Residency

I mark 10 years this week that I'm an official Skook. After working in State College for eight months, I returned full-time to T-102.

The day I moved was even hotter than today's temperatures. The Summer of '99 was a hot, dry one. It was 95 degrees on the 4th of the July. I remember it because I was on air that day and night. The owner of the station I worked at in Happy Valley also coordinated fireworks shows. Through a sophisticated system of computers and antennas, I ran the 1999 State College fireworks. All I did was click a mouse... and put up with lousy air conditioning in the studio. I never got to see any of them until the staff meeting two days later.

The day after, RC asked me to come back to T-102, and I said yes.

A month later, my parents and aunt came to Bellefonte with a U-Haul to help me move. Wouldn't you know it, the day move was the day it rained cats and dogs. Three of us made the trip from I-80 back to Wilkes-Barre through a line of storms. That weekend was also my parents' anniversary. Their dinner was at the Wendy's at Buckhorn, sitting beneath windows that leaked.

These are moments that memories are made of... especially with family. I went to a family reunion last month, and had a ball. In fact, it is now my responsibility to add to the photo album for next year. Dad and I will start working on that over Christmas. I had another family get-together this past weekend, at my Godson Josh's graduation party. Hot as hell, but it was fun to see everyone again.

Josh starts classes at King's next week. You couple that with the fact that there is a head coach in the NFL younger than I am, and you can tell I'm getting old.

I look forward to the day that I can host family get-togethers at my place of residence... wherever it may be. I think I can count 12 states where I have relatives (PA, NJ, MD, FL, IL, GA, CA, LA, SC, NC, MA, VA, and probably more)... not bad for a kid who has roots in the mid-South, Ireland, Poland, and Lebanon. My great-great-great-great-great-uncle is a Saint... Nimutallah Kassab Hardini, who was born 200 years ago. I also remember my great-grandmother telling me I am also a descendant of Vice President John C. Calhoun.

I have more investigating to do.

Buckle up,
TS