Sunday, February 25, 2007

I realize the quality is not very good.. but just think about the old man who took it.. haha...



A week ago Friday night, Ann and I joined Missy and Craig Hannan in a trip to eat at Click's in Pawnee, OK.
We had a great time and Jake and Trisha joined us too. Jake happened to be off so they could go along. Needless to say, we did enjoy the food and the conversation! Both Craig and I have bdays in Feb, too, and you get free deserts for your bdays.. so that helps too .... like we need an incentive to eat...haha.... speaking strickly for myself... haha....

I took this photo just inside the door while we were waiting in the long line to eat... Click's has been there for a long time and enjoys a great great following of folks who love great steaks.. etc. Well work the wait!!! Enjoy the day...
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Madison Ann dropped by with her mom and brother Saturday for my bday party Sat. night.. and she loves to spin in the old office chair...

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A closer look at the logos and type...

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Then I headed off to visit with many of



my web clients, and one wants me to do some catalog work for them this spring regarding livestock sales, so headed off to the printers to find out how high production costs have went... and found this piece on the wall at Frontier Printers in Stillwater.

I bet not many know what this is .. it is a type draw from their old type sitting room... you can see the pieces in it for the different businesses they did printing for over the years and how those logos changed... kind of cool... when you are older.. haha....
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Thursday, February 22, 2007

Take my Son

Take my Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art." The young man held out this package. "I know this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this."

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son
did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected. The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?"

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." But the auctioneer persisted "Will somebody bid for this painting. Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?"

Another voice angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh's, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!" But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

"We! have $10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."

"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the collection!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?"

"I am sorry When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the
paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!"

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: "The son, the son, who'll take the son?"

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!

Monday, February 19, 2007

Madison and Dylan and Grandma Moffat

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Lessons From Geese

Lessons From Geese

Editor's Note: "Lessons from Geese" was transcribed from a speech given by Angeles Arrien at the 1991 Organizational Development Network and was based on the work of Milton Olson. It circulated to Outward Bound staff throughout the United States. We share it here with the alumni community hoping that we can all learn these lessons.

bullet FACT 1:

As each goose flaps its wings it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

LESSON:

People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

bullet FACT 2:

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.

LESSON:

If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

bullet FACT 3:

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.

LESSON:

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

bullet FACT 4:

The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

LESSON:

We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

bullet FACT 5:

When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.

LESSON:

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Great Grandma and MK before we ate....


MK got her a new digital camera, a really nice one and was getting ready to get after it last evening... but first we got to eat a very awesome meal put on by the Cub Scouts of Stillwater.... ummmmm.... good....
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Phil and Austyn

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