"JOGGERS"

JOGGING AND WALKING FOR HEALTH 1. It is well documented that for every mile you jog, you add 1 minute to your life. This enables you at 95 years of age....to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $5,000. per month. 2. My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 now and we don't know where she is. 3. The only reason I would take up jogging would be so I could hear heavy breathing again. 4. I joined a health club last year and spent about 400 bucks. Have NOT lost a pound. Apparently you have to show up. 5. I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing. 6. I don't exercise at all. If God meant us to touch our toes, he would have put them further up our body. 7. I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. 8. I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them. 9. The advantage of exercising every day is that you die healthier. 10. If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country. 11. I don't jog, it makes the ice jump right out of my glass.

Griz

In light of the increasing frequency of human-grizzly bear conflicts several years ago, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game responded by advising hikers, campers, hunters, and fishermen to take extra precautions and keep alert for bears while in the field. Quote from the 1998 planning brochure: “We advise that outdoorsmen and women wear noisy little tie-on bells on their clothing so as to not startle the bears that aren’t expecting to encounter you. Also, carry the large-size anti-bear pepper spray canisters with you in case you have an emergency encounter with an attacking grizzly bear. Bells and pepper spray are now available for purchase at any ranger station. While in the wild, be aware of the landscape and watch for fresh signs of bear activity. Outdoorspeople should learn to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear dung. Black bear dung is smaller and normally contains remnants of fish, small game fur, and berries. Grizzly bear dung is larger and has little bells in it, and smells like pepper…

The 4th of July!

Nothin' like the 4th of July relaxing by the fire. It was a cool night... (1) Joe played some very nice Christian ballads on the Black Guitar (not me -maybe tonight)... (2) Not many pest-bugs yet, and zillions of fireflies were out (3) Lots of stars out & twinkling- the Big Dipper overhead, and me giving amateur astronomy lessons . (4) And I saw a shooting star ! (5) AND we were fortunate to watch the International Space Station wiz on by overhead at about 90 degrees azimuth at an alarming rate...! (6) And there were dozens of neighbors all around the area enjoying fireworks in their back yard. Some were very impressive. (7) I layed an old dried out Frazier Fir from Christmas 2012 on the flames and WOW did she light up the entire area. Pine makes a lot of loud cracklin noises and the resulting sparks were tremendously shooting straight up into the sky, giving us our own fireworks display. OOO AAHH. (8) It was a very still night with absolutely no breeze.We heard the huge annual fireworks show in the town of Bel Air go off at approx. 9:30. Bel Air is 6 miles away... This was a simple night in our simple back yard, and I wouldn't trade it for a thousand nights doing anything else...Thank you Lord, for America. I shall NOT take it for granted. Thanks to all those souls who fought and gave the extreme sacrifice to preserve America and liberate others as well. It was an honor for me (and Barb!)to Serve this country and it is a priviledge for me and my Family to live here...!

This old photo brings back some very happy memories. Barb and I and friends were all on weekend liberty at the Northeast Arm Camp near US Naval Facility Argentia, Newfoundland (1982). This was a beautiful place on the water in the wilderness, with a dozen rustic cabins: much needed R & R for all us Navy Squids at that remote base during the Cold War. I remember it was a crisp, quiet morning and I needed that coffee on the table very badly after we were up all night with our Tom-foolery...

The New Job

Well I found a job. The company is Testing Machines Inc. in Delaware. Their website is testingmachines dot com. They liked my technical background in the aerospace and defense industries and asked me to be their Quality and Service Manager. It is a different world for me - their business model has a very informal structure and little regulation. I need to adapt and learn a whole new set of legacy processes and protocols. There is much room for me to help improve, but I need to do it very gradually or they won't continue to let me work among them. Wish me luck!

Looking for Work...

I have been out of work for a year - not giving up, still looking. I have worked as an Electronics Technician, Calibration Technician, Supervisor of a Calibration Laboratory, Field Engineer, Quality Manager, & Quality Engineer. I have endured job interviews but without no call-backs. I am looking for work in the alternative energy industry, i.e. solar panel or wind turbine manufacturers. Also would be interested in calibration / metrology. Look me up on LinkedIn...

Our Latest Visit

Stupid Joke...

I sent a joke by email to several friends and old high school classmates recently. The responses I received to the joke (only a few) were positive, except one of my old classmates, Mary, responded - offended and upset about the contents of the joke, and oh boy she really let me have it!

Here is Mary's response:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hi Stephen,
I value you as a former classmate and a friend, but we in no way share political or social views, and yet, somehow, we're both decent human beings who care about our families, our country and our world. I don't want to get emails that simplistically slam 'liberal' world views while adding nothing to the discussion of how to bring people together to solve tough problems and make our world more just and caring. For everyone. That's the discussion I'm interested in. If you've got something along those lines, send it, but if not, let's stop right here.
Best, Mary

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ouch! In retrospect, I should have been more mature and NOT sent the joke.
Here it is:

From: Stephen Kappesser
Subject: The Genie
To: xxx
Date: Wednesday, April 7, 2010, 10:22 AM



A Genie appeared one day to a destitute Mexican refugee outside an Arizona immigration office.

"Good man," the Genie said, "I've been sent here by the United States Government and told to grant you three wishes, since you just arrived in the United States with your wife and eight children."

The man told the Genie, "Well, where I come from we don't have good teeth, so I want new teeth, maybe a lot of gold in them."

The Genie looked at the man's almost toothless grin and -- PING!-- he had a brand new shining set of gold teeth in his mouth!

"What else?" asked the Genie, "Two more to go."

The refugee claimant now got bolder. "I need a big house with a three-car garage in Annapolis on the water with eight bedrooms for my family and the rest of my relatives who still live in my country.. I want to bring them all over here" --- and -- PING!-- in the distance there could be seen a beautiful mansion with a three-car garage, a long driveway, and a walkout patio with a BBQ in an upscale neighborhood overlooking the bay.

"One more wish," said the Genie.

"Yes, one more wish. I want to be like an American with American clothes instead of these torn clothes, and a baseball cap instead of this sombrero. And I want to have white skin like Americans" ---and --- PING! -- The man was transformed - wearing worn-out jeans, a Baltimore Orioles T-shirt, and a baseball cap. He had his bad teeth back and the mansion had disappeared from the horizon.

"What happened to my new teeth?" he wailed. "Where is my new house?"


The Genie said:
"AWWWW, TOO BAD, Amigo, now that you are a white American, you have to fend for yourself."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anyway, I liked Mary in high school - she was smart, cute, and bright with not an enemy in the world. I assume she hasn't changed after 40 years(none of us really do) so I was compelled to apologize in as graceful a manner as I could:

This is my reply:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I'm Sorry, Mary.
I can see from your perspective that this thing was in very bad taste and I apologize. In the future I will refrain from sending material like this.

I usually preface this kind of material with the phrase:
"This is just a joke, not a serious commentary".

As you can see, my jovial attitude towards the World has changed little.
Unfortunately at times, like now, it's a weakness.

As a Believer who is now very familiar with Scripture, I know that our Lord requires us to help the less fortunate with open arms. And I do. With my checkbook and personal volunteering of my time and labor on a weekly basis.
However that does not excuse my actions in regard to my offense.
Please forgive me?

Steve
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well there it is. I have not received a reply from Mary yet, but I really hope she will accept my apology and forgive me.
I admit that have learned a valuable lesson - thank you Mary!

People less fortunate than myself shall no longer be the subject of my jokes. I promise to manifest my maturity and intellect of 55 years, and try to apply my humor in better, more benign ways.

Kappesser Street

On a recent trip to Syracuse, NY we took some photos on Kappesser Street, named after Medal of Honor winner Peter Kappesser, one of my forbears.

Peter Kappesser was a Civil War hero, and my great great great Uncle...so to honor him, the city of Syracuse, his hometown, named a street after him. It's in North Syracuse in the area my Dad was born and raised.

You can read all about him on WIKIPEDIA...

New Photos: Snow at the Homestead

Well, we shoveled our way out of this, eargerly anticipating more this weekend. I have difficulty bending my arms...now that they are 2" longer. Barb has been baking a lot through all this, and I have been sampling her brownies, cobbler, etc. Very good. Gotta go to work now.

Snowball Sling

I and my sons were out playin' in the snow Christmas afternoon. Sledding down the back yard and chuckin' snow balls.
We discovered that a giant waterballoon sling-shot can fling a snowball at an alarming rate of speed for an amazing distance...
Joe is going to bring one back to school with him. Plenty of snow in Upstate NY. He plans to ambush his fellow classmates from
the balcony of his dorm building. Cool. (Literally...)

The Christmas Tree Stump Chain

Not much to look at but I like it a lot. Every year I must cut a slice off the trunk of the Christmas tree before I put it up so it'll suck water better. I save the stumps and mark them with the year and put them on a chain. I have stumps going back to 1984...

1982: Our First Christmas Together

These photos were shot at Christmastime 6 months after we were married.

Our first home was a nice townehouse in Navy Housing - completely furnished with antiques (1950s vintage). The Dog's name was "Candy". Our first little Christmas tree was propped on top of the spare tire from our 1980 GMC pickup truck. I still use that toolbox. Barb was expecting our first child, Stephanie...That ice field behind me in one of the photos was a hunting ground for (ohmygosh!) baby seals.

We were stationed at a US Navy Intelligence's Integrated Undersea Surveillance System facility in Argentia, Newfoundland, Canada. Our crew detected, tracked, and provided targeting info on Soviet nuclear submarines in the Arctic Ocean. Barb worked Supply and I ran the Calibration Lab in Operations. The IUSS system was Classified until the mid-90's...now they use other technology for that mission.

Our friends were Dan and Emily Walsh. Dan went on after this duty station to work at the Pentagon and then for a Navy SEAL unit. I think Dan did his 20 yrs. with the Navy and jumped over to the private sector. Last I heard, Emily is in management for "Child Time" learning centers in VA. We still get a Christmas card from them every year...

New Song: This Christmas

I put this song down on paper as an answer to prayer.
I had the opportunity to sing this for my friends at church last Sunday. It was hard to do and I think more than a few could see that I was struggling with it, trying not to lose my composure. I got-r-done though...


(Notated with Guitar Chords)

THIS CHRISTMAS WILL BE DIFFERENT
s. kappesser 2009

[Intro Am D G]

G Em
Oh, this Christmas will be diff’rent,

Am D
Than many in the past,

G Em
Things just aren’t the same now,

Am D
Time has gone too fast.
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
G Em
Haven’t seen old friends,

Am D
In a while - - I don’t know,

G Em
And a cold, hard feelin’ settles in,

Am D
As I watch the fallin’ snow…
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
G
Oh, this Christmas will be
Em
diff’rent,

Am D
Friends have come and gone,

G Em
Mem’ries of days gone by,

Am D
Makes it hard to sing this song.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

G Em
The only Hope I have is here,

Am D
The Book shouts words of joy,

G Em
It began so long ago,

Am D
With the birth of a Holy Boy.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
[Bridge]
D C G
The sky lit up,

D C G
The Host sang out,

D C G
It must’ve been a glorious site!

D C G
A baby born from High above,

D C G
Have no fear in His awesome love,

D C G
I know I found the Light.
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

G Em
Oh, this Christmas will be diff’rent,

Am D
Can I be strong and able?

G Em
I am told that Hope’s alive

Am D
It was born in a Christmas stable.
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

G Em
Oh, this Christmas will be diff’rent,

Am D
While some things cannot be,

G Em
Love is strong, as it was ment,

Am D
It’s a gift He gave to me…
‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’
G Em
Yes, this Christmas will be diff’rent,

Am D
Than many in the past,

G Em
But in many ways, it’ll be the same

Am D
It’s finally here, at last…

Joe's Home

Joe's been off to school since September. We missed him but did not miss tripping over his shoes, which he always kicked off and left in the living room. Well, we drove 400 miles, picked him up Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and brought him home. The traffic was terrific, especially on the New Jersey Turnpike.

This morning I couldn't sleep, so I walked out into the living room and there were Joe's shoes...I smiled and said to myself - that's OK, he's home for the Holidays...

Stephy's Christmas Bell

I've had this photo of my daughter Stephanie and a Christmas Bell she made me hanging out in my shop for years. I'm guessing she was 10 or 11 years old when the photo was taken. Everytime I see these it reminds me of the wonderful Christmases we celebrated when our children were very young...The house was decorated completely and Stephy even had her own Christmas tree in her room.

PUSHIN CHRISTMAS

A popular phrase in November is "You're pushin' Christmas!" - - directed towards people who are already in the holiday spirit 7 or 8 weeks from Christmas; decorating, shopping, wearing Christmas clothing, etc.

So what? What the Sam Hill is wrong with Christmas?

So what if Christmas is the remnant of a PAGAN holiday that organized religion twisted into a Christian celebration of Jesus's birthday, completely shot through by the global manufacturing-retail complex in their quest to make a buck.

No reason to be depressed about it, hating it because you might feel COMPELLED to spend money on gifts nobody really NEEDS - unless they depend on Christmas for new skivvies and socks...

Where does that leave us? The only thing that matters is what is in your heart. God knows...

Legalism and human judgement muddies the water, doesn't it? We all want to do the right thing...

In any case, personally, I like it. I like the whole holiday season - it's the BEST time of year.

So in complete child-like anticipation, I put up some new LED Christmas lights yesterday and introduced them to our newest grandson Ryan, who will be experiencing Christmas #1 this year...

Fire Rainbow

Driving through the Shenandoa Valley on I81 last summer in Virginia, I spotted a fire rainbow. It's caused by ice crystals at extreme altitudes. Very rare...

2004 Trip to Sandy Pond

FAST SHOOTER

REMARKABLE SKILL.