High Banks at Salem

A few weeks ago we traveled to Salem for the evening race sponsored by Jay-C Foods.



The Jay-C Company gave the employees free tickets and then fed us all the chicken, mashed potatoes, slaw, rolls, and drinks we could consume. After each race throughout the evening, Mr. Bowen would post winning numbers in the air conditioned suite. We were lucky enough to win a $20 gift card along with several coupons for free items at our local Jay-C store.

To me, the race wasn't all that great as I knew none of the drivers who were racing. The view we had was pretty, but that was about it:



Each of us would pick a car number at the beginning of the race of the car we thought would cross the finish line first. I never won, but it didn't matter.

I found this picture in the suite. It's a very young Tony, back in the day when he was at Salem.



I was never lucky enough to see him race then, but I wondered if any of the drivers driving the day we were at Salem would someday be a famous NASCAR driver. Guess time will tell...

As we were leaving after a long night of racing, the pace car was setting just outside of the grandstand. Of course I had to take another picture:

A great evening of meetings

If anyone knows my daily schedule knows it's pretty full of extra curricular activities. Tonight was no different. It's Wednesday, so that means I have 1/2 day off of my daily job. For that reason, I always plan most of my extra curricular errands on Wednesday. I've recently volunteered to head up some new activities. (Don't ask me why I said yes, because I thought I'd learned to say no, guess I didn't!)

Anyhow, this afternoon I headed north to Seymour to place an order from the Engraver for a baby contest I am in charge of, only to step out of my truck and hear my reminder alarm going off! It was reminding me of a meeting I had at school beginning at 3 p.m. It was 2:45 p.m.! Gasp! I have 15 minutes to make it back to the 'Ville! I wasn't going to make it. I got my trophies ordered and started back, made a few phone calls and was in the meeting by 3:10 p.m. Whew!

I was recently asked to join an academic improvement committee at the Junior Senior High School. One of our many goals is to get more parents involved in with the happenings at the school. The elementary has their PTO group but we have no goal at this time to start this at the high school level, but some of their ideas could work for the high school. Right now, our main objective is to promote parent participation, which in turn, will benefit the students.

At a recent Athletic Booster meeting, a comment was made of the students that they needed to realize the school belonged to them and they need to take (and show) ownership. I'm not sure when it changed from when I was in school, but I know sometime between 1978 and 1992, it changed, drastically. Progress can be made, but it will take time for the change to come about. Hopefully, our newly established committee with make progress and the community will be behind us and see the changes.

My second meeting of the night was our first meeting for the newly organized Park Board. I came away from the meeting really pumped and ready for more change. Vice President Sam Kuhen, Secretary Terry Richey, Board Member Jimmy Shirley and Steve Prather, along with myself, President. What a great, great group of people. Together we have lots of ideas and together we will make a difference.

Make sure to watch Countryside Park AND Bard Street Park for changes. It will happen!

Whew, what a night!

Positive vs Negative

Does a postive plus a negative equal a postive? Does a negative times a postive equal a negative?

Have you ever just sat and noticed how people react to their surroundings? If three people are in a room, 2 postive and 1 negative, chances are the negative person will leave the room with a postive attitude...usually.

During the course of a day, we can choose to be with the postive or we can choose to be with the negative. Sometimes, like during work shifts, not everyone has their chance to move away from a negative contact. It's always nicer to be around someone who has a postive outlook on life, rather than someone who is constantly complaining about something.

Me, I choose to surround myself with postive people. It's easy for me to ignore a negative person. Not feel sorry for them, but just ignore them, but notice the way they are missing out on lots of happiness. It's their choice, not mine.

Now, for the answer to the question above. If you have 2 bad apples and you times it by 2, then you have 4 bad apples! So in your life, if you are surrounded by bad apples, always remember you will be negative.

Good luck!

More yearbook memories

Do I have photograph of you? If I do, you might want to get a little worried...





Wonder if he'll look like this in ten years?



...or 20?



Recongize this one?

Relaxing returns

Sitting in my favorite chair, with a good book, looking out the window in between pages....Ahhh, peaceful.

Butt...

Everyone's heard the saying, "Don't expect me to stick my head up your butt and read your mind!" Well, you'll never see me going there, on anyone. However, if for some reason I don't know the answer, you can bet I will do everything in my power to find the correct answer. It won't be some sort of hog wash, made up answer, but the truth, always the truth.

In return, I expect the same. To me, there is nothing more annoying than a liar. Lie to me once, then I'm done, adios, good-by, farewell.

The best quote ever is, "If you speak the truth, you don't have to have a good memory!" How true!

My 1950 - 2000 year book photos...

Fun and funny stuff. Reading Shelley and Perry's blog today and seeing the fun they were having with their yearbook pictures, I thought I'd try my hand at it. This is a 1950's photo. The scary view of this one is when the picture appeared -- I had to gasp! It was like looking at my mother!













This one is funny too. Sometimes after my hairdresser has given me a new perm...I actually look like this!







Me as a blonde!



And last but not least...the year I graduated... 1978! If you are wondering, my Senior picture DID NOT look anything like this!

A new pool

Right before school started Patrick and I decided to go to Madison and visit Clifty Falls State Park to spend the day at their pool and maybe grill some hot dogs at the end of the day. We made our way to Madison, but didn't end up at Clifty Falls. We found something so much better.



There is a city park down by the river on the southeast side of Madison. We had a blast here!



I only wish we would have found this place in May and not in August! Now, I can't wait till next May to be able to return to the place.

After we were done swimming we traveled north, along by the river, just to enjoy its beauty. Patrick found some geese by the bridge and thought it would be fun to play with them. Of course, they weren't in the mood to play with a 14 year old boy!

It happened again!

I just attended my third meeting in just as many days and again I walked away with another title behind my name!

Today I attend the Crothersville Athletic Booster Club meeting. It was very interesting, with the new AD and his wife attending along with four other new faces.

As always, our first meeting of the new school year gets long and drawn out, but we accomplished several new and exciting things.

For one, there will be a season ticket sale for high school volleyball this year. I will find out tomorrow the cost of the ticket, but I believe the fans of volleyball will be excited.

We, as Boosters, have asked in the past for a all-season pass. I know it will not happen this year, but things are in the works and the ducks are getting in a row for the ball to drop on it happening for the 2009-10 athletic season! That will be great news for anyone with a student-athlete that is in multiple sports or parents with both male and female student-athletes.

The popular 'Hoop-Shoot' will be returning to the high school boys basketball games. Fans will appreciate that! They will have a chance at winning $5, $10 or $20 by making a basket!

On September 9, our high school volleyball team will vs Austin. We will be making that night 'Teacher Night'. All the teachers from Crothersville Community Schools system will be invited along with the students to see their favorite teacher in action. Hopefully, a large crowd will turn out to support our girls defeating the Eagles!

Also on the 9th, the Boosters will be having a pizza dinner before the game. Starting at 4:30 p.m. you can purchase 2 slices and a cold Pepsi for only $5!

Exciting things are happening and hopefully this will spill over into the 1,570 residents that live in our little burg and things will begin to turn around for our athletes!

Keep watching the best website on the internet, www.crothersville.net, and the local papers for the upcoming events!

Alisa K Sweazy
Reporter

;-)

New Title

The Town Council held a special meeting tonight at 7 p.m. to select four members to the newly established Park and Recreation Board. Six people showed interest in becoming members to the board. The Town Council selected two republicans and two democrats from the six contestants.

Sam Kuhen will serve a four year term, Steve Prather will serve on the board for three years, I was selected to the two year term and Jimmy Shirley will serve for one year.

I am excited about this new group and think we will be able to come up with some excellent ideas for the parks in our little burg. Our first public meeting will be August 27, 2008 beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Hall.

Not only do I have ideas and plans for the Countryside Park, but I also have some ideas for our forgotten park on Bard Street. The Town had leased the property to the school for 25 years and as of June 1, 2007, the Town once again owns the park property.

This seems like a great group of gentlemen to work with and I can't wait to get started.

Signed:

Alisa K. Sweazy
Crothersville Park and Recreation Board Member

;-)

The Speedway

Saturday the family and I went to Brownstown to watch the races at the speedway. I remember going over 30+ years ago with my parents and brothers. Back then the drivers would get angry if they spun out, so they would just sit on the track until the flagman waved the yellow flag. They would get their postion back, and the race would continue, until the next spin and the next caution.

I can't count the number of times the caution came out on Saturday, the tow truck would start to go get the wrecked/spun out car, then the car would take off (or magically restart) once the yellow flag came out.

I guess some things change over a 30 year period, but not the racing at Brownstown Speedway! ;-)

(I didn't take my iPhone, so I don't have any photographys to share, so maybe the family and I will go back in a couple weeks and I'll have some pictures of the track, fans, cars and drivers!)

Junior High

I have a myspace page at www.myspace.com/racinghero20 and get a chuckle every once in awhile when reading my 'friends' moods, expressions and bulletins.

I had a great time right before school started reading how mature some people thought they were because they were no longer in Junior High School, they had graduated and were now just High School. They were tired of all the drama from their elementary days.

I had to laugh out loud reading some of them as I was thinking to myself how many years it's been since I was in school and still have daily drama in my life!

A few months ago, ok, probably a few years ago this kind of stuff would bother me and I'd be up all night worried sick about it. Now, I could care less. I know who my BFF's are. YES, you do see an 's at the end of BFF. I have friends (guys AND girls) who know how to be BFF's to more than one person at a time.

Shocked? It is possible!

Hopefully, my myspace friends will graduate from High School and find their own BFF's and leave the Junior High BS behind them. Don't be surprised if not all get it done, because you'll run into a few who prefer to live in Junior High School forever!