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Year: 2019

testtest

Posted on December 31, 2019March 9, 2020 By Tom No Comments on testtest
EdTech, Science

Twenty years ago I held my as the clock ticked from 11:59 to midnight. There was a real fear that this might be The End of the World as We Know It™. To me, that was just yesterday, and those memories are fresh in my mind. It’s hard to fathom that the college students in Laura’s classes were either born AFTER the year 2000 or were too young to have any experience of experience of the Y2K scare.

A Christmas Carol, Revisited

Posted on December 17, 2019December 17, 2019 By Tom 1 Comment on A Christmas Carol, Revisited
Music, Uncategorized

I can’t believe I haven’t posted anything here since Halloween. November was a blur, and December was upon us before I knew it. We have now entered the most chaotic time for professional musicians. This past week alone I’ve had either a rehearsal, a performance, or a group jam session every day. Since stores have … Read More “A Christmas Carol, Revisited” »

An Electric Crybaby

Posted on October 26, 2019October 27, 2019 By Tom 1 Comment on An Electric Crybaby
History and Genealogy, Photography, Rambling, Weirdness

The story of a “Crybaby Bridge” seems to be a common trope in tales of the paranormal. There are Crybaby Bridges all over the country. Each bridge has a similar story. Usually, a distraught mother kills a baby by tossing it into the water below. Thereafter, any travelers crossing the bridge at night will hear … Read More “An Electric Crybaby” »

Exploring Underground Anderson

Posted on October 21, 2019October 21, 2019 By Tom 5 Comments on Exploring Underground Anderson
History and Genealogy, Local, Photography, Rambling

For many years I’ve known about the underground railroad passage in Anderson, South Carolina. The passage hints at a forgotten history and neglected part of the city. I’ve visited the entrances to the passageway several times, but just never got up the nerve to explore it by myself. This past week fellow explorer Alan Russell joined me, and together we finally got a chance to explore Underground Anderson.

The Queen of Kouign Amann

Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 By Tom 1 Comment on The Queen of Kouign Amann
Recipes

Kouign amanns (pronounced “queen amahn”, are an incredibly decadent pastry from Breton. According to Wikipedia, it is described in the New York Times as “the fattiest pastry in all of Europe.”  So, of course I like them. Instead of cake for Laura’s birthday, we decided to try to make them at home. The first time … Read More “The Queen of Kouign Amann” »

Birthday Weekend in Atlanta

Posted on October 18, 2019October 18, 2019 By Tom No Comments on Birthday Weekend in Atlanta
Travel

This year Laura’s birthday coincided with her Fall Break from Furman. Since I’m no longer tied up on Sundays and since she had a long weekend, we decided to do something completely different. Neither of us had been to Atlanta in a long, long time, so we decided to do a museum weekend with visits to the Fernbank Natural History Museum and the Georgia Aquarium

Catching Up Mid-October 2019

Posted on October 16, 2019October 16, 2019 By Tom No Comments on Catching Up Mid-October 2019
Miscellaneous

I have let things slip. Yes, it’s been another writer’s block stretch. I’ve been doing research and some exploration, but nothing that would make a whole blog post. I’ve posted things to Flickr and to Facebook, but not here. So, I’m going to do a catch-up/update post with a few miscellaneous items, then do several shorter separate posts.

Exploring Berry Shoals Pond from Tygerberry

Posted on September 28, 2019September 28, 2019 By Tom 4 Comments on Exploring Berry Shoals Pond from Tygerberry
Geocaching and Maps, History and Genealogy, Local, Paddling

For many years I drove over the bridge over the South Tyger River at Berry Shoals, looking longingly at the old steel trestle bridge downstream and the twin lakes of Berry Shoals Pond and Silver Lake. I wanted to explore the area. However, I was always in route to one of my schools or on some other school district business, so I never got a chance to explore…until now. Sadly, my explorations were cut short, all for want of a hat.

Maybe There’s Hope

Posted on September 27, 2019September 27, 2019 By Tom No Comments on Maybe There’s Hope
Miscellaneous

After only seven months on the job I have resigned as music director at Hopewell Methodist Church. It just didn’t work out, for lots of reasons. When I took the job my duties were to play the piano for services, direct the church choir, and oversee the other music ministries. My stated goals were to … Read More “Maybe There’s Hope” »

Finding Bigfoot in Marion

Posted on September 19, 2019September 19, 2019 By Tom 2 Comments on Finding Bigfoot in Marion
Travel, Weirdness

The TV show “Finding Bigfoot” had the biggest misnomer for a title. They never found him/her. All they did was run around in the woods making noise, claiming evidence that was easily debunked. I guess “Making Fools of Ourselves While Looking for Bigfoot” wasn’t quite as catchy. Despite my skepticism, I like Bigfoot stories. I … Read More “Finding Bigfoot in Marion” »

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