Generic Blog

I forgot to mention congrats to the Lady Vols for winning their 8th NCAA title.  I was commenting on how much closer to another record Pat Summitt is and this guy said her winningest coach record didn't count because she is a woman and that the girls didn't play as well as the guys.  I wasn't shocked because I knew people felt that way.  My reply is that girls have always been good players they are just finally getting to see it.  All players, men and women, are better that they were.  Pat has been coaching for 34 years and Bob Knight coached over 40 and isn't even close to her record.  I'm not saying that he isn't a good coach at all.  I just think that she should be recognized for her accomplishments as they are many.  A win is a win boys or girls.  He didn't change his view and still thinks that women's sports aren't challenging.  I would like to see him play one on one with Candace Parker.  Go Lady Vols!!!

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I have been researching our family tree and it is totally frustrating me.  I spend hours and hours on the net and can't find what I need.  There is an insane amount of information and I can't find what I am looking for.  Grrrr! I think I am on the right track and end up spending long periods of time on the wrong and then I have to fix all the mistakes I have made.  It would help it my family knew more about their ancestors but they have all died fairly young and the information didn't get passed along.  You need names and dates and I have one or the other.  My advice is, even if you are not interested in it now, to get all the information you can from your older family members.  Things like birth, marriage and death dates.  It will help you in your search when you get older and become interested in your family.  I am not giving up just yet but I fear I may have gotten as far as I can go.  Good luck on all of your ancestry detective work.

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Is anyone else tired of the graphics that all TV shows put across the screen while you are trying to watch?  It is so annoying to try and watch a movie and have all the graphics scroll all over the screen.  I especially have it when I am watching something that has subtitles or information on the person talking on the screen and you can't read it.  It happens a lot on the History Channel.  Who the hell do I complain to about this? Not that it would do any good.  I guess in the future we will be used to it but commercials between shows are bad enough, do they have to do it in the shows too???  GRRRRRR!

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Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the Waverly Explosion.  A train derailed and while workers tried to clean up, a propane tank exploded killing 16 people and injuring many.  I will never forget this!  We lived about a block away.  I was 9 years old and was inside the house taking an electrical plate off with a screwdriver, I know, but they didn't have any guards back then. I knew I wasn't supposed to be doing that.  The second I pulled the last screw out, I heard this enormous explosion and the whole house shook.  I ran outside where my aunt was and it looked as though the sun was sitting right above us.  It was a huge fire ball and I could even feel the heat.  For years I thought that my messing with the outlet had caused the explosion.  I began to scream with guilt and fear.  My aunt told me it was ok and we ran over to my great grandmother's house, which was next to ours.  She had come out onto the porch and was looking at the fire.  She began to cry and cry, as did my aunt.  Granny started yelling 'Tootsie', 'Tootsie'.  My grandmother, her daughter, was a police officer in Waverly and was at the site.  My aunt took off running towards the explosion to see what had happened to her mom. Of course, she didn't get through. She came back to tell us that she didn't know what was going on with my grandmother.  She was out of breath and terribly upset.  I was so confused by the whole thing.  I didn't understand that my grandmother was there.  Some time later we were informed that she had been burned pretty badly and was in the hospital.  We had to be evacuated from our house.  I cried because I couldn't find our cats.  My aunt assured me that they would be ok, and they were. Later that night my brother, mother and I were sitting in the car on top of a hill so we could see what was going on, it was near the hospital.  It was dark outside except for the fire that was still burning.  My daddy, who was divorced from my mom, had come to Waverly to try and find us.  He went to the hospital and found us sitting in the car. He was frantic!  He started to cry which made me cry.  He was so upset he actually had a seizure right there next to the street.  It was all too much for me to take, especially since I had thought it was all my fault. 

My grandmother was fine and received a medal of valor for helping evacuate people despite her own injuries.  She actually waited for treatment until everyone else had been seen.  She was burned on her head, back and buttocks.  It melted the badge in her back pocket.  I snuck into the hospital with my mom to see her, kids weren't allowed in rooms back then.  I had never seen her look so weak.  She tried to joke and cut up with me but she was in too much pain.  This post is dedicated to the memory of all who died and for my grandmother who will always be a hero to me. 

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