Honors College versus College of Art and Design square off on the flag football field of battle

This is the Liberal Arts version of combat - flag football

Pre-game coin toss, NCF in blue, Ringling College in black

 This Sunday, I was invited to witness the "tie-breaker" in a series of five athletic challenges between the "Fighting Armadillos" of Ringling College of Art and Design and the New College of Florida team (who apparently failed to agree on a name).  Perhaps a fund raiser to "Name That Team" for the Relay For Life/American Cancer Society will follow this afternoon's event.

Ringling College failed to tie the game as time ran out in their own red zone, failing to score the point which would have sent the game into overtime.  So, the record now stands at 3-2, based on today's nineteen points scored by New College, and a valiant eighteen points by the Fighting Armadillos.

Now, the concept of a red zone in flag football, played by seven on a side, all wearing belts of "flags" to be substituted for a real man's tackle.  The game becomes more of an evade and escape exercise, and most scores came from running, although a fair amount of passing was attempted but to little success.   I thougt that Michael Long of New College was the better passer, but the QB from Ringling seemed more agile in the running game.  
That's Long in the blue uniform, number 0, and Hunter Thomposon of Ringling in the black, number 1.
Hunter ultimately sacrificed his dark head of hair as the loser, but his father (who is President of Ringling College) had a worse fate.
The Presidents of each university agreed that the losing educator had  to sit in the dunk tank while people threw softballs and tried to soak them for fifteen minutes following the game.

It was a fun day, and I've posted quite a few additional pictures to my FaceBook page.  I think the best comment was "New College was best at playing the game, while Ringling excelled at filming it.        

Seven Critical Thinkers from New College

Michael Long, winning QB

Beautiful daughter, beautiful grandson

The picture on the left just arrived today, where Cole Robert was enjoying the afternoon with his mom and other neighborhood women.  The subdivision is a very sociable place, where after work "winding down" is the order of the day.

The photo on the right is perhaps a week old (circa April 1, 2013) and shows Cole sitting on his dad's lap.  Caitlin of course is flashing that winning smile.  People say she cannot deny being my child (nor can her brother JB) although I just keep getting older and she looks better each year.  She will reach the dreaded (by some) 30th birthday this year, and will reach that wonderful time in her life when a woman truly comes of age - knowing where she's been, where she's going, and having developed a plan to get there.  Cole turns 18 months later this month, and each time I see him through the wonders of iPhone technology, he continues to amaze.  Grandchildren truly are a blessing, and you only wish they lived closer.

Kiwanis of Longboat Key

I served as President of this club (Kiwanis of Longboat Key) from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012, and the fellow on the right side of the picture, Jim Burmeister, followed me.  The fellow on the left side, Richard Crawford, will follow Jim in the succession of officers.  I've been associated with Kiwanis since May of 2005, and have been the club Secretary (and in this picture the guy behind the camera) since 2007 or 2008.  Time flies when you're having fun.

The lady in the picture and the six other men are all representatives of organizations we supported in our most recent fundraising endeavor, the Gourmet Lawn Party.  That event, held on the driving range of the Longboat Key Club-Islandside location, drew 28 restaurants plus other vendors offering beer, wine, flowers, etc.  Admission was $25 and the food and drink were free once past the gate.  We raised $50,000 and the group above benefitted from $30,000 of that total, with the balance set aside for the 2013 individual scholarship cycle of our club.

The organizations represented by the people in the photo were the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota, the Boys and Girls Club of Manatee County (Bradenton), Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Sarasota, Children First of Sarasota and the Child Protection Center of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.  Our club meets 51 Thursday mornings each year (we take off Thanksgiving only) at the LBK Club-Harbourside location, and have programs each week.   Many of the youth oriented charities come before us to speak, and we listen to their stories.   Our club also is very involved in helping through others - we have been the highest revenue "Kettle" of the Salvation Army of Sarasota for the past three or four years.  This year we stood outside and helped raise over $5,000 in front of our neighborhood PUBLIX grocery.

I'm now involved in helping make our Third Annual Valentine's Dinner Dance a success - we sold all seats (200) during the first two years, and hope to continue this year.   Last year's "profits" resulted in over $15,000 toward our Foundation's gift programs.  Once again, we'll have a big band dance and award a Citizen of the Year at the dinner dance.  Not sure where I find the time, but Kiwanis (an old Indian word meaning "charity shakedown") is in my blood and my heart.  As my Kiwanis shirt reads "It's all about the kids", we hold their futures in our hands.

And now, driving the number 33 car..........

Move over Darryl Waltrip, Cole Bob
wants to drive this year.

"Cole Bob" Kreienkamp checks out Grandma's Volvo 

 NASCAR will be the ultimate destination for Cole Robert Kreienkamp, based on his meteoric rise in the stock car ranks as the number one baby driver for Richard Childress' Number 33 car, sponsored by General Mills.  He's the latest stock car phenomena to come out of the St. Louis market, and takes his driving seriously but with a lot of enthusiasm.

Cole already is doing a number of public appearances on behalf of product line Cheerios, which he heartily, if not messily, eats every race morning. 

When asked to comment, he said something which I'm sure was positive, but must admit I'm just not sure what he said.  After all, he's only 13 months old.

Anniversary today, 14,975 and counting

Sometimes, the frivolous muse attacks, and I cannot resist writing something.  Today, December 29th, marks the start of my 42nd year of marriage.  Tomorrow, at church, the poinsettias which will adorn the pulpit will be commemorate that achievement of Elizabeth's - enduring 41 years of marriage to me.

Of course, we don't choose the flowers as they are generally "of the season".  You pay your $25, you take your chances, and then you get to take home the flowers after the service.  Since Poinsettias are not healthy for little dogs, we've decided to let somebody else enjoy them.

So, tomorrow begins day 14,976 (yes, I did remember to add those ten "leap year" days into the calculation) of the union of John & Elizabeth.

Many at our wedding were making book that it wouldn't last, and I think the longest bet was five years.  
Today is like our wedding day (which actually was more of a wedding night) inasmuch as it's also raining outside and we have no special plans.  After that late afternoon wedding on December 29th, 1971, we attended briefly the reception at a nearby hotel, then retired to my apartment to watch a little TV ("Outer Limits" as I recall) and turn in to go to work the next day.  I was a student working days and attending evening classes, and Elizabeth was working, and we couldn't afford a "honeymoon" but hoped that our tax return (remember, I had just gained an extra deduction for a dependent) would provide that money by the following April 15th.

We both agree that the "honeymoon" was postponed till 1974, after I had graduated college and was attending my first job related business meeting in Orlando.  Disney was the location, Epcot was new and we took perhaps an extra day.  About all I remember, but maybe that's just age talking.  Anyway, best wishes to all those people who attended our wedding, made bets, and lost money - like a Timex, some marriages take a licking, but keep on ticking.  

Oh, the cartoon?   Well, it just reminded me of that new competitor for Hickory Farms of Ohio, an upstart firm in nearby Pennsylvania.......you know it...........Cheeses of Nazareth.

Cole's First Birthday Celebration Week

Proud mom and dad share cake with Cole

Cole Robert Kreienkamp, age 1

Toby, Ripley, Cole and JoJo and Grandpaw

My week in Missouri comes to an end today, as we pack up the Volvo and head back south to Florida.  I must admit it's been a great time to be a grandfather, even with the obligation (once) to have sole duty and change an actual diaper.  I've got to say, they're a whole lot easier, without those darned pins.   In fact, the best thing about a grandson is that you can always hand him back to his mom, or dad, not to mention Grandma who is always willing to step in.  Cole is really an ideal child, whip smart, and on the whole quite easy to deal with - he seems to have his mother's joyful temperament and his father's unflappable sense of calm love.  My daughter did OK in the marriage department, as Matt is a great dad and it's clear that Cole loves him as much as she does.   Not all children have this to grow up around, so as grandparents, we're truly blessed.

When J.B. and Caitlin were growing up, my wife was a stay at home mom, and I was out chasing a career.  Granted, that career was a good one, and provided for educational opportunities for both my children, the fruits of which are coming to pass in this less than ideal economy of today.  When one looks around to see how many lack jobs and nice homes, you come to appreciate your own good fortunes.  Cole is growing up in a nice home, with two loving parents, and two small dogs.

As to those dogs, I'm not sure either would have been my own choice, and I'm quietly convinced that Matt would have preferred something in the way of one larger animal, but JoJo the Dumpster Dog (actually rescued from a dumpster in Detroit of all places by a high school friend) and Toby the Toy Fox Terrier without tear ducts (making it two dogs with one good eye between them) are part of the package.  At least for one week, Ripley the beagle showed Cole what a dog is supposed to be.  Non yapping masculine bark, patient with small hands learning to to pet "gently", handsome as the day is long (like his daddy) and award winning breed (we all remember Uno, who won at Westminster K.C.).   Although, last night, as we were repacking suitcases, I did hear him exhale a sigh of relief that we'd soon be "on the road again".

So, as the dawn breaks, and the household awakes, I'll end this missive by saying "while you can't go home again", you can visit your children and enjoy watching them grow up to adulthood.  Next year, Cole will be walking, and talking, and probably having a lot to say........I can't wait.

Not every train has a

Cole Car, but this one does after his birthday celebration today.

Cole Bob turned one year of age on the 22nd of November, which this year was also Thanksgiving Day.  Because of that, Caitlin and Matt decided to move his party to Saturday, December 1st.  It's not as if Cole Robert Kreienkamp would notice, were it not for the photos taken - who remembers their own first birthday, after all?

The car was a joint purchase of Cole's two married uncles and their wives, and we decided to show him before the party, as long as he promised to repeat the joy in his eyes when he "officially" saw it later today.  Now, as to that title "not every train" - it also refers to my weekend plan to drive to Indy and search out a train set piece that eluded me the last time I went into that giant archeological dig known as my mother's basement.   Wish me better luck this time, as I'm searching for an "O" gauge Sante Fe engine.  I already have an old engine, and now I have a cole car to go with it.