Tag: fifty

Back Then – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Yesterday I was approached with a question about “Back Then” and I initially shrugged it off but over time it has manifested into a blog about “Back Then”.

Back in the days before the internet, smart phones, game consoles and instant gratification for most your wants there was a land some considered backwards and/or even wicked called “Back Then”.

“Back Then” for me was situated in the great state of North Dakota which some consider southern Canada and many are not aware that the state of North Dakota even exists. I am here to remind everyone the state of North Dakota exists and its people are almost as irritating as the great state of Texas which some consider northern Mexico.

“Back Then” allowed many great freedoms that are not available now and some may consider them new freedoms. Most of these activities were free for most and in many situations you were forced to imagine which is also a new concept to some. You were normally not limited because “Back Then” was actually clean and wholesome to most and you could instantly enjoy yourself without electronics.

As a kid, this is what could we do “Back Then” that was so special.

  • Ride bikes from dawn to dusk having only to check in with your parents or an older sibling so they knew you were alive and had all your limbs.
  • Float truck or tractor inner tubes on the lake having the time of your life because you all knew how to swim and you knew your limitations.
  • Play board games where the games took weeks or months to build a strategy and play it through. My favorite was Axis and Allies. Many of these games were modified for computers later.
  • Camp in the local woods or someones backyard where you would lay in on your back at night watching shooting stars and the occasional UFO.
  • Stay up all night playing card games in the winter because it was blizzarding out and school was canceled.
  • Join the polar bear club in shallow ponds where the water was much warmer out than sub-zero temps on the surface.
  • Build models because you were not carded to buy paint or glue.
  • Assemble puzzles and glue them on a backing so you had a cool poster.

“Back Then” was not as terrible as people from now may think and I am sure I would have enjoyed many of today luxuries if they had been available “Back Then”.

Unluckily, with every new day that passes, another day becomes “Back Then” and soon enough the individual that asked me about “Back Then” will be asked about “Back Then”.

Thinking about cherished memories and the friends I had “Back Then” and wishing you a great day.

Jay Patterson

Cousins, Brothers and Sisters – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

As you age you become more aware of what you have accomplished and your mortality.

I have been blessed in life with my experiences as a child in North Dakota, a young adult in the Navy, as an established adult involved in business operations, having great kids that are successful young adults, and a loving bride that has taken everything in stride for over thirty years.

With these accomplishments or non-accomplishments, there has always been a desire, need, hunger to write, journal, annotate who I am, what I am, where I am, etc. Not that anyone should care but this has always been my goal.

This week, I was on the road and due to new responsibilities with a 9 to 5 job I could not spend time blogging or posting at the desired level. Late in the week I was informed that one of my younger cousins passed on and it seems like I am consistently losing cousins and those I have considered adoptive brothers and adoptive sisters.

So, I consider this a wake up call to blog, post and hopefully some day write a book.

As indicated above, I was raised in the great state of North Dakota and there is only one other state that is more irritating than North Dakota and that is Texas. Yes, Montana, South Dakota and Minnesota can be a pain but those from North Dakota and Texas have serious issues on size. I will smile with that statement.

I had more than fifty cousins when I grew up and I can still name most of them. Having lived a transient lifestyle, there are hundreds that I consider brothers and sisters. I can say without doubt, I would do anything asked for those I consider a cousin, brother or sister and for that reason state it in this forum.

Today, I do feel mortal and with that will post items that I consider key to who I am. It is my goal to increase readership of my websites but if I write and feel better, I have accomplished my primary goal.

Please have a great day and I want to thank you for reading.

Jay Patterson

Before Walmart – Fifty Going On Fifteen

Remembering what was and what we have lost over time has become quite a hobby to me recently. Tonight, for some reason my memory was triggered on stores that are no longer some of which include Woolworths, White Drug, Gibsons. Pamida, Montgomery Ward, Tempo, Leevers, and Red Owl. How we have lost part of our history as these businesses have vanished.

North Dakota is pretty much out of the way when it comes to locations and growing up in the fifth largest city in North Dakota with a population less than 15,000 makes the area even more remote. I vividly remember my childhood and the stores I visited.

Woolworths, White Drug, Gibsons, Pamida, and Tempo were are discount or dime stores and some of them had small cafeterias and some only merchandise. They all had specialties but I will always love Woolworths for getting me into assembling models of cars. Woolworths had the models, the paint, the glue and all accessories and they were located downtown USA. White Drug was a close second and had a great burger in the cafeteria. Gibsons, Pamida and Tempo were all early version Walmarts or K-Marts. Perhaps K-Mart now fits into defunct stores.

Montgomery Ward was similar to Sears and JC Pennys in its heyday and this is where my sister and I always purchased our clothes for the year prior to going on summer vacation. Wards did not have the cool vacuum tubes for transactions that Pennys had or the lawn mowers that Sears had but they had class.

Leevers and Red Owl were grocery stores in the local area that just disappeared over time to be replaced by newer grocery stores. Much like the neighborhood grocery stores fifty years earlier, they just disappeared.

Life was much simpler when I was growing up and I miss many of the stores I grew up with beyond the stores listed above. Probably one of the coolest things was as a kid you could buy or get for free stickers from the local auto parts stores for STP, Edlebrock Manifolds, etc and put the stickers on your bikes.

It was not Mayberry RFD or Andy Griffin but it was home.

Best wishes and have a great night.

Jay Patterson

Pride and Ownership – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Thank God Its Friday (TGIF).

I have been tied up in South Carolina the last few days and this trip has taken me back to my teenage years when the first manager I ever had at a steakhouse taught me about Pride and Ownership.

I was fourteen years old and was working as a line cook at Wagon Masters Steakhouse in Jamestown North Dakota. Our head cook was an eighty plus year old immigrant named George who had worked at most of the decent restaurants in the local area and was guiding Wagon Masters through its grand opening during the holiday months.

George taught me how to clean the meat saw, meat slicer, steam tables, grills, deep fryer, steamer and all other associated equipment since I was new to the business and through our entire time together I was called “Boy” by George because that is what I was.

I learned how to properly prepare, cook and serve all menu items from George and truly looked up to this gentleman. One day when we were cleaning after closing time, I was sweeping the grill area and George absolutely came unglued and called me “Boy” numerous times. I was clueless on what I was doing wrong so once George settled down I was properly trained in the art of cleaning.

Proper training in the art of cleaning around the grill included George getting on his eighty year old hands and knees and taking a radiator brush and reaching way underneath the grill to pull out all the junk, etc… from under the grill. Once he had shown me he told asked me “If You Wash Your Face, Do You Wash Your Neck”? I said of course and he said it is the same with the grill, you clean what you cannot see.

This was a huge slap alongside my head because I was a teenager and what could someone eighty plus years old teach me other than a life long lesson that has stuck. Unluckily, George only made it through the first couple months of operations and passed away but I will always remember him.

I left Wagon Masters and worked at Dales Interstate Mobil where we detailed cars for local dealerships and customers. Again, another lesson on doing things right and between Wagon Masters and Dale Interstate Mobil, I received in depth pride and ownership training prior to leaving for the Navy in 1980.

This same pride and ownership regarding cleanliness was constantly hammered home during my naval career. On submarines, you cleaned your spaces every four hours on your hands and needs with a small broom, dust pan, bucket and sponge since you did not have space for normal cleaning equipment. On surface ships, you would spend hours doing field day with brooms, mops and buckets and again it was pride and ownership.

When I transitioned to civilian life, I was surprised to see difference in cleaning philosophy and I started out as a technician with a primary goal of cleaning the ATMs and other equipment I as responsible since they were pits. Guess what, when the dirt, grime and ghost chunks were removed, the machines worked better. Not a big surprise right.

I transitioned to running logistics departments with hundreds of warehouses and again, I would run into situations where there was no pride and ownership in the cleanliness and/or organization. For the past fifteen plus years I have dealt with this issue thus my current trip to South Carolina takes me back to 1977 when I worked at Wagon Masters and George taught me a life altering lesson.

This lesson was not cleanliness is next to godliness but have pride and ownership in everything you do.

Who has made this type of impact on your life?

Thanks in advance,

Jay Patterson

 

Online Connections On CB 1970s – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Can you remember the ultimate connection song of the 70s “Convoy” by CW McCall which was actually a commercial ploy by Mannheim Steamroller to build a war chest to produce instrumental music under the Mannheim Steamroller label.

Think about the craze that occurred due to this single song and the number of CB Radios that were sold by Midland, Cobra and Realistic. Think about all the books that were sold on CB codes (10-4) and call cards that were large business cards for your handle (name). I was the Grouchy Gravedigger and I had a cool call card.

I was in my early teens when Convoy came out and I was not only a fan of Convoy but was also a fan of every other CW McCall song which resulted in my wearing out numerous eight track tapes listening to these songs including Crispy Critters, Black Bear Road, Silverton Railroad, Four Wheel Cowboy and many more. Sadly, I can still sing half the lyrics.

When we traveled across the US on vacation, dad and I would be on the CB talking to the truckers and other CB addicts to reduce our chances of getting a ticket since the speed limit was 55 MPH. Yes, I said 55 MPH and this was the speed limit in most of the nation due to fuel conservation. Traveling in the 70s and 80s was like watching paint dry in the upper Great Plains.

It was nearly forty years ago that I was hooked. Furthermore, I believed in environmental protection, nature, the flag, Ford and apple pies. Today, I look back and even though I am a Libertarian, I believe in the environment, nature, the flag, Ford and apple pies. Hang on one, I am not as fond of Ford since they are proud of $$$ they charge, I cannot support GM because they are Government Motors so I am currently fond of Dodge unless they are sold to the Chinese.

Truly it is hard to believe that my six channel CB walkie-talkie and my 40 channel USB/LSB base station was my internet connection to the world as a teenager and it was so cool to talk not type to someone thousands of miles away.

Think about it, 40 years ago there were no game consoles, no PCs, no internet, cable TV was limited, phones were hard-wired, CDs and DVDs were not invented yet, you had to take film in to be developed. Wow…. it was the technology stone age.

In closing, we would not be where we are at today if it was not for yesterday. On the flip side, the technology of yesterday is not as cool as the technology today so lets keep moving forward and don’t forget the technology of the past.

Thanks, Jay Patterson

Hillbilly Mafia Update – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Last night I covered a recent encounter with the hillbilly mafia.

Today I was informed that the management group that I call the hillbilly mafia was relieved of all responsibilities.

What is the definition of karma again?

The sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences.

Seems fitting.

Just wanted to leave a short note.

Have a great day.

Jay Patterson

 

Don’t Work For The Hillbilly Mafia – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Have you ever taken a job that just did not feel right but you decided to do it anyhow?

Last year I had the pleasure to do just this and I am not joking when I say it felt like I worked for the hillbilly mafia. The question you may have is why do I say this, well let me begin.

The organization that had been ignored for ten plus years and although there were personnel that tried to move them into the early 21st century, they were not allowed to proceed and these personnel were considered trouble makers. This was not evident on the surface.

Why would an organization be ignored for ten plus years? The organization was part of many small organizations that had been passed from one generation to the next and was not critical in the scheme of things. In fact, the management of most of these organizations was moved to a small management company to many which I have identified as the hillbilly mafia.

Prior to accepting this challenge, I obtained assurances that I would be able to do what I needed to do to move forward and I developed, submitted and covered in detail the steps required to transition into the 21st century. I emphasized that it would take a minimum of twelve months for revenue improvement to occur. So, I moved forward with high hopes that this company could be revitalized within twelve to eighteen months.

Within two weeks of taking this challenge over I ran into my first indications of trouble. These issues worked hand in hand with each other and I should have known immediately the game was up and this was not a good fit but every challenge can be addressed right. What was the challenge?

  • The company sold new and used equipment and primarily sold used because there was no strategy to sell new.
    • The goal was to minimize used sales and scrap much of the used equipment rolling the scrap metal revenue back into revenue. This would happen at the same time as a new equipment sales strategy was developed thus the twelve to eighteen-month revenue turnaround window.
    • In actuality, most of the used equipment was scrapped and the revenue went into the managing companies’ black books accounts.
  • I brought the issue up and was immediately informed that this is how we are going to handle scrap metal and not to bring the issue up again.
  • Based on this turn of events, there would not be a large amount of used equipment to sell and there would be no scrap revenue to replace. Within two weeks of accepting this challenge, the game was up.

This was the tip of the iceberg and end result was that you learn your lesson, move on and make every effort to not repeat the mistake. An opportunity that is right for you will come so it is best to wait.

Remember, if it smells fishy, tastes fishy and feels fishy, it is probably fishy.

Have a great one.

Jay Patterson

My Weekly Reader – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

For most of us in the United States, the first news source we read as a child was “My Weekly Reader”. First established in the 1920s, “My Weekly Reader” was a window into current events that was directed at elementary schools until its demise in 2012. “My Weekly Reader” in its heyday was published seven (7) times a year and had up to 13 million subscribers.

Growing up, we followed the Vietnam War, Nixon, Moon Walks, Disney’s plan to buy land and build a new park in Florida called Disney World, the building of the World Trade Center in New York City, etc. in “My Weekly Reader”. If it was current news, it was probably covered and it is even possible that “My Weekly Reader” taught me how to boil eggs.

“My Weekly Reader” was the first exposure to politics for many of us. During presidential election years, a presidential poll was held sponsored by “My Weekly Reader” and thee accuracy was 100% for very year only two (2) major candidates ran for office. In fact, the only year the poll was incorrect was 1992.

I have no idea how many children decided journalism, photography or other related careers were for them because they read “My Weekly Reader” but I know it made me read World Book Encyclopedias from cover to cover and read the local paper every day.

Today, we are inundated by entertainment journalism 24 hours per day on television and online while printed journalism dies a slow death. If only I could be as excited as I once was as a child when we would be given “My Weekly Reader”.

There were many written publications that I enjoyed in my formative years that were instrumental in my development and fun to read. Some of my magazines of choice included Boys Life, Mad, Cracked, and High Times but none of them impacted the sponginess of my brain like “My Weekly Reader”.

What was your favorite article in “My Weekly Reader”? Mine was the story on the World Trade Center in NYC.

Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Jay Patterson

How To Lose Weight Part 1 – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

I have always said I wish I was 21-year old with the wisdom of a 50-year old but if I had any wish in the world, I would be a 50-year old with the metabolism of a 21-year old.

It was an overnight occurrence, at the age of 40 I went to sleep burning favorite foods without issue and next thing you know, I would smell donuts and gain weight. Of course, weight gain had nothing to do with eating two plus helpings during supper, driving hundreds of miles each day for work, eating fast food for lunch, lack of athletic activity, and/or 3 AM snacks where I would leave one (1) in case somebody wanted it even though I ate nine (9).

For the past ten plus (10+) years, my weight increased 40 percent compared to when I retired from the Navy pushing 165 pounds soaking wet and running five (5) to ten (10) miles per day in hot, humid coastal Georgia. Even during the holiday season, my weight stayed constant and I enjoyed eating all the good foods. Foods that were good to me anyhow.

I initially increased in weight from 165 pounds to 200 pounds and attributed the weight gain to getting older. I would go on a fad diet to drop 15 to 20 pounds and return to my old habits and weight gain until I was around 200 pounds. My ego prevented me from purchasing new pants and shirts as long as I would yo-yo in this range. The plan was rock solid and good to go.

Unluckily, the fad diets did not work anymore and 200 pounds turned into 210 pounds and I was not losing weight. I purchased new pants and shirts and summed the weight gain up as a side effect of getting older. To make things worse, my knees bothered me with the extra weight but once again of course they did since I was getting older.

Well, the wheels started to wobble as I was pushing 230 pounds plus and experiencing issues with my cholesterol and triglycerides. I went up another size in pants and shirts and my doctor put me on medication, diet and exercise regiment.

Finally, the wheels pretty started falling off when I was informed that my liver was failing, my weight was not dropping and if I did not make life altering decisions. Wow, history was repeating itself since my grandfather died at the age of 55 due to heart disease caused by cholesterol and triglycerides.

Needless to say, this was my “Suck It Up Buttercup Moment” and I started searching for a way to lose weight and keep it off, restore liver functions, reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, and purchase smaller shirts and pants. None of these goals were a small task considering my track record in the last ten plus (10+) years but each had to be tackled.

The most pressing issue was my liver so after researching my cholesterol and triglyceride medication, one of the side effects included liver issues so I talked my doctor into changing my medication and I stopped drinking all alcohol. Guess what, after six (6) months, my liver functions returned to normal.

In tandem with resolving my liver issue, I tried numerous methods and diets to regulate my weight since I was certain if I reduce my weight I would also resolve my cholesterol and triglyceride issues. I had limited success dropping weight but was keeping constant at around 230 pounds.

I continued to research methods to reduce weight, keep the weight off and restore my body chemistry. In July 2016, after much research I made a decision on the best course of action and decided to change my eating habits from a see food or fad food strategy to a Paleo strategy setting a start date on my 53rd birthday.

It has been over a year since I made the change and I have maintained my weight at 200 pounds even through the holiday season. It has been over six (6) months since I was removed off my cholesterol and triglyceride medications. My knees are doing much better and I have purchased smaller size clothing. Overall a big win for Paleo and myself.

What is Paleo and where does it fit in “How To Lose Weight“?

Stay tuned for future articles and I will shed further light on what Paleo is and how I used it to get to a comfortable weight of 200 pounds.

Have a safe weekend and thanks for reading,

Jay Patterson

 

 

 

 

 

A Paperless World – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Wishing safety and health for those in Hurricane Irma’s path. We have been lucky for many years in the US but 2017 appears to be a heavy blow year,

Who remembers when we were told that PCs would make the world paperless? Well I remember and this is my story.

In the 1980s I purchased my first computer which was a Tandy 1000EX where you had to boot off a large floppy and soon after I joined one of the first online access companies “Prodigy” which utilized a dial-up connection. I was in the Navy at the time working as a Technical Instructor and Curriculum Developer at the submarine base in New London Connecticut and we have frame systems. I like many reading this were clueless where technology was going to take us.

In 1990, I was transferred to Kings Bay Georgia to work on older Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines on the USS Canopus and was assigned to a hotel load division responsible for repair planning and estimating.

  • A hotel load division is a work center that is manned by personnel reassigned from primary duties to do a job outside of specialty.
  • Planning and estimating researched and developed all repair procedures and processes for system on submarines that were critical for maintaining life and safety.

In planning and estimating, I was exposed to PCs and a software package called Word Perfect where you did not need to use specific key strokes to indent, bold, etc. like on the mainframe systems I had worked on in the past.

Word Perfect was the most incredible tool in the world that allowed you to not only build repair packages but you could also share the work packages, review and make corrections without printing paper.

Across the kingdom was cheer and joy because life was going to be much easier since you did not need to type, review, red line, white-out and correct. It could all be done on a CRT screen and we were told the Navy would be paperless within five (5) years.

During my time in planning and estimating we made numerous attempts to move to paperless activities and we even had new fangled laptops to take to repair sites but for some reason they were float tested by the repair technicians so we could not move away from paper repair packages, Do you think they were resisting technology?

Since we could not implement a paperless society on our primary job we attempted to implement a paperless society for general administration, performance reviews, etc. Again, we were met with resistance since the approving officers were not PC proficient and wanted to review on paper. Go figure!!

It has been nearly thirty years since my initial dreams of a paperless world were dashed and although I have seen improvements in time we are still not there. Maybe the next generation will get us there?

How is your paperless world going? Wishing you the best, Jay Patterson