Finally Done

So I did my final event of my inflatable career tonight. I was one of two companies' hired to supply inflatables to the event and one of many game providers. And I must say it is scary what some other companies will do or not do.

The event was set up with sections...an area for kids 13 and older, an area for 7-12 year olds, an area for 3-6 year olds and an area for under three year olds. I was the last one to arrive and was told to set up my inflatables in the 4-6 year-old area.

The other company (it wouldn't be fair to call them 'competition') was already set up with three bounce houses, a slide and an obstacle course. One of their bouncers was the one with only three walls, another bouncer was one with a car theme on top with duct tape being used to patch holes. I never did see the other bouncer up close...but it looked like a Wal Mart unit made out of nylon. Their slide was 10' tall and had no safety features at all. The obstacle course was the dirtiest unit I had ever seen and it was also down right dangerous.

Well, I get out the 20' Accelerator Slide first, got it inflated, staked it down and tied down the tethers and one of my guys began cleaning (we sweep out and wipe down the unit before and after each event.) I then set up the Boom Blasters and the Pitchburst.

These two games made all the other games in other areas seem cheap and no fun at all, mostly because they were cheap and no fun at all.

I then got my Castle Bounce out and started inflating it. The man who owned the other inflatables walked over and asked if my units were brand new. I said 'no, I’ve had them since July of 2004.' He said there was no way I've had them that long and if that were indeed the case, I must not rent them out very often. I simple said all you need to do (I was wiping down the unit at this time while one of my other guys was sand bagging it) is clean it before and after each use and it will stay looking new for longer. He then asked me if I stake down or sand bag my units all the time. I said, "well of course, I would hate for some to get hurt because I didn't run a safe operation." He (who didn't stake down units or use sand bags) just walked away.

So later in the night, the event is at full force. Several thousand people in attendance, and my two inflatables and my games were covered up. And parents and some of the older kids were wanting to get into the 4-6 year old area because that's where the 'cool' inflatables were.

The minister from the church came over and said that he was glad I ran a more professional operation and would be interested in using only me for their events in the future. I told him I had put the business up for sale but if someone locally bought it, I would get him the contact information (only if they did things right) so he could be in contact with them.

I then had a chance to walk around (it was nice to have enough attendants so I could float during such a big event) and I saw the other company's slide and obstacle course for the 13 plus kids...and kids were doing back flips, and diving down the slide and the obstacle course was covered up like white on rice. I was so glad that things were separated and that I was in a completely different area than all the other attractions. I did take some digital video of the entire set up...just in case.

I'm thankful that no one was hurt last night...on these other companies' units. Or mine for that matter.

I'm also glad that I put safety first. I can't, for the life of me, understand why someone would run so carelessly.

AJ

Halloween and no Pumpkins

So it's the week before Halloween and my wife and I decide we're going to take out three boys to a Pumpkin Patch to pick out pumpkins. We load uo the kids, head north to a great little pumpkin patch and we get there....and the Pumpkin Patch is closed. It's gone. Never to reopen again.

I don't understand. How can someone in the business of selling Pumpkins right before Halloween just close up shop?

We ended up getting a pumpkin from some where else. Not the same as going to the Pumpkin Patch.

Maybe next year.

AJ

Interest Already...

I posted an ad today on a web site trying to sell my inflatable slide and my inflatable bounce house. Since doing that at about 5pm this afternoon, I've already had three inquires about purchasing my slide.

While I was mostly trying to feel out the market, I think I will get a decent price which will allow me to pay down the debt I owe on the business and I can focus more on games. Focusing only games will mean a little less money coming in but it will also mean less weekends working away from my three sons and my wife. And more time with the family is one of the reasons we're considering making this move.

If someone from this community wants to buy the entire company, they can have it for 15-thousand dollars. That would include all the equipment I have plus it would pretty much give you a built in customer base for the next year...I have several booking already for next year that would be passed on.

More to come later....


AJ

A story worth reporting

My newsman, David Shideler, has come across a news story that will be the talk of the town for quite sometime. He has found out that a candidate for mayor in the City of Clayton has gone into an election booth and helped someone fill out a ballot.

These is clearly illegal. David got a tip from someone within the city that this was going on. And he pursued it like a veteran newsman.

David interviewed the candidate and got the money quote..."Yea, I did it...I just didn't know it was against the law." I'm not sure how Georgia law works when something like this occurs, but I know one thing, this will be one of those stories that will get David noticed as a newsman that reports the news and that he doesn't take sides. This is going to help our radio stations earn even more respect and by the time to local newspaper comes out next Thursday, the story will be history and no longer news.

David, Good Job.

AJ

Police Explorers, you've got to be kidding...

Several years ago my wife and I took a trip to Gatlinburg, TN for a weekend away. The same hotel we stayed at was also hosting a retreat for Police Explorers. Police Explorers is a program run by the the Boy Scouts of America that teach kids between 12-17 the ways of law enforcement.

Well, that hotel was overrun by these kids and the adults there were there to watch over them could'nt care less. In fact, I think all the adults were run off because I don't recall seeing any adult that actually were watching the kids.

After enduring a weekend of standing water in elevators, kids running down the halls all day and night and kids traveling from room to room by climbing balcony to balcony, I said I never want to stay in a hotel with something like this going on again.

So I get to Duluth, MN, on Thursday and I realize on Friday morning that a bunch of figure skating girls and their families are staying here. Apparently some sort of try-outs for the national team or something like that. Nothing to worry about.

Well last night, I head down to check email in the lobby and on the way back to my room I end up on an elevator with about 25 kids between 12-17 years of age. And you know what? They're all part of Police Explorers!

Hopefully, things won't be the same as in Gatlinburg.

AJ

Is the dream worth a dollar?

The Power Ball lottery jackpot is at record levels. I was reading reports today online about people lining up to buy a ticket with the hopes of winning $340 million dollars.

Now that's a lot of money.

What I don't understand is the people who think it's worth a buck for a chance to win $340 million but $50 million or even one million, that's not worth a buck for a chance to win.

While there's a big difference between one million and 50 million, when it comes to the average person, 50 million and 340 million, is there really much of a difference?

Some say the dream of what you would do if you won is worth the price of the ticket. I'm not so sure. I have dreams and I dream everyday...and it doesn't cost any money at all.

AJ

Mike Tice, You've got to kidding?

While the Vikings are off to one of their worst starts in the 45 year history and having to deal with the Fred Smoot Love Cruise, Head Viqueen Coach Mike Tice chose to 'deflect' questions about the love cruise in Sunday's post game conference to instead focus on the positive points of Sunday's 28-3 loss to the da'Bears.

He wanted to focus on the positive points of the loss.

Mike, you got beat by Chicago. The team the Viking faithful love to hate. We hate da'Bears more than we hate the Packers. There was no positive side. Tice said he thought the defense played well. The defense gave up 28 points. I'm sure glad they didn't play lousy.

And Mike, the only way the media, the fans and the country is going to stop asking questions about the love cruise is when the Vikings start winning and stop whining.

As I watched more sports commentary than normal this past weekend, the thing that amazed me is how many sports commentators said, "The Vikings have always had a tremendous amount of talent on that team...it's too bad they've never come together and won." Guess what Mike? It's your job to bring those players together...on the field, not on the Love Boat.

Mike...pack your bags. get out of town and don't ever come back.

AJ

Bath Time

Most everyone that knows my son Kallsen knows that if you're eating something in his presence you must share with him. That's the rule. Share with Kallsen.

The rule has been extended to Bath Time. Parker, two weeks old tomorrow, had his umbilical cord fall off sometime Monday so his first 'real' bath was last night. Sara Beth went to get the baby bath tub (a smaller tub that sits inside the main tub) filled so she could give Parker a bath. Once Kallsen heard the water running, he ran to see what was going on. When Kallsen saw his baby brother was about to get a bath, Kallsen decided he could let a good bath go with out getting in him self.

So Parker was in his tub inside of the big tub and Kallsen was in the big tub right next to his baby brother's smaller tub.

Apparently anything Kallsen enjoys that Parker will have to do as well will have to be done together.

AJ

PS-bathing two kids at once isn't real easy, but it went better than I thought it would.

Political Mess

There’s a heated Mayoral race in our town that may get even hotter as we get closer to Election Day. Makes me wish I was still doing news…this is one debate I would make sure I found a way to get done.

Apparently the two candidates have faced off before and it wasn’t pretty. Now challenger and one time mayor is upset at a radio ad that the incombant is currently airing and wants a copy because he may file a slander suit. The FCC says we don’t have to turn over a copy of the spot or a transcript. But we do have to hand over a copy of the broadcast agreement. I doubt the request will go much further.

I’m not sure, but I believe for a slander suit to have any chance of winning, the accuser needs to prove that the person doing the ‘slandering’ is being malicious in nature and is spreading falsehoods...

Almost all legal systems, including those of the United States, Scotland, and England and Wales, require in some situations that the subject of the communication prove, in a civil court, that the defendant made the statement with "malice", meaning either believing it was false or with "reckless disregard" for whether it was false. This is known as "qualified privilege"; a typical example is a complaint of professional misconduct.

It should be interesting to see what becomes of this Political Mess.

AJ

Sometimes I Steal

Each week I am suppose to come up with an editorial to air on my two radio stations. Some weeks it is easy, others weeks it's not. And yet other weeks, I steal ideas from others. I sometimes steal just the idea, other times I steal the whole thing (when I do this I normally ask permission and it is always from someone I know in radio and we share the same views on that topic.) And other times I steal the idea and some of the words.

This week I stole the idea for the editorial and some of the lines from my newsman's blog...


Clayton Editorial 10/17/05


Several times recently people in the community have commented that we shouldn't do editorials on our radio stations. They say our role in the community is to inform and to entertain, not to shove our opinions down their throats.

I can hardly call our editorials shoving our opinion down other's throats.

Why can't local radio stations make editorial comments? Do you complain when you hear editorial comments on TV? No, you expect it. And no self respecting paper can do without an editorial page. Why should our media be excluded from expressing an editorial opinion?

Maybe it's because people have been so used to small market, home town radio stations that have cowered to making an editorial comment. When radio was king, editorial comments were expected. When something major was happening in a community, people would look toward the local station to share its opinion on the matter. shoulduld be no different in today's world.

These radio stations will continue their right to express their opinions and, as always, we will continue to invite you to share yours with us.

Our freedom of speech and the press will not be smothered because a few think we shouldn't share our opinions.

That's my view, what's yours?

Great Hair

I was noticing last night that Parker Joel, my youngest son (8 days old today) has great hair. It's soft, brown and very thick.

He's going to a handsome man...just like his daddy.

AJ

Happy Birthday!

Today is my wife's 27th Birthday.

It's hard to believe I started dating her when she was 21 and I was only 30. I hope she has a great day.

Sara Beth is at home for the next four to five week with Parker and Kallsen. Parker is one week old today and Kallsen is 14 months and only home because of the long drive to his day care. Beginning next week, I will drive Kallsen to day care twice a week. That will give Sara Beth a bit of a break.

We don't have anything really planned for her birthday. I've got a card and I will buy cards for the boys to give her and I will pick out a gift for her today. And have her added to the station's birthday list.

This weekend, her Mom and Dad are coming into town and her and her mom will be doing something just the two of them. That's a tradition for the two of them to have a special day together for her birthday. I think it normally means a day of shopping and a new outfit for my wife.

I hope she has a really good day.

AJ

Could He Scale Everest?

About two weeks ago I was folding laundry and Kallsen, who's only 14 months old, came over to me, grabbed the laundry basket, pulled it to the center of the room, flipped it over, climbed on top, clenched his teeth, curled his arms like a muscle man and growled. No doubt he was showing all of us (me) that he is indeed king of the mountain.

Well since then, he has flipped out of his crib, climbed on top of his little yellow chair, found a away to get onto the couch and yesterday he pulled his little yellow chair next to an end table, climbed the chair and proceeded to get on to the end table.

Remember...he is only 14 months old. He may one day scale Everest. And he could be the youngest person ever to do so.

And on top of all this, he is learning words faster than one could imagine a 14 month old child doing so. His vocabulary includes...Momma, Daddy, mine, water, bite, mine, cat, no, huh?, mine, Parker, Joseph, Nana (lala), mine, here, brother, mine, necklace, night, baby, and mine.

When you say, "wanna get in the water?" He walks to the bathroom. When we say, "wanna a go night, night?" He either shakes his head 'no' or he walks to his bedroom and reaches for his crib. If you tell him we're going "bye, bye" he walks to the door.

He also understands orders...if I ask him to bring me the phone, he'll go find it and bring it to me. Same thing with the remote, a pillow or pillow case. He can do it when you ask for your keys, a ball or a cup.

While I know every parent thinks of their child as special and smarter than any other child, I have a feeling that Kallsen is particularly special. And very smart.

AJ

It was a great funeral

Carlisle Henderson's funeral was today in Union. For those of you that don't know Carlisle, he was the voice of the gospel show on WBCU for more than 30 years. He also hosted the Trading Post and was morning show host for awhile.

The funeral was really interesting. They asked a long time friend of Carlisle's to tell some stories about the 'Coffee Sipper' and then they played bits from interviews he had done over the years. Carlisle's show was a must stop for any politician in South Carolina that wanted the Union vote. Carlisle had interviewed the likes of Strom Thurmond, Fritz Hollings, Jim Hodges, Jim Demint, Lindsey Graham and many others of the years. He was once honored with the Palmetto Citizen of the Year award. That's a big honor.

I just hope people will feel as blessed to have known me when I die as I felt to have known Carlisle.

AJ

Glow in the Dark Cat

Last week was a very full week. With trying to get things done before taking time off for the birth of our third son to watching over two boys while my wife was in the hospital to having to entertain family that were intown because of the new baby. On top of all that, my cat now glows in the dark!

On Thursday night, I took our oldest son, Joseph (9), to a fall festival being held at one of our local schools. Joseph got himself some of those glow sticks they were giving away at one of the booths. On Friday, our cat Pumpkinhead found one of those glow sticks and decided it might be something that was good to eat.

Well, we're all sitting in my living room (we all is my inlaws, sister in law, and Kallsen) and the cat comes tearing through the living room with bright green suds flowing from its mouth...and the cat won't let anyone near it. It was not just running really fast but also hopping really high (it was a sight to see.)

So as I go looking through the house to see what he might have gotten into I find the crewed up glow stick. Pumkinhead ended up vomiting the glow juice all over his chest and glowed for the next couple of hours.

True story.

AJ

Parker Joel Wright, Welcome to the World!

Sara Beth gave birth to our third son on Wednesday night, October 5th, 2005. Parker weighed in at eight pounds, 15 ounces and was 21 and a half inches long.

He was dark blue eyes, brown, wavy hair and is just a joy behold!

Sara and Parker came home on Friday and everyone is doing well.

AJ