No Good Can Come From This

NEWS ALERT!! Bangor Area Under Attack!

2010-11-13T18:36:00.002-05:00

NEWS FLASH!

November 13, 2010 – BANGOR AREA INVADED!

Shocking news out of the Bangor, Maine area today. According to citizen reports, and this reporters first hand experience, Maine’s once friendly – and now apparently hostile – neighbors to the north have launched an invasion targeting retail areas of the city.

The invaders have a complete disregard of traffic laws. They are ignoring all of the big white arrows in the travel lanes. Instead choosing to sit in traffic waiting for their comrades-in-harm to let them change lanes while causing near-miss incidents at every intersection.

Within retail establishments, there is aggressive hand-to-hand shopping. In addition to severely outnumbering the locals, the invaders are snatching up everything in site, using shopping carts to cause injury to the ankles, and leaving the establishments in general states of disarray. Sales transactions are being delayed by the use of strangely colored paper currency and coins called “loonies” and “toonies”.

No one is certain of the language they are using. Reports are coming in that everything ends with “eh”. But, no one really knows what that is all “aboot”.

Eateries all over the city, are reporting shortages of French fries, gravy and cheese. Wait staff claim they have never seen this many nickel tips.

This invasion came totally without warning. “We were prepared for them on Columbus Day weekend in October”, said one downtrodden cashier, “But, they surprised us showing up before OUR Thanksgiving.” Several other shell-shocked workers expressed similar dismay.

Local emergency management agencies have advised patience. Their projections indicate that it will be a short-term situation and will abate as soon as Sunday evening. However, they warn that locals should prepare for similar conditions every weekend through the end of the year.

About time...

2010-10-16T21:03:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I did what I thought I would avoid doing.

I let this blog go stagnant for months.

I knew I shouldn't. I knew I should find things to write about. But, life got in the way, so to speak.

So, now I am looking at what I wrote about in the past and organizing some thoughts to get back to posting on a regular basis.

See ya soon!

I am very lucky

2009-03-20T21:18:00.002-04:00

There are times, I believe, when everyone finally comes to the realization as to how lucky they are. Tonight was one of those times for me.

I am very fortunate in many ways. I have my health; a loving supportive, close-knit family; a group of equally cool friends; some great business associates...and two of the best bosses I have ever worked for.

Life is not just good...it's GREAT!

Second Tattoo

2009-03-11T19:06:00.005-04:00

It has been a week since I sat for my second tattoo. The whole process went seamlessly, again. Of course, that is because I was working with Krystal at Riverview Tattoo.

I am, to say the least, EXTREMELY pleased with the tattoo and how it came out. I knew it would be perfect when I arrived at the shop, with my Mom, to find Krystal still working on the drawing of the design. She explained that she was not happy with the drawing she had done and had started over from scratch. The final drawing was perfection.

Rather than go through the whole experience again (as it was very much like the first time – read below), I thought I would use this blog post to share some of the comments I received on facebook.com, twitter.com and myspace.com when people saw the pictures.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that I cleaned up some typos, etc. But, the words and sentiments are exactly what people wrote:

Is someone addicted to the tattoo think? I've heard that happens!! LOL Nice one Paul - they did a really great job on it. – Tina (former co-worker)

Wow, I am no expert, but that is a cool tattoo. It is so 3-dimensional! Congrats! – Krista (Librarian in MA/Friend)

Paul the tattoo came out great. – Scott (PCSO/Friend)

Love the tattoo! What a way to honor your dad! – Heidi (Friend)

AWESOME!!! - Missy (Hairdresser/Business Owner/Friend)

It's gorgeous, Paul! Your father would be so proud. – Stephanie (Friend)

Oh WOW, Paul that is soooo awesome. UMaine should hire Krystal and "badge" all the officers. :-) I'm sure he's smiling down on you. – David (Life-long friend)

Freaking AWESOME tat!!! Thanks for sharing! - DG (Sister)

WOW- she is good! - O (Mom)

Totally incredible! - Amber (HS Friend)

Very, very nice....looking good sweet man - Vicky (Friend)

Very nice... and its sense is so deep; good idea Paul, you must be proud of it. – Deborah (Friend from Italy)

Good job - Deborah (Friend from Italy)

Pretty tattoogirl! she looks very professional - Deborah (Friend from Italy)

COOLEST TAT IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD FO'SHO' :) - Kelsey (co-worker)

I am saving the story behind the tattoo for a reason. Basically, a friend of a friend writes a blog about the stories behind tattoos and I have been asked to be interviewed for her blog. I will post a link to her story if she chooses to write my story.

Finally, (AGAIN?) if you are thinking about getting your first tattoo, having bad work re-worked, or adding to your “ink collection”, I cannot recommend Krystal highly enough. Not only is she very professional, she is an extremely talented artist and is fun to work with. Call her at 207-989-2436 to schedule a time to get your tattoo.

Protection from Identity Theft...Password Protect Your Cell Phone!

2009-02-22T20:29:00.002-05:00

My friend, Kelly from Sephone Internet Solutions, sent me a message using Twitter which contained a link to an identity theft story. Knowing that Kelly never sends me junk mail, I clicked on the link and read the following story: (To see full text, click here)

His [speaking of a friend of his son] identity was compromised through a device so common that I never would have even suspected that it can be used for such a purpose. It was a cell phone. I know; I said the same thing: a cell phone! How could a cell phone possibly be used to steal or attack your identity? I can assure you that was the first question that went through my mind.

This is Bob's story as told to my fiancé by his father. Bob is 16 years old. What could he possibly have to compromise at that age? It wasn't so much what Bob had as it was to what he had access. Bob's story begins a few weeks back when he lost his cell phone. Apparently the cell phone fell into the hands of a very capable criminal. This capable criminal used Bob's phonebook/contact list contained within the cell phone. The criminal used the cell phone to contact Bob's Grandmother. The Grandmother was told of a terrible accident that involved Bob while he was traveling in Canada. The thief went on further to tell the Grandmother that unless she was able to electronically transfer $3,900 to the hospital in Canada, that Bob would be unable to receive desperately needed medical care. Obviously the thief appealed to the grandmother's maternal nurturing instinct to come to the aid of a loved one. Sadly, she sent the money. I am absolutely convinced that if my mother had received a similar telephone call telling her of a terrible tragedy that has befallen one of my daughters, she would also become a victim in this type of scam.

[NOTE: I have read some of “Father Tom’s” other postings and subsequently added his blog to my google reader list.]

Kelly and I talked briefly about this post and decided to blog about different aspects of this security issue.

So, how can you protect yourself, and your loved ones, from falling prey to a similar criminal? LOCK YOUR PHONE!

In most cases it is very easy. Here is how to do it for models we carry at Central Maine Wireless.

Typically, manufacturers use very similar menus across models. So, using these instructions should work for you. If they don’t, feel free to stop into Central Maine Wireless and we’ll help you…for FREE!!!

CAUTION: If you password protect your phone, use something that you will remember. If you put a password on and can’t remember, the only fix for that is to have the phones software flashed – which will cause you to lose all of your information!!!

Motorola Phones:
1) Click the Menu button (typically the middle of the round navigation button)
2) Choose Settings
3) Choose Security
4) Choose Phone Lock
5) Choose Lock Now or Automatic Lock

Samsung Phones
1) Click the Menu button (varies from model to model)
2) Choose Settings (usually has an icon that looks like a cog)
3) Choose Phone Settings
4) Choose Security (it will prompt you for a code. Typically it’s 1234 or 0000 or last 4 digits of your phone number.)
5) Choose Lock Phone
6) Choose Lock, Unlock, or On Power Up

LG Phones
1) Click the Menu button (varies from model to model)
2) Choose Settings (usually has an icon that looks like a cog)
3) Choose Security
4) Choose Lock
5) Choose lock, unlock or On Power Up

Kyocera Phones
1) Click the Menu button (varies from model to model)
2) Choose Settings
3) Choose Security
4) Choose Lock Phone
5) Click OK (will bring up a warning message – click after reading)
6) Choose Never, On Power Up or Now (Info option gives you the warning message from step 5)

Blackberry Phones
1) Go to Applications
2) Choose Options
3) Choose Security Options
4) Choose General Settings
5) Enable Password by highlighting “disable” and click on it with roller ball. Choose Enable.
6) Press Blackberry Menu Key (the one with the Blackberry logo on it)
7) Choose Save – will prompt you to choose a new password – type in password.
8) Click Back key and the password will save.
(NOTE: It is especially important to remember your Blackberry password. You only have 10 attempts to put in the correct password before it will wipe all data off your device)

HTC Phones
1) Choose Start
2) Choose Settings
3) Choose Lock
4) Check “Prompt if devise is unused for”
5) Choose number of minutes you want for delay.
6) Choose Password type
7) Choose and enter your desired password
8) Confirm the password entered in step 7
9) Click the hint tab at the bottom.
10) Provide a password hint in the text field provided.

I hope the information provided here helps you. Again, if you need assistance to place a password on your phone, come in and see any one of us (Ronda, Bob, Kelsey, Joe, Rob or I) at Central Maine Wireless. We are located at 627 Broadway (in the Broadway Shopping Center) in Bangor.

History of Valentines Day

2009-02-14T08:20:00.003-05:00

Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. (From: History.com)

My First Tattoo

2009-02-11T20:17:00.011-05:00

It's been 2 weeks - and it still jumps me occasionally. Pass a mirror and I get that "What the..." feeling.

What is making me pause? My "new" tattoo!

Those of you who follow me on facebook, myspace, etc. are probably sick of hearing about it. But, I figured I would blog the "start to finish" of it all and add some of the pictures I took along the way.

I got my tattoo on January 28th. My appointment was for 12:30 and the weather prediction was for a nasty snow storm - starting at about that time. At about noon, I was doing some errands when my phone notified me that I had a voicemail. It was my tattoo artist Krystal. At first, my heart sank as I thought she was calling to cancel due to the weather. Thankfully, she was only running a bit behind and she called to ask if we could meet at 1 p.m. I called her back and told her that would be fine. As the snow began to fall, I wasted the extra time by dropping by the store (Central Maine Wireless). I tried to fool Joe and Ronda by telling them that I had chickened out. Neither of them bought it...they know me too well.

I got to Riverview Tattoo right before 1:00. Krystal showed me her drawing and we went over a few of the little changes she thought would make the tattoo even better. Because my tattoo was of my family crest, each "revision" was carefully explained and my approval was requested on each change. Krystal explained that she didn't like to improvise on family crests because they were designed a certain way, often a long time ago, and any change could change the meaning of the crest. The changes she suggested were minor but collectively made the tattoo look much better.

After we went over the drawing, she had me fill out the paperwork while she prepped the stencil and set up her needles and inks. As she set up the inks, she explained each one to me and what colors they matched on my family crest. She has a great eye for color and matched each almost to perfection. Then came the moment of truth!!

Krystal told me that she was going to do a small dot to allow me to experience what the rest was going to feel like. She started the needle up and went to work. Now, here's the part that no one seems to believe...it didn't hurt! I'm not just saying that to be some macho tough guy. It really didn't hurt. Most of what I felt was the vibration of the needle. I have to admit that twice I had to really resist yanking my arm away. "Ah Ha!", you say, "It did hurt!" Nope! It tickled. Yep...you read that right...tickled! I've always been ticklish and this was awful. I really had to resist pulling away.

After the outlining was done, Krystal and I took a smoke break and checked out the snowfall. It was pretty.

After our break, Krystal went to work on the coloring. She said that the coloring was akin to the color by number paintings you probably did as a kid. She had all of her little pots of ink lined up and frequently referenced the picture I had given her. She commented several times that my skin took the color really well. Apparently, different peoples skin "take" the ink differently. Some skin even rejects some colors. Mine is good for tattooing...even yellow ink, which is one of the most rejected colors, stays with me well.

After 5 hours in the chair, the tattoo was done. The finished product made me extremely happy. Krystal cleaned my arm of the left-over ink, and soaked a paper towel with Witch Hazel and placed it on the tattoo. Despite smelling weird, it felt great. It was soothing and cooled the area down. She let me check out the tattoo in a mirror before putting some ointment on and covering it with a bandage.

We then went over the after-care instructions. She explained the different phases of healing I would experience and what to expect in each phase. She asked if I had questions about anything and answered everything professionally. Oh yeah...and the written aftercare instrcutions are not only thorough, but, also hilarious! With lines like "They do not let your tattoo breathe and they also make crap stick to your tattoo like dust and dirt."

I drove home through heavy snow with a smile on my face.

Once I got home and waited the required 4 hours, the pain came into play. It had nothing to do with the tattoo. It was removing the damn medical tape from my arm. After taking a good amount of hair out at the roots, I took a picture and then cleaned the area as instructed. The funniest part of this process was when I patted the area dry with a paper towel. When I pulled the paper towel away, there was an almost perfect imprint of the tattoo left on the towel. I lotioned up as instructed and went to bed.

Over the next several days, the tattoo went through the exact phases Krystal told me about. The smudgy, the scaly, the flaky, and the waxy/dry. The hardest part of all of these stages were the scaly and flaky stages. It was very hard for me to not pick at the skin that was falling off. But, I behaved and just kept lotioning up and letting it fall off naturally...in the shower. I made it through the worse parts. Now it's just keeping it moisturized until it finishes this last stage.

I have all the pictures ready for my next tattoo design and can't wait to get in and get it done. Here's what I am getting:
This is my father's badge. He was a police officer with the University of Maine Police Department from 1968 until his death in 1976. Originally, this was going to be my first tattoo. But, I thought I would get something else first. I wanted to make sure I had confidence in the artist before getting this done. It is very important to me. So, I want it done right. I know Krystal will do it right.

In case you haven't figured this out, I am incredibly impressed with the work done by Krystal at Riverview Tattoo. She is fun, professionally, and an incredibly talented artist. I cannot recommend her highly enough. All of the folks at Riverview Tattoo were very pleasant. The atmosphere is relaxed and fun. I am including their information here in case you are thinking about getting inked in the near future.

Krystal Raczkovy
Riverview Tattoo
State Street (in the old Footman's Dairy Building)
Brewer, ME 04412
207-989-2436

I also have her email address. If anyone who knows me would like it, email me and I will send it to you. I am not including it here to protect her from spammers.

How Clean is Your Cell Phone?

2009-02-05T19:53:00.001-05:00

A recent blog on Yahoo! Reported that 99% of recycled or resold cell phones do not have personal information removed from them before reuse. NINETY-NINE PERCENT!

For those of you who like to analyze statistics, here’s what Yahoo! reported:

Turns out they're the norm, not the exception, as the vast majority of cell phones sent in for recycling aren't properly wiped clean, with a full 99 percent of them containing sensitive material when they're gotten rid of, including personal emails and financial information and logins.

The numbers come from Regenersis, a cell phone recycling outfit that processed two million handsets last year and tested a random sampling of the phones it's received in order to reach this shocking conclusion. (source: http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/118074)

It is interesting to read this short blog and find that cell phones aren’t the only devices containing sensitive data. But, since I deal with cell phones every day, I’m going to concentrate on those.

What do you have on your phone?

I am not easily shocked. I admit that I have experienced enough in my 41+ years to have very little that’ll make me blush. But, in my year and a half of working at Central Maine Wireless, I have seen more than one thing that has made me shake my head and wonder “Why?”.

Let’s talk about the useful stuff first. Then we’ll discuss the stuff that might make me blush.

Modern cell phones have a bunch of great tools to make life easier for the user.

All models have contact “books”. Most can hold at least 500 contacts. Each contact can hold phone numbers, addresses, email address, etc.

Most models have calendars. With a little practice, you can easily keep track of client meetings, doctors appointments, kids’ & spouses’ schedules, etc. And, depending upon how fancy that calendar is, maybe more personal information.

Most smart phones (i.e Blackberry, Moto Q, HTC), and some standard models, have “note pads” too. You can easily note information important to you, but, potentially “useful” in the wrong hands, too.

All of this information, being stored in one place, makes your life easier, more productive, and/or less stressful. Let me share a quick personal story:

I am a book junkie! I admit it and wear the badge proudly. In the past, I was constantly writing titles and authors on anything handy – usually a scrap piece of paper that I promptly lost. Now, I just take out my HTC 6800 Smartphone and I write down the information (yes – write! Because my phone has a touch screen and cool note function that allows me to write notes). Then, the next time I am in the bookstore, I can just take out my phone, bring up the note and find the book I want.

It is so cool that we can do that kind of thing with one device. It was not too long ago that PDAs and phones were separate devices and to have the functionality of both, you had to carry both…not that convenient, right?

Okay, so now let’s get to the “fun” stuff…

You have WHAT on your phone?

Why? Why? Why?

Why would people put “very personal” pictures on their phone? Have they learned nothing from watching E! ?

I start with pictures, because I think that’s been the biggest newsmaker. The latest celeb to be bitten by the camera-phone age is Michael Phelps. Granted, Michael didn’t have the infamous “Bong hit” on his phone. But, he still got stung by the little lens.

I can't tell you how many people have come into the store to get new equipment and gotten red-faced when we told them we were transferring their contacts – and pictures – into their new phone. I thought one woman was going to pass out as she breathlessly asked “Can you see the pictures?” I assured he we could only see the file names as the machine transferred the data. But, the flag was raised that it wasn’t pictures of the kids and the new puppy she was worried about.

And it’s not just the Retail Wireless Consultant you have to be concerned about. Sending a picture message of your “bits & bobs” to someone can be risky business. Just one digit off and you’re sending that personal image to someone you might not know…or, maybe, someone you do…like your boss!!

Text messages can be just as bad. Some of the things I’ve seen “said” in texts would make a sailor blush. Why are you keeping them? I clean my text and email files pretty much daily. If there is something I think I need to keep, I send it to my email address at home and file it safely away in some other way.

So, what can you do?

1) “Lock” (in other words…password protect) your phone. And make it something you will remember. Once the password is set, it’s permanent (unless you change it...and to change it, you have to remember the one you already set). Phones that are “locked” with a password have to have the software flashed (i.e. wiped clean) by a tech in order to get back into it. That means everything is lost. If you need that information, this can be devastating.

2) Ask your local cell phone retailer to wipe your device clean before putting it in the recycling bin. Most locations have the knowledge, codes, etc. required to make sure that all of your data is erased. With that said, damaged phones that will not power up, or devices where you can’t see the screen, may not be able to be wiped at the retail location. And, as noted in the Yahoo! article, most recycling facilities don’t have the time or resources to clean each device. So, keep personal data to a minimum. Erase what you don’t need regularly (this will also help your phone perform better.

3) Keep your “personal” pics and texts just that…personal! Store them somewhere else. Or just don’t use your camera-phone to take pictures of a bawdy (or body) nature.

Next time…let’s talk about cleaning of another sort!

Thanks for reading!

Cell Phone Recycling...It's the LAW!

2009-02-04T20:40:00.003-05:00

We all have them! Used cell phones that are living out there last days in a drawer or closet. The question is: “What do I do with them?” The answer is easy. RECYCLE THEM! In Maine…it’s the law!

What’s the big deal?

According to the First Annual Update on the Recycling of Cellular Telephones in Maine (Maine Department of Environmental Protection, February 2009), cell phones contain materials such as “arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc”. Most of these materials are components of the circuit boards that make the phones work. They are essential to the performance of the phone. But, they are potential environmental contaminants when not properly disposed of.

According to this same report, most cell phone users replace their phones every 18-24 months. In Maine, this accounts for 450,000 unused cell phones each year. Of this number only 1% are recycled.

It’s the LAW!

The 123rd Legislature enacted Public Law Chapter 343, An Act To Promote Recycling of Cellular Telephones (38 M.R.S.A. §2143). For the purpose of this article, the important part of this law reads:

2. Collection system. Effective January 1, 2008, a retailer shall accept, at no charge, used cellular telephones from any person. A retailer required to accept used cellular telephones under this subsection shall post, in a prominent location open to public view, a notice printed in boldface type and containing the following language: “We accept used cellular telephones at no charge.”

3. Disposal ban. Effective January 1, 2008, a person may not dispose of a cellular telephone in solid waste for disposal in a solid waste disposal facility.

So, What do I do now?

If you are reading this blog and you are a retailer, comply with the law (if you aren’t already). I found everything at http://www.maine.gov/ under the DEP section.

If you are like my friend Kelly (the Marketing Maven at Sephone Internet Solutions), and are holding on to some used equipment, bring it to me at Central Maine Wireless in the Broadway Shopping Center in Bangor.

We have a great recycling program. We partner with Larry Reynolds, a Bangor businessman, to recycle used phones and help local schools. Larry collects our recycled phones, sends them to four different processing companies (the one he uses most is Office Products Recycling Associates) and divides the proceeds among four or five different educational institutions, most notably Bangor and Brewer High Schools’ Project Graduation programs.

If you can’t make it to our location, know that every cell phone retailer is required to have a program in place. Bring your useless equipment into any store (it doesn’t even have to be the company who supplies your service) and they will dispose of it properly for you.

There are also several local and national organizations that will provide recycling of used cell phones and donate the proceeds to various charitable causes. An internet search will yield hundreds of results. Find one that you feel comfortable with and contact them about how to properly dispose of your old phone.

Teaser!!!

In my next blog, I’m going to ask the question: “How clean is your phone?”

And I want an honest answer!

Now this is what I call poetry...

2009-02-01T20:15:00.000-05:00

So, my sister and I have been talking about poems. I told her I wanted some poetry "for dudes"! Poetry that wasn't all flowers/rainbows/lovey-mus

hy stuff! She did her homework and suggested a few poets for me to try out. One of the poets she suggested is Billy Collins. I did a google search and here is one of the first poems I found from him: (So appropriate for me)

The Best Cigarette

There are many that I miss
having sent my last one out a car window
sparking along the road one night, years ago.

The heralded one, of course:
after sex, the two glowing tips
now the lights of a single ship;
at the end of a long dinner
with more wine to come
and a smoke ring coasting into the chandelier;
or on a white beach,
holding one with fingers still wet from a swim.

How bittersweet these punctuations
of flame and gesture;
but the best were on those mornings
when I would have a little something going
in the typewriter,
the sun bright in the windows,
maybe some Berlioz on in the background.
I would go into the kitchen for coffee
and on the way back to the page,
curled in its roller,
I would light one up and feel
its dry rush mix with the dark taste of coffee.

Then I would be my own locomotive,
trailing behind me as I returned to work
little puffs of smoke,
indicators of progress,
signs of industry and thought,
the signal that told the nineteenth century
it was moving forward.
That was the best cigarette,
when I would steam into the study
full of vaporous hope
and stand there,
the big headlamp of my face
pointed down at all the words in parallel lines.

Billy Collins

Christmas Memories

2008-12-21T22:03:00.002-05:00

As Christmas approaches, I have been thinking about some of the traditions we had when I was a kid and about some of the great memories these created.

I remember starting to get very excited for Christmas around Thanksgiving time. Thanksgiving was always a lot of fun, but, the real excitement grew shortly afterward when we would put up our Christmas tree. I have seen pictures of real trees in our house when I was very little. But, my fondest memories are of the fake tree that my Mom still has. I was quite a production putting this up. First, the branches had to be separated by size, using the little paint blotches on the ends. Then we would put the lights on, then garland (the silver tinsel-ly kind), and then boxes and boxes of ornaments. I loved the end of the decorating when you had to really search for a branch to place an ornament on.

The days and nights leading up to Christmas were lit with the almost magical glow of the lights on that tree. I would sometimes sit and look at the tree and make my eyes go out of focus to blur the lights, and the reflections from the ornaments, making them come together into one multicolored shape. I was a weird kid…I know!

Then there were all of the festivities outside of the home to look forward to. Talking with friends about what they wanted, going shopping for gifts (Daddy, if you up there reading this, I am sorry for all of the Aqua Velva. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have picked something better), and the classroom parties (I mean who DIDN’T want to get the Lifesavers Story Book? I mean seriously!). Watching all of the classic Christmas shows with just the Christmas tree lights on. Does anyone remember waiting and waiting to hear your name included on the list of "good little girls and boys" on the Santa & Friends show?

I was just talking to my Mom the other day about another of my favorite things. Baking Sugar cookies!!! We used to have the best cookie cutters. We had Santa with his bag of toys, reindeer, Christmas trees, and gingerbread men. We would bake the cookies and then decorate (and I use that term loosely) them with an icing made of confectioners sugar, water and food coloring. We would try to be very careful with the icing and make everything just right. But, in the end, the icing just flowed all together and made a very tasty piece of abstract art.

Christmas Eve we always went to Mass at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Old Town. Most of my family would attend the early Mass and then go back to my grandparents house on French Island. There we would usually have our “Christmas” with my Uncle George and Aunt Suzie and their kids. It would be noisy, crowded, chaotic and lots of fun. We would have sandwiches that we made ourselves, salads, pickles & olives, and other great homemade foods that we could gorge ourselves on. We would then unwrap the presents from Uncle George and Aunt Suzie and the extended family and they would unwrap our gifts to them. This is where the phrase “organize chaos” originated. There were usually between 7 and 10 kids and at least as many adults. Paper would fly, kids would get hyperactive, and the parents were probably just wishing for an end to it all.

Christmas Eve was also the night for a very strange tradition, which I will call the “Christmas Morning Wake-up Call Negotiations & Bribe”. I have one aunt who would travel home from New York each year for Christmas. Let’s just say that she wasn’t excited about the early morning hours. So, once my sister and I reached a certain age, she would negotiate the time at which we called my grandparents (her parents) to come to our house on Christmas morning.

Now, at this point, I should explain that I was a rotten little child when it came to the whole sleep thing on Christmas Eve. I believe at some point my parents would induce my sleep using OTC cold remedies (probably where I got my love for NyQuil). I know that, on more than one occasion, I would get up about every hour, go into my parents room and ask “Has Santa come yet?” My poor parents! It’s a wonder they didn’t “forget” me at a convenience store on some distant family vacation.

Back to the “negotiations”. We would start early, she would counter late, and at some point we arrived at a mutually agreeable time…usually in our favor. In later years, the later in the morning we went, the bigger the bribe she would offer. I don’t remember ever receiving the pay-off. But, that’s not what matters.

Getting up Christmas morning was always GREAT! We would go to bed on Christmas eve and there would be a few things under the tree. But, when we woke up the things “Santa” left had usually double or tripled the pile. I have some great pictures of our living room with very little floor space left to walk on. My sister and I (mostly me) would get Mom and Daddy up and then we would call our grandparents and wake them up to come over. Waiting for my grandparents to arrive always seemed like the longest part of the day. All of those presents just screaming to be opened and we waited. It was probably only about 30 minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. You know what else I remember? I remember my parents never being grumpy on Christmas morning. I know I personally attributed to their getting very little sleep. But, I don’t recall them ever being surly.

My grandparents would finally arrive and then we would all explore our Christmas stockings and then open the presents. Then things would quiet down a bit before Christmas dinner where my family and extended family would gather again to eat, drink and be merry. We always had turkey, Nana Collins’ stuffing (which my Momand Sister still make very well), Nana Hilchey’s 5-Cup Fruit Salad, more veggies than you could count and then pies, pies and more pies…including REAL Nana Collins’ mincemeat (which uses venison).

I hope, that when my niece gets to be my age, she looks back at her Christmas’ and has as many fond memories as I do.

Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus

2008-12-14T16:49:00.002-05:00

I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O'Hanlon

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a sceptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus?Thank God he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!

Second Generation Franco-Americans

2008-12-10T15:28:00.013-05:00

I originally wrote what follows for a history class at the University of Maine. I was cleaning out some boxes and ran across the rough draft of this project. I decided to clean it up a bit and share it.

For the project, I was instructed to read a book and conduct interviews with people that related to the book in some way. I read “The First Franco Americans”, by C. Stewart Doty. The book contains four case studies of Franco-American communities. The communities were Manchester, NH; Old Town, Maine; Barre, Vermont; and Woonsocket, Rhode Island. All of these cities have large Franco-American communities and were developing during the turn of the 20th century. Manchester and Woonsocket were chiefly textile communities, Old Town was mainly a lumbering community, and Barre was primarily a quarry town. According to the book, the growth of Franco-American communities can be largely attributed to the development of Franco-American parishes.

Many of the remaining second-generation Franco-Americans were born in the United States. My grandparents were second-generation Franco-Americans. Both grew up speaking both French and English. Growing up, my grandfather, primarily, spoke French. My grandmother spoke mostly English. Many Franco-Americans felt that they were at a disadvantage because they knew very little English. Non-Franco-Americans wanted them to speak English, even among themselves.

During this time, there was tension between Franco-Americans and other ethnic groups in these communities. Jobs were scarce and competition for those jobs was fierce. Many non-Franco-Americans felt that the Franco-American came to “steal” the few available jobs.

One might think that Paul and Eva Collins haven’t lived terribly colorful lives.
However, the interviews I conducted (November 1985) have proven that their lives have been both interesting and colorful. Both of my maternal grandparents are from the Old Town area. My grandmother was from Milford where she and her family lived. My grandfather lived on French Island (formally known as Treat and Webster Island) all his life.

Eva M. (Oakes) Collins
My grandmother’s father, Andrew DeShane, lived in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, in his younger years. His father died when he was 9 years old. His mother remarried a lighthouse keeper who didn’t want the responsibility of caring for children. So, Andrew was forced out of his home by his step-father’s lack of compassion. He came to Maine looking for his Uncle. Once he found him, he discovered that his uncle was much like his step-father. His uncle traded him to a farmer for a bushel of potatoes. The farmer used him as a farm hand for several years.

Andrew’s surname was anglicized to Oakes when he became naturalized. DeShane, in French, means “the oak”.

Eventually, he married Orella LaBree and settled in Milford. He and Orella had 11 children. (Frank, Cecil, Alfred, Clarence, Eva, Lawrence, Nelson, Angie, Irene, Henry, & Francis.) My grandmother was born on April 28, 1914, the tenth of the eleven children. Orella, my great-grandmother, died when my grandmother was twelve years old. Andrew was then raising seven boys and 4 girls by himself. Because she was the youngest girl, my grandmother became her fathers “little girl” (three out of the 5 oldest children were girls).

Even after her mother’s death, my grandmother continued her schooling. She had more formal education than my grandfather. She went to elementary school at Milford Grammar School, then attended Helen Hunt School (a Junior High School) in Old Town and Jefferson Street School (which was the High School at that time). Additionally, she had responsibilities at home. The “boys” being a majority, one might think that she would be delegated a lot of the “woman’s work”. But, the reality was that her sisters were grown and out of the family home by this time. Her brothers did a lot of the cooking, cleaning, etc. Basically, everyone pulled his or her own weight.

Andrew died in 1945. Two of her brothers, continued living in their childhood home. Frank lived there right up until his death in 2007.

After High School, my grandmother worked in Osgood’s Restaurant in Milford. She waited tables for a very small wage and tips. She then, prior to marrying my grandfather, worked in one of Old Town’s long defunct shoe factories. After marrying my grandfather, she didn’t work again until after my uncle and mother were born. She went back to work in the 1950’s.

She worked at LaBree’s Bakery on French Island. The bakery was staffed primarily by neighborhood women and my grandmother was one of the first employees. In 1959 she began working at F.W. Woolworth Co., on Main Street in Old Town. She retired in 1975, at the age of 61. She lived on French Island until just a couple of years before her death in 1999.

Paul Collins
My grandfather lived his whole life on French Island. The house that he lived in was originally on Hayes Street and was moved, via horse and logs, to its present location on Bodwell Street. My grandfather’s parents were George Collins and Alice Mary (Paradis) Collins. When my grandfather was 13, his father died. My grandfather left school in the 6th grade and took responsibility for the family and taking odd jobs to support them. He worked as a “Cookee” in a lumbering camp. In this job, he delivered lunches to the woodsmen. He did this until he realized he hated doing it.

At the age of 15, he started working at T.M. Chapman’s Sons Company. Chapman’s grew as a result of the Old Town area’s booming lumber industry. It was a foundry and machine shop on the northern end of Treat & Webster Island. The founder of the business invented a machine that would mechanically file circular saws, which helped the lumber industry be more efficient. The business expanded to make railroad equipment and then went on to aircraft and missile parts. My grandfather helped make parts for Allied aircraft during World War II. This was through government contracts held by Wright Aeronautical and sub-contracted to Chapman’s. After World War II, Chapman’s contracted with McDonald-Douglas Co. and Pratt & Whitney, Inc. In 1968, Dead River Company bought Chapman’s and moved the company to a site near Bangor International Airport, hoping to increase contracted business. In 1971, problems in the aerospace industry caused layoffs. Basically, technology was skyrocketing (forgive the pun) and
Chapman’s was unable to compete. Chapman’s closed for good in 1972.

My grandfather was the type of person who could invent a part for a machine, if one didn’t exist, and he did this many times in his life. He was never credited for these inventions because he never got them patented. Despite leaving school at a young age, my grandfather was very smart. He read a lot and absorbed all that he read or was shown. He was a brilliant craftsman and many of my family members have furniture he made in his basement workshop. Many of my fondest memories are of the two of us “working” together in the basement. “Working” usually meant him working on a real project and my cutting and hammering pieces of scrap wood together, to create a mess. He always took time to show me how to use tools, which tools were the proper ones to use and how to do things safely.

When the union came to Chapman’s, my grandfather was given the choice to join or not. Being a foreman, my grandfather couldn’t reap the “benefits” of a union, so he chose not to join.

During the Great Depression, my grandfather was taken away from his work at Chapman’s to work with the Work Progress Administration. This created financial hardships for my grandfather and his family. At the time, his salary was the sole source of income for his family. Once he was released from the W.P.A., he returned to Chapman’s.

In 1937, he married my grandmother at St. Ann’s Church in Bradley. My Uncle, George Andrew Collins, was born on December 18, 1939 and my mother was born on April 19, 1942.

For a year or so, he found work in another precision machine shop in Old Town. He then went to work at Old Town Paper Products, a local mill that produced such things as paper plates, paper cups, and paper trays. He retired in 1973 at the age of 65. My grandfather passed away, after a short illness, in June 12, 1982.

Postscript:
While thinking about posting this college paper as a blog, I got thinking about my grandparents and their roles in my life. My father passed away in 1976, when I was 9 years old. My grandparents helped my Mom raise my sister and I. I can't count the number of times they picked us up after school. The countless times that they were at the house when we got home with snacks & hugs (...healthy snacks too like Oreos that we could dip into tubs of Cool Whip!). Fun things like going camping, canoeing and fishing with me. How proud I was that my grandmother was there to see me become and Eagle Scout and graduate High School and College. And so many more things...probably many I can't even remember...But, I wish I did. they were great people.

2008-12-09T06:46:00.002-05:00

Good morning blogsphere!

Tomorrow I am going to put the finishing touches on a blog I have been working on for a while.

Stay tuned.

Early Resolution

2008-11-30T19:45:00.002-05:00

Okay, it's November 30. I'm 31 days early. But, here's my first New Year's Resolution.

I am going to make sure to blog something here every week. No excuses!

I have plenty to blog about...funny stories from work...random things in my head...history...whatever. But, come hell or high water, I will blog every week.

Promise!

This is what life should be about!

2008-10-19T19:09:00.003-04:00

I took the weekend off. Shocking, huh!?! But, I determined this weekend that this type of gathering is what life should be all about.

Mom & I hit the road Friday evening and drove down to my sister's house. When we got there we were greeted with hugs and comfort. Saturday morning we all did things that make us happy. Mom and my niece went and bought fabric for a handbag project Mom is going to do for my niece. My sister and I went to Barnes & Noble, Target & Starbucks and my brother-in-law went to a model rocketing convention. We all met up later and had an evening filled with good food, great company, and warmth...not just from the fire, but also from being together.

I love times like this. This is what life should be all about. Screw the hustle and bustle. To hell with the negative people. Live life...love your family & friends...be happy!! That's what I am all about nowadays! Jump on in...the water's fine!

Halloween Party anxiety!

2008-10-14T07:25:00.003-04:00

It the time of year for spooks, ghouls & goblins...and anxiety for me!

I have been invited to a Halloween Party and was told, on no uncertain terms, that I had to dress up. Yikes! I hate this stuff. I have hated the costuming part of the holiday since I was a kid. Those of you of a certain age, will remember the plastic masks that were a joy to wear. They were sharp around the edges, especially the eye holes and never fit quite right, so you always risked slicing a jugular or walking in front of a car because you couldn't see. It was another of those things that my generation survived...sort of like riding a bike without a helmet.

Okay, back to the costume. Last year my Mom (bless her heart) made me a costume of my own design. Here it is...

I am pictured with uber-celebrity Deb Neuman. Mom cut out of fabric and sewed leaves onto a green shirt. From there I pinned condoms (in the package) on. Nobody got it! It was a hit when I did a similar version in college. It's a Rubber Tree!!

Moving right along...

I am now trying to thing of something to wear for this year. I am very tempted to visit the local costume shop to see what they might have. But, I also know that I will be paying big bucks to rent something. I could go to temporary store in the Mall to see what I could piece together, but, being a man "of stature", the things offered at these stores often don't fit.

Maybe I'll just appear as a Retail Wireless Consultant! LOL!!!

Comment with ideas. I'd love to hear them.

I'd just like someone to answer these questions

2008-10-08T21:01:00.002-04:00

Lately, I've been thinking...when did it become okay/socially acceptable to:

(A) Wear your PJs on public? What is with this? People put some clothes on for all of our sakes. I was going to work on Monday and stopped into my favorite corner store. When I walked in, there was a young lady, probably mid-twenties (read: old enough to know better), a little on the chunky side (read: poured into her jammies), standing in line at the counter. She was wearing white cotton PJs and that's it! Two things were readily apparent. (1) She did no...ummm...landscaping so to speak and (2) she should have been wearing a bra, but, wasn't! When did this become okay? Who told this girl that it was fine to roll out of bed and go straight to the store for her morning java & smokes?

(B) As long as I'm on the attire/exhibitionism rant, who decided that your cellphone's camera was the device of choice to photograph the naughty-bits? Since starting at CMW, I have seen more ugly boobs, mommy-parts, & butt cracks than I care to mention. And, so as not to seem sexist, here's a little something for the guys: Your penis is never attractive! It's one of gods little jokes. He made them UGLY. Whether it's wearing a helmet or a turtleneck, it is ugly. I don't know of anyone that really wants to see it. I know I don't. Taking a picture of your junk and asking us to transfer it to your new phone isn't going to get you numbers. Give it up.

(C) Showing up at a job interview looking like the lead singer for a grunge band? We have been looking for part-time help at CMW. Out of the two dozen or so applicants we've interviewed, only 2 or 3 have shown up dressed like they wanted the job. We had one interviewee that came wearing jeans (low-rider, even...see below for more on that), a button-up, flannel shirt, (untucked!) and carrying his half-consumed Dunkin Donuts coffee!! GET OUT!!! That's what I want to say, but, I can't.

On the same note, don't come in "lookin' for ah applicashun" with your boxers hanging out of your pants. What this says to me is "I'm here to get a slot filled on my unemployment card. Can I waste some of your valuable time?" Pull up your pants! Buy a belt! Comb your hair! Take a shower! And then come see me. At least try to act like you really would like to work for us.

And the final question for the night....

Is all of this bugging me because I am getting old or is it because Gen Y is going to hell in a hand-basket? Just curious!

An Introduction to Me

2008-10-04T07:34:00.004-04:00

I was raised in Milford, Maine. It was a good place to grow up. There was very little crime, we could play in the street, and it was close to my extended family and Bangor.

I went to Lewis S. Libby School for K-8. The school was just a short walk, through a wooded path, from my house. A small group of 8-10 of us would walk to school each day, talking, laughing, goofing around. Because we lived in the newest development, we were often considered the "rich" kids.

My parents were both hard workers. My Mom, who retired just this year, was a nurse. Both my father and my step-father were police officers at the University of Maine. We were not "rich" by any means. As a kid, I had everything I needed, and it's fair to say, most of what I wanted. But, it was all due to the hard work and sacrifice of my parents. For this I am forever grateful.

My father, Bryan, passed away in 1976 from cancer. Being only 9 years old when he died, I have very few vivid memories of him. I remember him always seeming larger than life and always laughing. I remember camping at Greenwood Acres in our little pop-up camper. I remember swimming with him in the pool at the campground. But most of all, I remember seeing him in his uniform and thinking I wanted to grow up to be a cop, just like him. It didn't work out that way. Life's funny like that. But, I like to think he'd be pretty proud of how I turned out.

My mother has always been there for me. I can't say enough about my Mom. She has bandaged the wounds (and there were a few), wiped the tears, taught the lessons, administered hugs (and allergy shots :) ) and everything else a Mom should do. She sometimes tells me that she doesn't think she did the best job as a mom. But, I wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything in the world.

I imagine i'll write more about growing up in Milford, in the future, and I know i'll write more about my family. But, this is enough for now.

Nothing Good Can Come From This...LOL!!!

2008-10-03T21:14:00.001-04:00

Here I am! Starting a new blog on blogspot.com. My intention in doing this is to have somewhere for family and friends to waste some time and catch up with the rattling in my brain.

For the most part, I will be posting things here that will bore the people who don't know me, entertain the ones who do (I hope) and provide a place for people to have fun.

I'm gonna be honest from the start, I have no clear direction for this blog. I am going to post things that I find funny, interesting, though-provoking, etc. Some will be my own and some will be authored by people far more talented than myself. If I post something that isn't mine, you'll know because I was taught well at OTHS that you need to give credit where credit is due.

See ya soon!