What word do Indians and kids have in common?

Yep... The word "Sucker." Well that... and cigars.

My daughter asked me if you get a free sucker when you find an Indian with a star on your tootsie roll pop? I said no. She asked if when I was a kid whether it was true... Nope. Wasn't true back then either. I am amazed that this legend has continued to exist. The only answer I have for this is that Kids are suckers for suckers. Out of curiosity, I googled Indian on a tootsie roll pop. Here is the story I got:

The Legend of the Indian Wrapper

For many years the company responded to kids who wrote in to claim their free Tootsie Pop with an apologetic (and surely disappointing) note, but since 1982 they've also enclosed a short work of fiction called "The Legend of the Indian Wrapper," apparently intended to serve as a sort of consolation prize.

In fine ad-executive prose, it tells of a man "long, long ago, when all lollipops were made alike," who wanted to make a new kind of sucker with something special inside. But he couldn't figure out how. Well, one day the man awoke "to find a grand Indian chief smiling at him. The chief told the man that he would help him make a lollipop with a chewy candy center, if the man promised the chief that he would never, ever, stop making them for people. The man promised. ... The 'Indian Wrapper' is supposedly a sign that the grand chief has personally checked that particular lollipop for the chewy candy center."

They should have just said... "Nice try kid... Close, but no cigar."

Which transitions me to my next question... Which is: If I can't get a tootsie roll pop, can I get a cigar... ?Because everyone knows that Indians smile and hold containers of cigars for you to take. Right? Where did that come from?

Courtesy of wikipedia... History of the cigar store Indian:

Because of the general illiteracy of the populace, early store owners used descriptive emblems or figures to advertise their shops' wares. American Indians and tobacco had always been associated because American Indians introduced tobacco to Europeans. It was what barber poles were to barber shops.

So in the end, i am sure Tootsie Roll's response would be sorry... "no sucker and no cigar..."

My response is simply: "That sucks."

No More Cabooses

Was waiting for a train today and the thought crossed my mind about back in the day... There used to be Cabooses at the end of the train with a guy in a conductor's hat that would wave. I remember waiting in anticipation as a kid to see if there was anyone in the cupola and wether the guy would wave... I did a little research and the initial intent of the caboose was to have a home on a set of wheels for the conductor...

Anyway, this got me thinking... The only thing constant in life is the Lord and change. Some changes for the good... Some for the bad... Some just necessary... Some just because the old way of doing things doesn't make sense anymore. With this last change in jobs, we explained to Jake that there may be another move coming up... We have now moved 3 times in last 4 years... Seems like every 2 years, as of late, we have made a move in a direction we have felt the Lord was calling. When Jake learned about what was happening, he was upset because it seems like he just starts to settle in and we move again. This one wasn't our choice, but I get what he is saying. We have come full circle and have temporarily ended back in Southwest Minnesota and Jake is enjoying being back with his original friends.

This conductor is tired of having our home traveling around the state of Minnesota.

In the end, I guess I am hoping and praying that there are "no more cabooses..." and that the train stops here... Rather than continuing to have our home on a set of wheels

Though, not my will but His. Our life continues to be on the Lord's track until we reach the end of the line. Only he has the authority to determine which track and when the end of the line is...

Until then... Wave if you see me going by in the window of the Caboose.

Updated Photos

Well it has been about 6 years since I began this Blog... Much has changed with the family as Jake, Mackenzie, Leah and Benji are now older... Here are some updated photos. Jake is now a teenager and Benji is 6. Time flies!

Enjoy!

Amy's big catch!

Amy and Benji

Micker Mackers and Leahbug

Jake cheering on his team!

Daisy - Thee.Best.Dog.Ever.

Dad and Bug

My Buddy Matt's 5 Pound bass.

Jobless...

Quit my job, flipped off the boss, took my name off the payroll... "screw you man." Picked up my cell, rang my baby's bell said, "I'm three miles from home." I said, "Sugar wont you put on that sun dress I like so much... Wait out by the road, I'm commin' to pick you up!"

Well, not really... But I did walk away from my job and I am working temporarily for some friends driving truck during harvest. A lot has happened since I last posted. I moved from my Director of International Programs position about a year and a half ago. I took a job at a small private Christian College and was employed there as their Director of Undergraduate Enrollment. I was there for a year and six months. We were shooting for a 20% increase and we got a 9% increase. My boss was upset because the administration decided to base this year's budget off a 20% increase instead of a historical benchmark. So when we had a 9% increase, it wasn't considered a win. I attempted to give him perspective based on what was happening in the industry. Some of the State Universities were down 15% to 20% and another private was down 11%... so considering where others were at... We were doing well. He wanted nothing to do with perspective... He was like a little kid... Upset because the numbers didn't turn out how he wanted them to... So, he called me into his office and met me with the Human Resource Director there. He decided that we needed to move more in the direction of a results driven environment. I don't have a problem with results, I want them as badly as the next person; however, I have the perspective that you work as hard as you can for the Lord and allow him to bless your efforts. His perspective was that if you didn't achieve the results, you didn't work hard enough. But then he was a control freak... I argued that if we were going to shift our focus towards a results driven environment, then by default we were taking our eyes of the Lord. That I even had to have this discussion at a college where Christ was supposed to be central to everything we did was bewildering to me. So he gave me a lecture about how he needed a director that was in alignment with his leadership and philosophies and that he was giving me 60 days to come into alignment with him and if I didn't, he could fire me at will. He then had the human resource director explain my severance package should I opt to leave... And then he prayed for me. (Which seriously about put me over the edge... But I didn't say anything... I just got up and walked out.) We had a couple more conversations and toward the end of these conversations... I asked him that if I followed his prescribed methodology and we still only received a 9% increase instead of a 20% increase, that... He interrupted and said, "yep... Then shame on me..." I responded by shaking my head and said, "Mike, you're missing the point. You are not in control... But that is not what I was going to say..." I continued by saying that he was looking for alignment... But that alignment goes both ways... And after throwing me under the bus with the president and VP for finance, that it was clear that he did not have my back. I asked (based on how this has all gone down), that if we followed his prescribed methodology and we still only had a 9% increase instead of a 20% increase... whether he would have my back this time or if it would be more of the same? His simple response was "more of the same." With that response, I chose to walk away. But in walking away, my separation agreement had a confidentiality clause whereby I could only talk about this with my wife, my employment lawyer, or my tax accountant. Knowing full well that if I signed the separation agreement, that I would become accountable before the Lord for maintaining complete confidentiality... I chose to walk away from an $11,500 severance package with my integrity intact. I have friends and family that I need to explain what happened. Future employers, my staff... They all deserve(d) an explanation of what happened. So, on to the new job... Wherever that may be. I trust the Lord will provide.

Katie is a "Chicken Rex."

Bawk.

One Eyebrow Raised...

I am looking at life with one eyebrow raised lately.

Discontent.

But if you are not content with being discontent... this is a good thing.
Right? What I need is a change of perspective.

Question: Why does a new perspective become old so quickly?

Wrestling with my thoughts.

Bridging as hard as I can.

Bookworm BURP!

I just downloaded this game to my iPod Touch. I had this on my computer for the longest time and this game is great. There is just something really amiable about a burping bookworm. My highest rank is "Publisher." The Game costs about $4.99 but worth every penny. If you have an iphone or touch, spurge a little. If you are up for the challenge (KATIE), my high score is: 190,860... and this is only after the first night of having it. Look out... because I am the BOOKWORM CHAMPION OF THE WORLD!

... and I burp too!

Scratch that... My rank is now "Publisher Emeritus" ... High Score: 233420.

Hold the applause... Thanks... Nope... that's okay... don't stand...

SERIOUSLY... put the lighters away.

Time for Change.

Well, I am changing the look ... And I am going to make a few other changes as well. One of which is using our real names. So from this point on we will be known as Greg be Amy rather then Ben and Sydney. I am not going to go and change all of my old posts... so it may be a little confusing, but oh well... you will just have to deal with it.... Not sure if I will have any of my old readers back or not... probably a few... but maybe there will be a change in audiences as well? Also, you will notice that all my pictures don't work any more because they were located on someone else's server and I no longer have access to it; I decided not to pay to host Married in Minnesota any longer. This was due largely to my lack of posting. Oh well... It is good to be back. Missed writing... It will be good to hammer out some thoughts.