My through the mail baseball autograph success. Former and current sports stars will sign autographs through the mail. A great hobby for any sports fan. As time has ticked on, I have added life events, fantasy sports commentary and I'm sharing my sports card hits pulled along with my card grading journey. I'm just a lifelong sports fan who has more time to dedicate to the many hobbies that the love of sports can kick you into.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
My First Marathon Experience; The 8th Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
OKLAHOMA CITY — The 8th Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon took place April 27, 2008.
The event is designed to honor the memory of those killed in the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Murrah Federal Building.
Two friends and I made the trip and joined 19,000 people in the event which is made up of 26.2 and 13.1 mile runs and or walks. Our event was the 13.1 mile walk.
After a Saturday filled with trials and tribulations that included an unplanned two hour tour of Oklahoma City, casino losses, and an unidentified flying object that damaged my windshield on my new Honda Accord, it was time to compete.
Despite my snoring we were up before the crack of dawn and made our way to the hotel lobby and joined others for the short bus ride to downtown.
Once downtown we joined 19,000 others in cold, wet, windy conditions. We lined up in what we thought was our group, walkers who planned to finish 13.1 miles in four hours. As it turned out we were lined up with runners who planned to finish 26.2 miles in four hours.
I think we looked a little out of place but we look at it now as we got the jump on our group.
After encouraging words from speakers and 168 seconds of silence for the bombing victims the gun sounded and it was time to pound the payment.
Of course since we were lined up with runners, so we started off running.
We sprinted several blocks before slowing to a quick pace. We continued this for three hours and 45 minutes through the charted path of downtown Oklahoma City.
The path took us past the capitol and through neighborhoods.
Along the way we were greeted by volunteers who spent their day handing out water, juice and other energy boosting materials to competitors.
One tasty treat I experienced for the first time was GU Energy Gel. I found the substance pretty tasty, but I have always had weird taste, so I have been told.
Some of the neighborhood areas were like block parties, as rock music played and strangers cheered strangers on to the finish line. Finally after almost four hours of walking, the finish line was in sight.
With my new organic socks about to disintegrate and my five pound digital camera weighing me down I strived for the finish line.
My partners in crime insisted I would get up there and push them out of the way so that I could finish before them, but I was kind and did not do that and as a result I still crossed the finish line before them according to the microchip tracker.
At the end of the line there was all the food you could eat. We chowed on cheeseburgers and Oreos and looked for our ride back to the hotel.
Taking part in a marathon was something I had never planned on doing in my lifetime. I never really had a good attitude about the idea. In fact as of 4 a.m. that day I had no intention of doing it. I didn't think I could and didn't care to try.
But fortunately I pulled myself and my bad attitude out of bed and competed in the names of Aurelia Donna Luster and Robert Lee Luster, who were killed in the bombing while at the Social Security office.
My friends competed for Oleta C. Biddy and 6- month old Antonio Ansara Cooper.
Cooper was in the daycare center and Biddy was a worker at the Social Security office.
In the end it was a positive experience. One I think proves you can do anything you put your mind to. I even went back and did another half marathon in 2010.
My then friends became foes as egos pulled us apart in 2011.
And despite how much I sometimes despise the bad between us, I will always be grateful for the goal I accomplished in their presence. It is because of them I have my two marathon medals.
Update, in 2023, myself and one of the marathon friends were able to exercise forgiveness and are now able to relive this marathon memory. We have both suffered health issues since the marathon, so another competition is probably not in the future unless it is checkers.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Original members of the band Nazareth embroiled in name dispute
PONCA CITY, OK. — When you work as a journalist, you never know who you may end up meeting, interviewing, or talk to on the phone.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
A Visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
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| Charlie Hanger tells how he arrested Tim McVeigh |
OKLAHOMA CITY — This years marks the 22nd Anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing and many are expected to make the trip to Oklahoma to mark the anniversary with a visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Oklahoma officials explain Open Meeting Records Act
PONCA CITY, Okla. — Members of the Oklahoma Press Association and the Oklahoma Attorney General's office are traveling the state presenting seminars on the state's open meeting and open record acts.
The seminars are designed to answer questions and inform elected or appointed officials about their responsibility under the law.
Under the law, many records kept by law enforcement, school boards, health departments, counties, cities and other public bodies are open to the public.
These items include arrest affidavits, police radio logs, inmate listings, and restaurant inspections conducted by the State Department of Health.
"We often hear about officials worried about the public knowing about decision making," said assistant attorney general Gay Tudor. "Maybe they are in the wrong business."
Oklahoma's First Assistant General Attorney General, Tom Gruber said that the two laws are important to the public because the nation was founded on the principle of open government and that the Acts were created to keep government transparent so that people can understand what is being done.
Under the law, a public body is defined as the governing bodies of all municipalities located within Oklahoma, boards of county commissioners, boards of public and higher education, and all boards, bureaus, commissions, agencies, trustee-ships, authorities, councils, committees, public trusts, task forces or study groups in the state supported in whole or in part by public funds or entrusted with the expending of public funds, or administering public property, and sell include all committees or subcommittees or any public body.
Meeting shel day public bodies must be open to the public and held at a convenient time in and open public place.
Tudor spoke of a story about a public bod that held a meeting in locked building on a holiday which would not be approved under the Act.
"I had one public body ask if they could hold a meeting on a cruise ship," said Tudor. "The answer is no."
A public body must also post an agenda 24 hours before a regularly scheduled meeting and 48 hours before a special meeting.
Gruber explained that agendas should explain clearly what is going to be discussed. "If you wanted to go to someone's meeting what would you need to know in order to decide if you wanted to attend," he asked. 'That is the information that needs to on the agenda."
Another rule is that the board members may only discuss what is on the agenda.
The fine for violating the Act ranges from a $500 fine to imprisonment.
Tudor explained that public records must be publicly accessible during regular business hours and that under the law, members of the public have the right to request, copy and review public documents including records of government spending, jail logs and police affidavits.
The requesting party may not be charged more than 25 vents per copy. However if a person makes a request tat may require extensive searching or copying, a search fee may be charged.
During the seminar, Braman, mayor Jerry Johnston asked Tudor if small towns with only one office worker have to supply requested documents.
The answer is yes. Tudor said the size of the town or staff is no excuse not not to prove the documents.
Citizens who believe they have been denied public records should make a report with their local law enforcement.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
My top fantasy football studs going into week six, 2007
Week six of the National Football League is upon us and it is time for fantasy players to begin finalizing week six choices.
