Nostalgia – Regular Guy

Giving Up My Keys

brian — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 14:30:19 +0000

Nine years ago, Hanover Little Theatre elected me to its Board of Directors. A year later, I took on an officer position. Three years later, I became board President. For the past two years, I have served as Immediate Past President, a non-voting board position.

I have done very little over those two years. First off, I needed a break. Secondly, my successor didn’t need me throwing my two cents in after I willingly stepped down. Lastly, COVID wiped out the past 16ish months.

Today, I drove over to the theater – it’s just a few minutes from my house – and left my keys on the box office counter. The membership will elect a new president on Sunday, meaning I am no longer the Immediate Past President. (I have a conflict and can’t make the meeting – I wish I could be there to see all my friends in person.)

I really enjoyed being all alone in the theater one last time. Who knows if that will happen again? I am sure I will stay involved in some way, but will I want to take on a board position or directing role with all I have going on in my improv world?

I used to love those quiet moments when I had the whole building to myself. It didn’t matter whethere I just needed to drop something off on my way home from work and took a few extra moments to ponder the power that this little building can create or I was there late at night painting the set for the one show I directed.

Theater has a way to change lives. HLT was my first theater home. I had never performed on stage until being talked into doing a show at Hanover High School in 2009. That led me to HLT which led me to those many moments in that building both alone and with some of my favorite people in the world. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do the things I am doing in the improv world without HLT. It truly made me who I am as a performer.

I direct my energies differently these days, but I will always feel safe and secure on Blooming Grove Road. Make sure you go check them out when things open again. And consider getting involved. The memories are priceless.

Big Mouth Success

brian — Mon, 11 Sep 2017 13:33:24 +0000

The beginning of the York Fair reminds me of my first introduction to the event in 1992. They had bungee jumping that year at the fair.

One day, I went to lunch with a group of fellow Evening Sun reporters. This was our routine. I want to say we were at the Little Red Schoolhouse or the old Blue and White downtown. The discussion turned to the bungee jumping at the fair.

As the only sports reporter in this group, I did not have to cover the fair. Everyone else was assigned to one day of fair coverage. I took this opportunity to declare that if I did have to spend a day at the fair for work, I would totally bungee jump and write about it.

Someone at the table said, “Well, I’m covering the fair this afternoon. I’ll give you a ride so you can do it.”

My big mouth had caused trouble before. This time, however, an extra layer to the story – I had a huge crush on the person who dared me to put my money where my mouth was.

So I got in that now familiar blue Dodge Colt, scared shitless, but also worried that I could never ask this girl out if I backed out on this.

We made it to York, I kept true to my word, and we spent the rest of the day hanging out together at the fair. A week or so later, we started dating for real.

Little did I know that the bungee jumping boast would be the first of many, many, many times where my wife would call me on my BS.

Newsroom Memories

brian — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 16:26:35 +0000

If you haven’t noticed already, things have really started to change in downtown Hanover. New businesses keep cropping up and great opportunities wait in the wings.

One of the most recent changes has given me mixed feelings, however. Namely, the re-location of The Evening Sun offices.

I have not worked for the paper full time since 1998. I haven’t worked full time for any paper for almost 15 years. I manage to keep my toe dipped in the water via freelancing and writing this column. I just can’t shake the profession.

Even though I find myself comfortable in many situations and love my job, I feel incredibly comfortable when I walk into a newsroom. No place gave me that safe feeling like the 135 Baltimore Street office where I worked for six years.

Don’t get me wrong – the paper had to move. But that doesn’t mean I can’t cling to every ounce of sentimentality I can muster.

The old newsroom held so many great memories. Like the time I was really mad about how the holiday scheduling worked out, and I stalked out in a huff to go get some comfort food. I returned to find a sympathetic co-worker ready to take over my duties because he thought I might not come back.

Or the time I ran circles around the desks where the editors sat as people edited two of my stories on deadline. As soon as I got 75 percent of the way through answering a question from one, the other would need me immediately. I wish I had a pedometer on me at the time.

Or the time (or times) that I left my wallet or something like that laying around and someone hid it from me to try and teach me a lesson.

Or the time I felt my heart drop when my editor showed me a paper with a headline I wrote that had a golfer winning a tournament by three shits. I sunk into the chair, trying to think about what other jobs I could get after they fired me. Instead, he told me that I owed him one because he saw the mistake before the papers left the building. He wasn’t happy (with me or the people who should have caught my error), but it did give him a chance to do the whole “STOP THE PRESSES” routine. I’m pissed I didn’t have the foresight to save a copy of that page.

Or the time when I came back to help on a freelance basis and a friend tried to give me a tutorial on a layout system. I had to remind him that I set a lot of the stuff up and taught him how to use it at one point.

Or the many times we knocked off after a hard day and went to solve the world’s problems at a local bar. Thank goodness I have always lived within walking distance of the office.

Or the time I met a pretty woman there, a special person who ended up marrying me and making every day since then pretty darn great.

So it’s pretty obvious why that place means so much to me.

I got a chance to visit the new offices a week or so ago. I really liked what they did, from the open newsroom to the conference room overlooking the 116/194 intersection.

I also like how I can drive through town and see who is working late. Some of the best times I have ever had took place when only a few of us were there late at night.

Even though they have their own space, it will always bring back memories of the place where I felt most at home.

Look at That Body!

brian — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:05:53 +0000

Once upon a time, I had motivation that went beyond trying to win football games on the Playstation and staying up later than was reasonable for someone my age.

I actually worked out. A lot. I had to because I wrestled in college and needed to stay in shape and keep my weight under control since I was in the 118-pound weight class.

That’s right – 118 pounds. If you don’t believe it, I have found some photographic proof. I was at the web site for my alma mater Allegheny College recently checking out info on my reunion next spring. In addition to some of the big milestone reunions, they have “generational reunions.” My class – the class of 1990 – will get together with the two classes which preceded us.

They have a slideshow of activities from those years on the reunion web page. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I got to this picture. Look at the tough guy. And, yes, I am the guy winning this match.

I wish I could remember when this took place. Judging by a few factors I will not bore anyone with, I believe it to be from my first two years, probably in a non-varsity exhibition match since I only started a handful of matches my sophomore year and don’t remember any of them being at home.

I could be embarassed by how much weight I have gained since then, but since I found this picture right as wrestling season gets ready to begin, it put a spring in my step. The only downside is that you won’t find any current Allegheny wrestling photos since they dropped the program in 1993, something which still bothers me. That doesn’t change the fact that, at one point, I could kick some butt.