Getting to know the Boneyard members at bit

[OviedoFLHusky]

I'd say that the most important time in my professional life as an Instructional Systems Designer (ISD) was when I, along with a team of teachers and counselors, put together a course about child abuse: how to recognize possible signs, what the law says, the official reporting procedures, etc. This course was put online as a requirement for all teachers in my county to take. If that course helped even just one little kid, it was completely worth doing.

 

[zymurg]

Winning the state championship in track was one highlight I forgot. What made it amazing is that we scored only one point the previous year, so it came out of nowhere.

many years ago when I was in college at Vanderbilt when I was attending an event held at a major hotel; I snuck into an even bigger event. The Country Music Hall of Fame was taking place that night. On a dare I went to the registration desk; it was unattended. I picked up an I.D tag for Governor Jimmy Davis. He was a former governor of La. He is the author of "You Are My Sunshine.". I escaped detection amid the crowd and exited quickly from the reception.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Meeting Mohammed Ali at the Pittsburgh airport and got his autograph on the back of a seat ticket sleeve, maybe ‘72 or ‘73. My brother was a tow truck operator in the early 70’s and he also met Ali, as his RV broke down on the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike on their way to Deer Lake. A real gentleman.

 

[Dogdude]

My most memorable moment was performing on guitar along with an orchestra at the premiere of a symphony I composed to document the 5,000 mile walk across the country with my wife. The journey was to reboot our lives and Cindy’s brain health after she had been let go from work due to cognitive decline. The movements of the symphony correspond to five themes of discovery while walking across America, synchronized with photos in a slideshow. Cindy improved during the journey but regressed again after it was over. At the time of the premiere I had been her full time caregiver for over a decade, and still continue in that role.

You can view the slideshows here: American Discovery Symphony

I'm giving that a listen, might be fun for our symphony to play!

 

[CL82]

many years ago when I was in college at Vanderbilt when I was attending an event held at a major hotel; I snuck into an even bigger event. The Country Music Hall of Fame was taking place that night. On a dare I went to the registration desk; it was unattended. I picked up an I.D tag for Governor Jimmy Davis. He was a former governor of La. He is the author of "You Are My Sunshine.". I escaped detection amid the crowd and exited quickly from the reception.

 

[diggerfoot]

I'm giving that a listen, might be fun for our symphony to play!

I would be honored if you do. Three of the movements have vocal parts that are not included in the synthesized music for the online slideshows.

Here are testimonials from the premiere.

 

[LwrcasefaN]

After retirement, I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I went to the park one day, and watched a Dog Agility Trial going on. I had just got a dog for companionship, and thought this looked like fun. It took a long time to learn how to train my dogs, but they were very smart and cooperative.

I ended up doing this for 14 years, until I finally had to "retire" again at age 75. I ran three different English Cocker Spaniels, and they all earned many Agility Titles.

For those unfamiliar, they give you a course map, with the sequence of obstacles. (Shown at the beginning of the video). You then get to walk the course for about ten minutes, without your dog, while you plan your handling strategy. Here is a representative run. ( I was age 70) Hope you enjoy watching.

Now I'm tired.

 

[PacoSwede]

I occasionally teach a class on early Buddhist texts for grad students and often find myself thinking along these same lines. But I've never had an ultimate experience like what you describe. I'll keep looking.

great!

this is not uconn bb related, but since you're familiar with buddhism, perhaps you (or anyone) have some ideas about my puzzlement.

i of course have been interested in buddhists beliefs. i immediately saw the parallels to my own 'enlightenment' and imagined that i could find plenty of buddhists and get insights from them. it has been more than 50 years now and even with access to many resources via the internet these days, it's really tough to find to others who share my insights.

sure, the concept of oneness and the problem of overcoming the ego are mentioned often. the mystics are fascinating and have a long history -- and not only in buddhism. i read about such stuff and think "yes, yes. they get it. finally!" but then they don't. it seems at the last minute they can't get beyond their egos. they have accepted that it presents a roadblock, talk about overcoming it, but repeatedly fall in the trap. everything always comes down to them.

do only the truly enlightened defeat this? is it that difficult and rare? or do those who in the end do overcome simply have no need, or ability, to speak of it?

a puzzlement i have yet to solve. ... not that it matters, ha ha.

 

[Skeets]

There was a time when I would bowl and golf regularly, but my games were vastly different. At the end of a night I would remember the few (2 or 3) bad shots I bowled but after a round of golf I would remember the few (2 or 3) good shots I had. But those 2 or 3 good ones kept me coming back for more...

Sometimes my scores are the same

 

[cuzinvinny]

retired almost a couple years now was a computer programmer for a hospital system, been a UCONN Women's Season Ticket holder for over 25 years been to three Final Fours 2000 2001 2004, I ride a trike see picture, I'm into photography, live by Long Island Sound, I mow my lawn with an electric mower...

 

[HuskyNan]

I haven't gone insane after almost 30 years on the Boneyard.

 

[Pharos]

Met my wife in Spring '74. Our friendship grew over the next 18 months. At the same time her mom was dying of cancer. At Thanksgiving '75 I was visiting her home, and someone came to tell us that "Mom wants you in her bedroom." We went. Her mom was in terrible shape.
She said, "I have two things to talk with you about before I go. First, are you two going to get married?" We said yes, and a few minutes later we were engaged. Then her mom said, "Second, I want the two of you to promise me to read the Gospel of John." That seemed strange, but we promised. Her mom died a week later.
We didn't get to it right away, but God kept prompting. That moment changed our lives in many, many dramatic ways. Can't wait to see my mother-in-law again.

 

[boontonbomber]

I was married to Helen for 20 years,and we had 5 children. She was diagnosed with leukemia, our hearts broken when she passed away 2 years later. The kids went off to college,and life after college. I was content to continue teaching, and visiting children and their families. Some 10 years after losing Helen, I was off for the day with a crew of teachers to play golf in western Mass. While driving along rt.7 , I passed an antique shop, and out front, in her garden, was the owner. Most of what I noticed was the most amazing red hair. Played the round, then, uncharacteristically for me, stopped at that antique shop on the way home. From that day,and for almost 30 years now, my partner Jenny and I have been apart very rarely.

 

[MooseJaw]

Coached women's sports for 40+ years, softball, track & field and cross-country. Coached womans jr. Olympics where I was picked by Jessie Owens to work with him as a field marshal. He was one of the most amazing men I have had the pleasure to work with.

 

[Bone Dog]

I was married to Helen for 20 years,and we had 5 children. She was diagnosed with leukemia, our hearts broken when she passed away 2 years later. The kids went off to college,and life after college. I was content to continue teaching, and visiting children and their families. Some 10 years after losing Helen, I was off for the day with a crew of teachers to play golf in western Mass. While driving along rt.7 , I passed an antique shop, and out front, in her garden, was the owner. Most of what I noticed was the most amazing red hair. Played the round, then, uncharacteristically for me, stopped at that antique shop on the way home. 30 years later, my partner Jenny and I have been apart very rarely.

Twice blessed. You followed your heart.

 

[meyers7]

I haven't gone insane after almost 30 years on the Boneyard.

 

[uconnfan68]

Meeting Mohammed Ali at the Pittsburgh airport and got his autograph on the back of a seat ticket sleeve, maybe ‘72 or ‘73. My brother was a tow truck operator in the early 70’s and he also met Ali, as his RV broke down on the NE Extension of the PA Turnpike on their way to Deer Lake. A real gentleman.

Shook his hand after deplaning in South Carolina. Mid 80s... he was on the downside by then. I was actually surprised he wasn't bigger.

 

[CL82]

I haven't gone insane after almost 30 years on the Boneyard.

 

[MSGRET]

Being the C4 Supply and Support NCOIC during the Kurdish relief Operation Provide Comfort after the Gulf war. Controlling four different supply staging areas for both Military support of the combined services and relief support for the Kurds in Northern Iraq.

 

[Dogdude]

I would be honored if you do. Three of the movements have vocal parts that are not included in the synthesized music for the online slideshows.

Here are testimonials from the premiere.

I'll check out the videos and send them out to the board members. We're always looking for stuff that's not the same old stuff... new stuff is cool.

 

[Dogdude]

It's a little intimidating with some awfully impressive resumes here, but I'll give it a shot. After learning to ride my bike at 4, it's been a steady stream of disappointments. I didn't become a Harvard lawyer or football hero like my dad, nor a renown surgeon like all the grandfather and great-grandfathers on my mother's side. What I did do well (along with my siblings) was rebel, instead hiking the long trail and Appalachians, racing bikes in Switzerland for a season, eventually becoming an old-house restoration guy. The one useful thing I did wa start a concert series 30 years ago, which catered to alternative strings music, basically anything but classical that used violins. That developed into a workshop program, a music club for kids (6 of the "graduates" are professional musicians, (kind of a curse if you're not Taylor Swift) and set up any number of touring musicians with agents and managers. The main point of the series, though, was to funnel every penny earned after taxes into local non-profits, over a half-million bucks worth. Of special interest are open-space preservation efforts. I=Outside of that, life has been spent chasing ice cream.

 

[Geesworld]

Biggest personal highlight being named High school football & basketball all American teams. My first time hearing my name on the tackle in a college game. Just a few memories that I will cherish.

 

[tomcat]

Having graduated with a degree in sociology (which I soon found was like a degree in very little, unless you went to grad school) I joined the world of work as a cub newspaper reporter, which started me on a lifelong career as a writer of all sorts of things. After the newspaper I worked for eight years in TV (in Hartford), taught an evening journalism class at UConn (my only connection to the university), public relations, marketing and corporate communications. Along the way I earned my master's in communication at age 66. I "retired" seven years ago and we moved to Florida. Retirement lasted a few months, and then I took my current job as the grant writer for a local nonprofit. I'm proud of the fact that we are pulling in between $2 and $3 million a year in grants.

 

[CL82]

Biggest personal highlight being named High school football & basketball all American teams. My first time hearing my name on the tackle in a college game. Just a few memories that I will cherish.

Impressive.

 

[Bezzz]

Honor Society student in High School, captain of the baseball team. Pitched a no-hitter in Legion ball. Pitched in college where I won more than I lost (didn't suck). Lived in NYC for ten years...day job architect, night job playing in several rock bands (killer gig at Columbia U. student center, never played at CBCG, bummer). Back to CT private practice for 35 years, recently retired. Having success with oil painting --I have a painting in the New Britain Museum of American art. T o quote Peggy Lee, sometimes I ask myself "Is that all there is?" I guess it was enough.