Remembered activities with Dad

I was trying to think of things to do with my children by looking into my past and seeing what things my Dad and I did together…

  Me, Mom, Dad and my sister Danielle

I received a toy microscope from one of those “sell to get prizes”, that you would find on almost all kids magazines in the 80's. I was so excited, I wanted to see what blood looked like, ( it’s a boy thing), but i was terrified of pricking my own skin. I waited for my Dad to come home and see if he would give me some blood.

 

During my short time with the scouting program I (like all scouts), did the pine wood derby. I brought my derby car kit home and Dad and I designed a car. The part I remember most is when it came time to give the car some more weight. We drilled holes in the front where the head lights would go on a normal car. We then got an old soup can and melted some of the lead bars that came with the car. we then poured, (well Dad Did the pouring), the lead into the two holes we just made.

I remember going camping as a family, the smell of pine, the sound of birds in the mountains, running water, and camp fires. One time while Dad was driving us to our camp site in the mountains, I looked out the window of our station wagon and saw nothing but a very step drop.

I remember driving to a house to either look at or pick up my dads 1973 Dodge Charger (it was an awful green color at the time). One summer day Dad was working on the engine, He kept revving it up. I was inside the house and was scared that the car would blowup.

Dad made a cat house with our neighbor Eric Fink. We got a cat for Christmas.

My Dad and I liked to watch the hit TV show “Battle star Galactica” on Sunday afternoons. We also watched “Air Wolfe”, “The A-Team”, and “MacGyver”.

I remember my Dad baptizing me at the age of eight only because I remember a picture of Dad and I standing under a tree dressed in white.

 

Unfortunately this is all I can remember at this time.  If and when I have more memories to share I will.

 

Jason

Magic

Magic is one of those words that brings to mind Grandeur and Spectacle, Wonder and Amazement,and sometimes weird and stunning. For me it has always been wonder and amazement, “How’d they do that”… “Wow”… and “Impossible”. I would watch with wonder as David Copper field walked through the Great Wall of China on live TV, in amazement at Penn and Teller doing their Cement Mixer of Death, Lance Burton as he performed dove magic, and Jeff McBride with his card routines. It always struck me how utterly impossible it was to do those things with seemingly everyday things; doves, cards,walls, and even cement mixers.

Now fast forward to 2009. I have always wanted to learn ‘Magic Tricks”, “Illusions” and the like, so I decided to use the power at my finger tips, ( of course I mean the Internet),to learn more about how to do ”magic”. I started by watching famous performers, then researching how the trick was done. Some secrets are still secrets to me but through my research I have found….( No secrets from me) how to manipulate cards through sleight of hand movements. Now this sort of magic depends on tricking the eye more than having a gimmick object ready to spring something from nowhere. This may sound simple,and at first sounded to me like all I had to do was “Learn how and I could do it in no time at all”… Not that simple, first I had to understand how the trick was done, then I had to learn how to hold my hands in regard to the object being used. I had to learn the various movements and finally practice,practice, practice, practice….I am still not done practicing.

My children can’t help but see what Daddy is learning. I talked to my oldest and explained to her that it takes long hours of practice and sore muscles to be able to perform a “trick”correctly,( my forearms are still sore from new ways of moving).I shared with her that it would be rude to tell a friend, “I know how you did that” or “that's easy”or “I can do that too”… especially in front of a crowd.  Always remember that they have practiced a very long time!!  

The art of illusion and misdirection is not inherently bad, it is an entertaining skill that has to be learned, honed, and practiced.

Christmas and School in Utah

The first Christmas I can fully remember was on Base in Utah. Christmas eve after being in bed for some time when I head a loud mewing that woke me up. I went to the living room where I found my Mother laying on the couch. I told her I heard a cat that was really loud and that I couldn't sleep. She said it was outside and that I should go back to bed. It was dark so I couldn't see the Christmas tree or anything around it, so I didn't think anything else of the sound. I went to bed and finally fell asleep. When my sisters and I woke up, ( early in the morning.....of course), we found a tall round cat house with three holes cut in the side, carpeted in a tan color, that was a little confusing until we heard a kitten meow. We had our first pet!! I do not remember the color of the cat or anything else received that year. My Dad and our neighbor (Eric) had built the cat house from scratch,(it lasted for many years)

Of school I remember one day waking up to a very foggy morning. We usually walked to school (15 minute walk I think), and that day was no different. It was very strange to "walk among the clouds that day. I went to a fairly large school with stairs and lots of classrooms and a lot of kids. A couple of friends and I participated in the unofficial "sport" of kissing tag, ( chase girls, catch girls, kiss said girls!!). We played on a big slopping lawn that was great for running games.

Earliest Memory

My memories seem to start at Hill Air Force Base in Clearfield, Utah. We lived in a three bedroom house on base. I can still picture the layout. (Remember that these memories are random and not in chronological order).We had a good size back yard that I made a big snowball, when it started to melt all kinds of "ice caves" began forming. In these "ice caves" I would place my GI JOES, (a hidden ice base), and would play for hours.

There was a field not to far away that I would go to and collect Praying Mantis and bring them home for my Praying Mantis farm. I had set up a twisted piece of wood near the house and would feed them worms and grass hoppers. I loved holding the insects in my hands and feeling there pincher's squeeze at my flesh,( it kind of tickled).

Also close by was a hill that all the neighborhood kids called Grasshopper Hill. This hill was used for climbing, Sledding during winter, and games of chase and hide and seek.

Introduction to ME

I am a 31 year old father of five, (three boys and two girls). I am married to a wonderful woman of nine years. I work as a delivery driver for a local wholesaler.

This Blog is planned to be a random record of various memories as I think of them with life lessons as they appear.

Now for some good stuff!

I was born in Oxfordshire Oxford England. My father was stationed at an Air Force base there. I have no memories of my long three years in England . I have lived in Louisiana, Utah (Hill Air Force Base), California, Nevada, (more to come on NV later), and currently reside in Ohio.