I need to hear some good news.

[Snapolit1]

Wow, that must feel great to see a former student progress like that. Awesome.

Originally Posted by todeen

My former student, Kenneth Rooks, moved on to the finals of the World Championship 3000m Steeplechase.
https://www.deseret.com/2023/8/19/23...ships-budapest


Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[Snapolit1]

My oldest son, who is a PhD grad student in astrophysics, just got his first paper published. It's far above my level of understanding, but if there are any astrophysicists or even physicists on the board who want to give it a shot, I'd be happy to forward a link. Very happy for him. He worked hard to get where he is.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

My oldest son, who is a PhD grad student in astrophysics, just got his first paper published. It's far above my level of understanding, but if there are any astrophysicists or even physicists on the board who want to give it a shot, I'd be happy to forward a link. Very happy for him. He worked hard to get where he is.

CONGRATS! My wife had her senior thesis published. It was a huge achievement for her. I have her publication on my trophy cabinet. She likes seeing it near my prized baseball items.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[StraightRaceCards]

Originally Posted by todeen

My former student, Kenneth Rooks, moved on to the finals of the World Championship 3000m Steeplechase.
https://www.deseret.com/2023/8/19/23...ships-budapest


Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

That’s a huge deal. To make the finals at worlds in of itself is a HUGE accomplishment. Very cool and thanks for sharing!

[todeen]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Wow, that must feel great to see a former student progress like that. Awesome.

Originally Posted by LarsHoneyToast

That’s a huge deal. To make the finals at worlds in of itself is a HUGE accomplishment. Very cool and thanks for sharing!

He's having a year he'll never forget. He wasn't allowed to enter a professional race in LA in May because the organizer thought he wouldn't be competitive. He was listed as an alternate and eventually won the race. Then he won the NCAA steeplechase championship. Then he won the US Championship. And now here he is in Budapest. I couldn't be happier for him! And I think he recently got engaged, but I can't confirm that. But the girl had a ring on her finger.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Entered my collage in the fair and I got a blue ribbon the size of my pinky. Fine Art was the only exhibit to give away ribbons that size. Everyone who sees it gets a very good laugh. My son won his for guessing the champion pig during pig racing. It's a lot of fun if you've never seen it! And... someone at the fair left their name and number hoping to buy it. I'm not sure I want to sell, but if they make me an offer I can't refuse, I guess it's worth considering.
20230918_170443.jpg

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[JollyElm]

You should add 'magician' to your list of talents as well...because I swear that Gehrig is levitating!!!!

[todeen]

This falls under: it takes a village to raise a child.

My 10yo son just went through fundraising for hockey. The Association vomited multiple selling opportunities on us at once: Xmas wreaths, discount hockey tickets, and raffle tickets. We told our son that hockey is too expensive for us to cover all of the various costs, so if he wants to play hockey year after year he needs to take fundraising serious. This was his first experience fundraising, he has never done Boy Scouts, or Camp Fire, or anything like that.

He ended up raising about $1300. $200 were anonymous donations; some of the anonymous donations included a comment like, "He's doing a great job," or "I'm glad you're teaching him to do sales." Lots of positive vibes. Many people talked to him about their experiences with youth hockey.

Anyway, he has been attending goalie clinic; they have a gear closet, but that doesn't include masks or sticks. So he has been practicing with his regular helmet. I've been waiting for a puck to hit him in the Adam's apple. After fundraising, we went down to the hockey shop and, with the money he raised from his hard work, he bought a goalie mask and goalie stick. He was very proud!

I'm hoping that he has learned a lesson about the rewards of working hard.

[bnorth]

Tickests for pre-sale to the 2024 Strongest Man on Earth Strongman competition went on sale at 11am CST today. I got extremely lucky and got the first seat in the front row floor seating again this year.

[MichiganMan24]

My grandpa just had surgery to remove a "cancerous cluster" in his stomach.

The operation was a success, and he's back at home recovering already.

Filled with gratitude that he's okay and wishing health and happiness to all of you as well!

[todeen]

My son's hockey season wrapped up. The local WHL team asks hockey players to sell tickets. if they sell more than 40 they get to sit on the bench while players warm-up. We got 5 free tickets. While on the bench, he got his favorite player to sign his poster. He was the only kid who brought something to sign and have a sharpie! Plus, Chiefs won 7-6 in a real thriller and clinched a playoff berth.
20240316_175642.jpg
20240318_204037.jpg

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Another piece of good news is my house remodel, kitchen cabinets were installed. While that is good, it's not the greatest news. Our contractor is assigning us errands so that we can stretch our budget (errands he doesn't want to do himself... like scrape popcorn ceilings which we completed in January). We took a HUD remodel loan, and the HUD agent gave a list of expected fixes not including our desired changes. Because of 60-70 degree temps (this is the good news!), we've been working on the house and these errands since Friday. Most time consuming is scraping and painting the base siding of the house. It did not have rain gutters and when it rained it splashed up and ruined the bottom panel. But we've been saving money on labor, and the contractor will reallocate that money somewhere else!
20240312_191445.jpg
20240318_123900.jpg
20240317_150233.jpg

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[nj3356673]

Originally Posted by todeen

Another piece of good news is my house remodel, kitchen cabinets were installed. While that is good, it's not the greatest news. Our contractor is assigning us errands so that we can stretch our budget (errands he doesn't want to do himself... like scrape popcorn ceilings which we completed in January). We took a HUD remodel loan, and the HUD agent gave a list of expected fixes not including our desired changes. Because of 60-70 degree temps (this is the good news!), we've been working on the house and these errands since Friday. Most time consuming is scraping and painting the base siding of the house. It did not have rain gutters and when it rained it splashed up and ruined the bottom panel. But we've been saving money on labor, and the contractor will reallocate that money somewhere else!
Attachment 614925
Attachment 614926
Attachment 614927

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

I love painting, clean job

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by todeen

Another piece of good news is my house remodel, kitchen cabinets were installed. While that is good, it's not the greatest news. Our contractor is assigning us errands so that we can stretch our budget (errands he doesn't want to do himself... like scrape popcorn ceilings which we completed in January). We took a HUD remodel loan, and the HUD agent gave a list of expected fixes not including our desired changes. Because of 60-70 degree temps (this is the good news!), we've been working on the house and these errands since Friday. Most time consuming is scraping and painting the base siding of the house. It did not have rain gutters and when it rained it splashed up and ruined the bottom panel. But we've been saving money on labor, and the contractor will reallocate that money somewhere else!
Attachment 614925
Attachment 614926
Attachment 614927

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

Congrats on the progress. Also congrats on finding a contractor that will let you help AND give you a better price for doing it. As a retired contractor in all honesty we will make the bill bigger IF the owner thinks they need to help almost every time.

I have kinda good news or I just wasn't cheap this year. I booked the Hilton beside the Strongest Man on Earth strongman contest in Loveland CO this year. The athletes stay there and since there is 3 full days of events it is easiest to just be able to walk across the street to attend the events.

[pawpawdiv9]

Guys, i get that homeowners like sweat equity....but sometimes you say WTF?
Let them go ahead, but if the homewoner screws up, it will cost 2x as much
We had to do that on some of our commercial buildings, those that have in-house so-called maintaince men.

BTW- i had 3 teeth pulled last week...now i feel like hillbilly Joe with a gap.
Luckily i still have 2 baby teeth behind it to fill it in.

On a good note: Today i get text messages from Lara Trump to do a survey to support our Republicans.
Then shortly after, got another to tell the Democrats to keep hands of Trump towers.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Congrats on the progress. Also congrats on finding a contractor that will let you help AND give you a better price for doing it. As a retired contractor in all honesty we will make the bill bigger IF the owner thinks they need to help almost every time.

I have kinda good news or I just wasn't cheap this year. I booked the Hilton beside the Strongest Man on Earth strongman contest in Loveland CO this year. The athletes stay there and since there is 3 full days of events it is easiest to just be able to walk across the street to attend the events.

Originally Posted by pawpawdiv9

Guys, i get that homeowners like sweat equity....but sometimes you say WTF?
Let them go ahead, but if the homewoner screws up, it will cost 2x as much
We had to do that on some of our commercial buildings, those that have in-house so-called maintaince men.

BTW- i had 3 teeth pulled last week...now i feel like hillbilly Joe with a gap.
Luckily i still have 2 baby teeth behind it to fill it in.

On a good note: Today i get text messages from Lara Trump to do a survey to support our Republicans.
Then shortly after, got another to tell the Democrats to keep hands of Trump towers.

Luckily I have prior experience with home remodeling. So removing garbage, painting, basic construction, deck building, scraping popcorn ceilings, taping drywall and plaster, laying pavers for sidewalks.... that's about it. But I also know my limits. Electrical, plumbing, tile and grout, all those are beyond my pay grade. I believe the last chore on my to do list is sloping the exterior away from the home.

Our contractor got a job with a commercial developer and has been given projects over in a development. I'm not sure they want to give us everything they have, but with a HUD loan there are time restraints (6 months max). So this is a simple way to keep work moving to keep HUD happy. But the contractor has also told us certain projects he will not allow us to complete. My sister in law said she can install flooring and our contractor quickly said no.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[pawpawdiv9]

^^impressive you can do all that
I work guys with 0 experience—you’re hired
Plus you look young and taking your time
To Make it right- Nice!!
When you go get done- you have satisfaction
Of a job well done and you done that
Makes you feel good

[todeen]

I posted a longer updated answer in another thread "Little League Donations," but today I gave away roughly 12k cards (40 boxes) at a little league celebration due to the generosity of collectors in this group and on Twitter.
20240511_120509(0).jpg

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[DHogan]

Very cool of you to do that Tim.