Hilary Duff Checks In Via Women's Health, MLB Umps Put On A Show & Maniacs Fight In The Middle Of I-75
What's with all the Zoom meetings?
Gerard W. sent an email Tuesday asking:
Do you really have to sit in on Zoom meetings every day?
Yes, sorta. It's not like I was going to be fired for missing a meeting when the HVAC guys were here putting in a new central AC unit, but, yes, there's a daily meeting to make.
Now, let me start by saying at first I thought it would be a complete pain in the ass to have a daily Zoom call with the OutKick staff. You guys know I'm pretty much an Internet loner just out here doing my thing and hopefully doing it well. My initial reaction was that Zoom calls would just add a layer of torture that I didn't need to do my job well.
Then the calls started happening and I found that the more I hear from the rest of the staff on a daily basis, the more ideas that pop into my head and strategies start to evolve. And I get to hear from actual humans other than my wife during the workday. It's wild how much I've come to enjoy taking my laptop into the basement for the Zoom meetings.
This all reminds me of when OutKick hired Copy Editor Cortney and I immediately thought this was going to cause fireworks because I'd worked around pain in the ass copy editors for years in the newspaper business and they truly were pains in the ass. Huge.
Copy editors were always one of my enemies because the hardliners pretty much have a stated goal of deriding a writer over every little detail. The great news is that Copy Editor Cortney wasn't trained by the newspaper world. She's supportive but ready to let me know there's an issue without being an elitist.
I feel like Copy Editor Dr. Cortney is a friend I'll have for many years, even if we go our separate ways in the business. She gets what I'm up to and encourages me to crank out even more of the craziness.
And the Zooms are having a similar effect on my life. The Fox News. Corp. version of OutKick has been nothing short of amazing with its support of what I'm up to here. It might not always seem like I have my head on straight, but there's always a master plan in place.
So I have to sit through a Zoom. I'll survive.
Now if they tell me I need to start using LinkedIn we might have issues.
On needed rain
• Ryan Hyatt in Ropesville, TX writes:
Here’s a tribute to Screencap Nation and anyone who saw the pic of what our land looked like in the Tuesday edition of screencaps. if anyone prayed for rain, it worked. Tuesday night we got the first rain we’ve had in 2022!
Now that we’ve got some rain, hope to join TNML sometime soon when green returns to the land!
For Joe, you mentioned the other day you didn’t want to write too much about your son’s little league exploits. I say, Write Away !!!
It’s a great reminder of how simple sports should be. Also, you’ll wake up one day and he’ll be finishing up a Friday Night Lights game and hoping in his truck to go to town, blowing right by that concession stand…
So, thanks to all Screencap folks out there. I’ll post some pics as the season goes along from West Texas and what this rain brings to our cotton!
Wood
• Mike in Pasadena, who travels the world to buy wood, sent me this report:
I'm here, on the sidelines and thought I'd get in the game. Your Kencraft Hardwoods post was a bit of "wood porn" that got the juices flowing.
Last we "spoke" I was en-route to Ghana, Africa. That trip was incredible, and even though I have been dealing in Ghana for 20 years, it was a major eye-opening experience.
I've tossed a few pics in here for you and the greater community. The shot of the 3 logs - each one of those is greater than 7' in diameter.
The single log picture was a sawmill I visited outside of Kumasi Ghana, look closely, the guy in the rear right is making CHARCOAL! I couldn't believe it. It was already 95 degrees out, and he was standing in the middle of smoldering hardwoods.
The guy using the Lucas Mill (which is what they use back here to make 2 x 6's and 2 x8's) is cutting a species called DENYA, one of the hardest on the planet, and he's BAREFOOT.
Traffic in town was unlike anything I have ever experienced. It was a free-for-all at every intersection. Horns blowing constantly, women peddle their wares, walking in the traffic with baskets balanced on their heads. It was surreal. I can go on and on. It was a great and very successful trip and it is already paying dividends.
For the books - I'm a non-fiction guy, and I must say that Bill O'Reilly and Dugard's "Killing series" are very good.
David McCullough - 1776. This is a MUST read for Historians, it will give you a whole new appreciation for the Founding Fathers.
Concerts - got no great stories here - BUT the Wife and I saw the Rolling Stones at the Rose Bowl in 2019, almost exactly 50 years after my Mother saw them when she was a teen.
Keep grinding Joe, I'll come off the bench where I can.
####
I believe it was last night while going through Screencaps readers in my head when I thought it had been too long since we heard from Mike in Pasadena and then he comes through with a Ghana report. Impeccable timing on his part.
Name another sports and entertainment site where on a random Wednesday you get to see inside a Ghanaian sawmill. This is the stuff that gives me a content buzz. Druggies need their heroin fix. I need emails where I get to see things I never knew I needed to see.
By now you should know I want to see the unique in the world. Keep it coming!
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
Off schedule, but the mind is in the right place
• Doug J. in Nebraska writes:
My yard has been a little behind schedule but I knew I had to mow it tonight right after work. I know it isn't Thursday yet, but I believe it still fits under the banner of TNML. Hopefully my yard will make it until next Thursday and get me on track with everyone else. The good news is I won't have to mow it this weekend, and it opens up my Thursday night to get the edging and weed wacking all done.
In the spirit of doing hard things, I turned my mower over to check my blade and it was pretty dull and dinged up. Since I don't have a grinder handy, I spent an hour with a file and got that blade all tuned up and ready to rock.
Speaking of rock, back in 2013 my wife pulled off a miracle to see Tom Petty open his 2013 tour at La Fonda theater in LA and somehow got tickets to the show in a venue that only holds about 2000 people. To see an act like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in a small theater and be a few feet from the stage was one of the best concert experiences I have ever had. The other was surprising my son with tickets at Christmas to go see ELO in July in Nashville a few years back.
It was priceless to see the joy on his face as he sang along with his favorite band all night long. My first concert was pretty memorable as well. Seeing the Eagles for their Hell Freezes Over Tour in SLC was an incredible night of 3 1/2 hours of Eagles hits. Still my favorite band.
Happy Hump Day Screencappers!
Casual conversations and a concert
• Galen in TN writes:
Your Monday Screencaps post from Matt in GA regarding how a casual conversation led to an unexpected concert adventure got me thinking about my own experience. Back in '77 I was working my way through college at Sears Automotive. It was a beautiful spring day and I went to the local motel pool to hang out for the afternoon before my evening shift. I had a '68 CJ5 Jeep that was jacked up and had huge tires. Being great weather, I had it shined up and the top off.
I noticed a guy walking around and giving it the once over so I went over and asked him if he liked it. He said, "Yes, we have some land in Texas and we've always wanted a Jeep to have a little fun." My buddies had a "party farm" about a mile away so I asked him if he wanted to take a quick ride. He agreed and then asked if we could drive around to the other side of the motel to pick up a couple of buddies, so we did.
We got on the road and I said, "By the way, my name is Galen." He replied, "I'm Billy, that's Frank, and that's Dusty." Something about those names together rang a bell but I just couldn't come up with anything. I said, "That sounds familiar." He said, "We're ZZ Top here for tonight's show (this was pre-beard days when they weren't as recognizable)." Johnson City, Tennessee (yes, of Wagon Wheel fame) was a go-to concert stop back in the '70s for all the touring bands, but I had not made plans to attend that night.
We had a quick ride and I dropped them off at their room and went back to the pool stunned at what had just happened to me. Soon after a guy came up and asked if I was Galen because he had something for me. He said the guys wanted me to have this...a backstage pass for the concert!
Needless to say, I ditched work that evening and ended up on stage behind the massive speakers. The highlight was when Billy was hittin' his licks on "La Grange" and looked over and saw me. He acknowledged with a nod and a wink...unreal.
They also put me on the list for the "after-party" (before there was such a thing) at the motel lounge, The El Toro. What a night and it all started out with a casual conversation over a Jeep!
• David S. writes:
Screencaps has become a daily ritual. Great job.
Concert emails inspired me to reach out.
I’ll screw up the dates/years but:
1st concert ever I was in 7th grade, my mom let me go because my older sister (1yr older) was going to chaperone (insert guffaw here).
Little did she know…
Anyway, Bad Company & Golden Earring Onondaga County War Memorial Syracuse NY 1974(ish)
2nd concert: Santana – Manley Field House Syracuse NY mid 70’s. phenomenal guitar, phenomenal band - WOW
Until…
Moved to Orlando in late 79, saw Prince open for Rick James at the Lakeland FL Civic Center in early 1980.
This was back when Prince was maybe 19, wore a diaper and thigh-high boots and killed it.
And then Rick came on and showed why he was the champ.
Best concert I ever saw. Musicianship and showmanship extraordinaire.
As a side note, Lakeland sits right between Orlando & Tampa on I-4. During the '80s anybody and everybody played Lakeland.
I’m sure some of the SC community can chime in on that.
####
Look at David with quite a list of concerts on his social resume. That's impressive seeing an early Prince do his thing in a diaper in Lakeland.
Here you go if you'd like to read more about Prince's styles through the years.
Don't blink
• Craig V. writes:
Joe—
Glad to hear Mrs. Screencaps had a good Mother’s Day. My wife didn’t cry which is always my barometer for a good Mother’s Day. Most of the time it’s actually not my fault if she does, but a great day nonetheless.
Anyway, I'm writing to you because “don’t blink“ was firmly planted in my head as I had coffee while we did our morning routine today. My 5 y/o, also named Jack, is entering his last week of what I call “redshirt kindergarten”. He’s a July birthday so we elected to do private kindergarten where he went to preschool. His older sister was on the same path, but her redshirt year was ended abruptly due to Covid. So we didn’t go through the same level of emotions with her because we were trying to process the world at that time. But today it just hit me that he only has 5 days left and that’s a tough pill to swallow. So I’ve made sure my calendar is clear this afternoon so I can pick him and his younger brother up from school. I don’t know if they will ever walk out of school again together and NEED to be picked up. Please believe I am going to relish that moment and absolutely do not blink.
On a much lighter note, I was reminded of a story from our friend in North Dakota last week. Nearly 2 decades ago, I was playing golf with my college roommate and his brother. They worked grounds at this golf course and their job description was: cut the grass, kill snakes, and manage the geese population. We were on the front 9 when his younger brother decided to take out what I would classify as a teenage gosling. I’m a good 50-60 yards away from this ordeal. Mama goose did not like what happened. For some reason, she starts charging at me.
So I’m doing a light jog down the fairway and notice she’s gaining ground and go up to a faster run. She’s right on my heels so I have to make a decision. I ended up turning around and had to kick that goose right in the chest. She flew backward and finally left me alone. But I woke up the next day and my shin was sore—like shin splint sore and I couldn’t figure out why. Then it dawned on me I kicked a goose square in the breast. I’m pretty sure several migratory bird laws were broken that day, but the statute of limitations has long expired.
####
Craig, my 5-year-old went through graduation Tuesday at his private preschool. He has to the end of the month before full-time preschool ends and he goes on a light summer schedule and then it's all over at the end of July. Our days of going into a daycare we first walked into way back in 2012 will come to an end. 10 years of daycare will end.
I'm choked up just thinking about it.
Now, I need to take a walk through the garden to look at all the flowers my wife planted last night before my daily Zoom meeting -- camera is always on, BTW. Make sure your camera is ON!
It's another beautiful morning here in Ohio and we're all going to have an amazing day across this incredible country where you can dream about one day writing the Best Damn Daily Column on the Internet and the dream comes true.
Take care.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com