My Life According To Maxine

(Published on iSurf News on September 29, 2011)

Some days, I think Maxine is my alter ego. She can say exactly what she thinks and no one minds. If I said some of the things Maxine says, I would either be fired or shot.

Maxine, The Crabby Lady, was created in 1986 when Hallmark launched Shoebox Cards, and today she is one of Hallmark's top selling characters. Created by John Wagner, who Maxine calls “Arty-Boy”, the character was inspired by his mother and his grandmother. Usually, a cartoon character will begin first as a cartoon, and then moved on to a greeting card. However, Maxine performed this feat in reverse. Her syndicated cartoon strip, Crabby Road, ended in 2002 but she can be found in books available through Hallmark as well as her own licensed merchandise.

Neither Snow Nor Rain

(Published on iSurf News on September 22, 2011)
 

When you were young, what kind of games did you play? Did you enjoy playing board games? Maybe you enjoyed playing card games, jacks or even some games that involved exercise, such as frisbee or catch. When I got a little older, I enjoyed going to the local arcade and dropping quarters into the machines. Many times, I was the high scorer on the Ms. Pac Man game, but I also loved Pac Man, Asteroids and Space Invaders.

I also remember going to teen parties and playing spin the bottle, hoping that when the spinning bottle stopped, it was pointing right at the one I wanted to kiss. There is one game that I do not remember playing, Post Office. For the life of me, I cannot remember playing that game.

Rock Around The Clock

(Published on iSurf News on September 15, 2011)

I was born and raised in Muhlenberg County, only leaving long enough to go to college and then rush back home. Seems like I ran back just as fast as I ran away, something about growing up and hitting the pavement makes you realize that things were not nearly as bad as they had seemed.

There are so many things about this area that I am I proud of. I love to tell people that I am from the same place as the Everly Brothers. I love telling about how this area is so rich in coal, music history and wonderful people. Music has always had a special place in my heart, so when there is a concert or a music event in the area, I'm usually there.

Grandparents Day

(Published on iSurf News on September 8, 2011)

When my son was born, he was the first grandchild for my parents and the first great-grandchild for my maternal grandparents. That kid did not have a chance. Something happens to a person when they become a grandparent. Remember all those rules they had as parents? Well, they do not apply to the grandchild. They still apply to you, the child, but not the grandchild.

Sugar In The Land

(Published on iSurf News on September 1, 2011)
 

A little over a year ago, my best friend introduced me to a county singing group called Sugarland. I had heard a little about them, but my friend thought they were amazing.
I soon fell in love with the song “Stuck Like Glue” and that is how we compared our friendship. We were stuck like glue. When we found out that Sugarland would be in concert at the Indiana State Fair on August 13, we planned a weekend trip to Indianapolis.

My Friend Herb

(Published on iSurf News on August 25, 2011) 

When I was in high school, I had an English teacher named Herbert Smith. Mr. Smith, or “Herbie” as we called him when he was not within earshot, was a jovial man, always smiling, laughing and having a wonderful time. Herbie was a tall, large man with a heart just as big. He was also bald. Well, nearly bald. He did have that ring of hair that runs right above his ears and around his head, but the majority of his head was hairless. He had the same hairstyle as my great-grandfather, what I like to call “Grandpa Hair”, so I thought of Herbie as a little more than just a teacher.

My best memory of Herbie was the day he came into class and started talking about the fact that he had just gotten a haircut. He ran his hand over his hair, what little he had, and announced, “I got a haircut.” I just couldn't resist. I piped up and said, “Herbie, which hair did you get cut?” He gave me the Herbie-Glare, slowly took out his grade book, ran his finger down the list of names as he eerily repeated my name over and over. When he found my name, he took his ink pen in hand and then he said, “Douglas...conduct...F.” The only “F” I have ever gotten in my life!! But it was so worth it.

I have such fond memories of Herbie roaming the halls of my old high school.

My Epiphany

(Published on iSurf News on August 18, 2011)

I was a late bloomer when it came to going to college. There were so many things that I wanted to do, I couldn't decide what to do.

I finally decided that I was going to be a teacher and help young people learn, but as soon as I realized that I would probably be going to school the rest of my life, I decided to pursue another path. By the time I packed my little orange Toyota Corolla, which I called my “Pumpkin”, and headed off to college, I was 21-years-old.