locals.

Tonight: Barefoot Booyak

Friday: Do Good DJ's

Saturday: Triple Shock

Anyone know of other trildings? Post a link to a photo.

I Frequent "The Beaver House"

Anytime I get south of Macon, GA (some call it the gnat line) I start looking for South GA Sweet Tea. It's thick like syrup and served ice cold. I usually drink about 6 glasses in a sitting, the first one before the waitress leaves the table.

My company has a client in Statesboro, GA. We find ourselves down there about 2 times a year.

A couple of years ago I was down there with Mike Cowan, a graduate of GA Southern, and he introduced me to the Beaver House. Back in his day they served a meal plan for college students and they didn't keep track of how many times you had eaten during the week. Needless to say, Mike did not go hungry while in college.

These days he has quite a devotion to the place. I'm not sure if it's because the food is so good or just plain guilt from his former life, but I can't go down there with Mike and not eat at the Beaver House. He says, "I wake up at night in a cold sweat thinking about their fried chicken. I love that chicken."

Now that's all well and good until we get into a monthly financial review at the office and my other partners see charges on the company Amex for The Beaver House. Of course they are thinking what you were thinking when you read the heading of this post. (Which is probably the only reason you're reading this.)

So just to prove it's not some seedy truck stop off I-85 South, here is The Beaver House.

The sign inside says, "Seconds are a compliment. Thirds will cost you $1.00."


I recommend the sweet tea; Mike, the fried chicken.

Make sure you get your Prom reservations in on time.