Let’s do a request today, peeps!
Talk among yourselves about yourselves. But let’s make it a little broader than just businesses. If you work for a volunteer or non-profit organization that you’d like to introduce us to, feel free to promote that in the comments, too.
Filed under GTP Stuff
“We remember the Sugar Bowl, I think it my junior year of high school, we let Alabama beat us twice,” Brinson said of a team that also lost to the Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship game. “We’re not letting Alabama beat us twice. In the Sugar Bowl in 2018, they… thought they should have been in the playoffs and lost to Texas.” -- AB-H, 12/27/23
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I retired in September and, after epic fishing trips and Dawgball, I now have to figure out what to do. I was introduced to a young man who just got out of the Army after 4 years as a grunt (Europe and Ft Carson) who wants to use his GI Bill to get ahead but has no previous experience with higher ed. Since I went from a GED to working for the BOR for 20 years I have a decent background in navigating the process. He just got married, had a child and bought a house so I think it’s important that he finds something he want to do and takes advantage of the benefits that he earned. I don’t know if this is a direction I would want to pursue but it’s a good thing to work on for now.
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Now this is a cool playpen. I’m retired, but I volunteer read and tutor at local head start and elementary schools. The Baldwin County Literacy Council in Baldwin County, AL is a locally self funded group that works to reduce the high illiteracy rate here. With all the education on this blog I encourage you to tutor somewhere for ESL, high school equivalency or learn to read projects. Even if you still work there are night classes that need your help!
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Gulf Coast Dawgs unite!
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That’s great! My doctoral work centered on participants in Adult Literacy and the GED and I coordinated the Adult Literacy Staff Development program for DTAE (back before it became TCSG) for a number of years. We always said if everyone who could benefit from our programs showed up we could never serve them. What you do is so crucial and I salute you.
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In Georgia.
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Love helping diverse kids with difficult situations. Thanks for your note. It’s really fulfilling.
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I manage 600 key accounts for a natural gas utility.
In my role I spend a lot of time managing negotiated rate contracts and helping customers navigate our “transportation program” through which customers can purchase their gas through a 3rd-party supplier.
In addition I spend a good deal of time educating current and potential customers and engineering firms on the benefits of natural gas technologies like co-gen/CHP, gas engine-driven heat pumps, gas engine-driven chillers and compressed natural gas (CNG) for heavy vehicle fleets.
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…. prior to this career I was a “tin knocker” for almost eleven years, designing, fabricating and installing sheet metal duct systems for commercial/light-industrial HVAC.
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Nothing wrong with that.
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I’ve worked in cogeneration/CHP since I got out of the navy in 2007. It’s always cool to find other people who are involved in the same or similar industry.
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I retired in 2018. I work as a volunteer at the Norcross Cooperative Ministry, where I process food orders (bag groceries). To help my “customers” better, I am taking a Spanish class. However, I may be too old to learn (never was good at it, still waiting for someone to come take my UGA degree away). I was involved in some political campaigns for others in the past, but now avoid politics like the plague.
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The church I grew up in (Perimeter) does a lot of work with Norcross Co-op
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Small world. I volunteer down the road at NETWorks Coop in Tucker.
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After earning my PhD in Psychology from UGA in 1983 I spent a few years working for hospitals such as Children’s Hospital of New Orleans and Eastern Maine Medical Center (yes, I know those two are miles apart, literally) before deciding to strike out on my own and open a practice in Bangor Maine providing School Psychological services in eastern Maine. Over time that has grown into a business that now employs about 30 people and provides consultation and evaluation services to school districts all over Maine and provides in-home supports to children with Autism and developmental disabilities. We’ve been in business over 28 years now and despite my increasing age, I don’t see stopping for a while. It is a very rewarding career and I am grateful to UGA for giving me the background to be able to do it all these years. My only regret is that my psych degree never addressed the business side of things, so I have learned by trial and error how to run a business (lots of error).
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Tim – great story! My youngest daughter is autistic. Do you know how/where I might by able to find a list of providers in my area who offers in home services like the ones you describe? TYIA
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Actually, I am a special education teacher in central Georgia. Chi-town, I may be able to get you a list or website of some helpful resources.
sbking@wildblue.net
I also work as a real estate appraiser and salesperson in the mid-state area.
I play music and deer hunt. Love most sports.
Great to see so many folks on here giving of their time to help others – didn’t want to call y’all volunteers!
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Hi Chi-town. I am sorry to say that I am unfamiliar with how other states support children with special needs. Maine has a program that is funded by Medicare that provides the intense supports that children may need. I am not sure if other states take advantage of that or not, seems different state to state.
The Autism Society of America, Autism Speaks, and the Association for Science in Autism Treatment all have resource pages that might be helpful to your child. Most states have a statewide Autism Society too, and that may have info for you. Best wishes to your daughter, I hope you are able to find some support.
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Thank you Tim and Mick. Mick – I’ll send you an email and thanks again for the kind offer and for suggesting this wonderful thread.
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Hi Chi Town. We just had a conference for fathers of special needs children who live in the South. You can check it out here if you like. We hope to have another one later this year or next. #holdfast https://sndconferencesouth.com
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I live in metro Birmingham. After 15 years in advertising sales for a couple of local newspaper groups, I bought a magazine (targeting parents with kids at home) and then launched a magazine for local pet owners. The first year had been great but the future is looking really promising.
Outside of that, I serve on the board for a Foundation that gives our local school teachers grant money to use in their classrooms. I’m also a member of a local Rotary Club, and donate my time to help raise money for a variety of causes we support.
Great post, Senator. Thanks for suggesting it, Mic!
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Good to see you post again. Thanks, again, for the Vandy tix. It was my Bama grad wife’s first visit to Vandy ever and she had a great time.
Me, I’m winding down to retirement in about five years spending my days as a licensed banker at Wells Fargo handling banking needs for high net worth clients. I live in Birmingham, too, where I am slowly being turned into mush by a two year old granddaughter. Anyone else know what that’s like?
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Hello, I’m in Cyber Security and work for telecommunication company that provides managed security services for government and commercial business. I volunteer at my church and help out where I can.
FYI I love these play pens over the political ones. What makes college football so great is that people from all walks of life can unite for a common goal.
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Amen. It’s one of the last remaining places I can go without the fear of being dragged into a fight over politics.
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Nice! Verizon, by chance? I’m also in cybersecurity and am based in the D.C. region doing consulting/integration for mainly F500 firms. This includes MSS, IAM, IR, EDR, etc.
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So funny. I’m on year two writing and directing a cyber security video series for an Atlanta company. We got makeup artists from the Walking Dead and made their employees up like animals having security issues (eg the social butterflies were oversharing on social media).
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I ran a division of the largest tradeshow/magazine/conference company in the US for 21 years. They brought in a new CEO last year and I was “retired” I’m still getting paid but it’s clear there aren’t many job openings for old white guys. Although I’m still looking for something to finish out my career.
I have a degree in Economics from UGA ’79, which I used exactly zero times in my career. But the time in Athens and friendships I formed were the base for my professional career.
Moved back here 8 years ago when my youngest graduated high school in Atlanta. Love every minute of it.
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I can vouch for Athens Dog!!
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Athens Dog
I am fortunate to have received three degrees in economics. UGA-2 (and almost 6 glorious years in Athens!) TAMU-1. Majority of my work and success was because of my economics/analytics training! Live in AZ now and retired a few years ago.
HBTD!
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You clearly knew what you were doing! For me it was just a matter of getting a business degree. Congrats on the retirement I’m right behind you
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All you retired guys make me a bit jealous. I’m a construction attorney, and I’ll probably “retire” by dying at my desk. 😉
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P.S. I’m in Atlanta, licensed to practice in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
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Don’t joke about that. They literally carted a lawyer friend of mine out of his office in a body bag. Heart attack at night getting ready for a case the next day. Secretaries found him when they came in that morning.
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It’s not a joke, really. It’s more a recognition that I enjoy my work, I will get bored without it, and I probably will need to work a bit longer in life to achieve security in retirement.
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Great playpen topic…after graduating from UGA in 1988, I took a job in the insurance industry that required me to move from Roswell where I grew up to Hartford, CT. After being sentenced to 4 years of hard time in CT, I took a transfer to Chicago in 1993 and have been here ever since. Held several senior level positions with various insurance companies before becoming tired of the corporate world. A few years ago I joined the ranks of the small business owners by purchasing a large insurance agency with 2 locations in the Chicago suburbs. Our goal is for my wife and I to each sell our businesses in 7-10 years and retire as far away from Illinois as possible. Until then we’ve still got 2 kids with 2 years left of college.
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What suburb of Chicago are you in? I have two kids in the Chicago area, just curious.
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We just moved from Northbrook to Arlington Heights in the Northern suburbs. However, my business is in the Southwest suburbs. My wife’s restaurant is in Evanston, so we’re basically all over the place LOL. Where do your kids live?
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I’m from Villa Park but went to Urbana when I got out of the Army in 69. I still have friends there and even went to my 50th at Willowbrook a couple of years back.
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My daughter just graduated from the U of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana a month ago. She loved it there and it’s a beautiful college campus. Now I just need to get her off the payroll;-)
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OSKEEWOWOW!
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My dad was the assistant hoops coach at Evanston in the mid-50’s and then took the head football and basketball job at North Chicago. As a reserve Naval officer he ran the special services at Great Lakes during the summer.
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Yay U of I!
I was a professor of political science at UIUC for four years, before that two years at Pitt, now Harvard.
The UIUC – UGA connections are random and awesome. I always like hearing the random Illinois tie-in’s on the Waitin Since Last Saturday Podcast.
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My son and his family live in Evanston. He is an attorney with a large law firm in Chicago (Kirkland and Ellis). My daughter and her family live in River Forest. She is a social worker for a hospital in the area. What is your wife’s restaurant? We have hit several places in Evanston over the years.
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Hi Tim – she owns Sarkis Cafe, in Evanston. It’s been around over 50 years, but she’s only owned it for the last 20. Great breakfast and lunch place. Let me know if you/they’ve heard of it and maybe we can meet up there the next time you’re out this way.
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I will do that. I don’t recall eating there as of yet, but will check it out next time I am in Evanston. If you send me your email, I will alert you if we are going out. Would be nice to meet a fellow Dawg from that area.
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Sounds good – dave_finkelstein@yahoo.com
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Nice, I’m mulling a move to Chicago. Went to law school in the Twin Cities and a lot of my friends have been trying to convince me to move back to the Midwest.
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Chicago is the best city in America from Memorial Day until Labor Day, but the crime is spreading from the south side to the near north side. The state is literally going bankrupt and the taxes/spending are out of control. You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons. Personally, I think Minneapolis-St. Paul is a wonderful area to live if you can stomach the winters. Milwaukee, Madison. WI and Indianapolis are great little midwestern cities that are nice alternatives to Chicago.
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I’ve been in Cincinnati for the last two and a half years. We really enjoy it here, plus a very active Alumni Association up here for game watching.
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I spent four years living thirty minutes south of Hartford CT and worked in Hartford (job was the reason for the move). At the time it felt like purgatory but now that we’ve moved away we definitely miss the Yankee friends we made from up North and our quant New England town that was older than the United States. Guess it’s a life lesson to savor the moment you’re in even when you’re pursuing your dreams and aspirations.
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What a coincidence. I grew up 30 minutes south of Hartford (Glastonbury, est. 1693). Now live and work in Charlotte. I miss raising my kids in a small town, but do not miss the weather one bit. Traffic is tending to be a bit of an either/or at this point, too, with CLT’s growth.
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The first year I lived and worked (Aetna) in downtown Hartford. The last 3 years lived in Manchester in the old ribbon mills and used to go to a comedy club in Glastonbury all the time. Had friends in Rocky Hill, Simsbury, etc. The Arch St. Tavern sponsored our softball team, so we used to go there a lot as well as the bars by Union Station, which had just re-opened. Buck land Hills Mall opened right before I moved away. Made some good friends, but it was a very depressing time with heavy layoffs in the defense (peace dividend) and insurance industries along with plummeting home values. Plus too many old, married people for a young, single guy fresh out of college to meet someone. Still a great experience that I don’t regret.
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I’m AVP for Development and Alumni Relations at Piedmont College in NE Georgia. In addition to our Demorest main campus, we have a campus in Athens and offer graduate degree programs in education at 26 locations across Georgia. And, yes, I’m a paid beggar.
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A dear friend who taught Spanish at the Demorest campus just passed away last week.
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Although I never had the privilege of meeting him, I have heard Joe Palmer was one of the great ones.
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He was such a great guy, we had coffee every day here in Athens when they were not in their place in the Big Easy.
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My son attended Piedmont on the Presidential Scholarship. Played a little baseball as well. He also got his MBA there.
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Tell him to come to LionFest (alumni weekend) in April. Unfortunately we just learned our event is the same day as G-Day. I’m an Athens native and UGA grad and I hate to miss it but work calls. He can find the details and our other events (golf tournament etc.) on our alumni engagement platform: alumni.piedmont.edu
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I’m a financial coach! I guide focused professionals through simple, actionable steps to get from financial frustration to financial freedom. Most people feel stuck living paycheck to paycheck. I teach a process that helps break that cycle so that they never have to worry about money again. We focus on developing a healthy money mindset and habits that link financial behaviors to a strong, passionate “why.”
You can check out my website and learn more at http://www.graysonstalvey.com
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To add a little more about myself, I’m from Savannah originally, graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 2005 and spent 12 years in the service. Got out two and a half years ago and moved to Cincinnati to start a new career in corporate America. It sucked, so I followed my passion and started my financial coaching practice. Married with 3 young kids. The ones who can talk all profess love for UGA, so I feel like I’m doing something right.
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As mentioned above, I’m in cybersecurity and work with large commercial firms here in the D.C. region. Born/raised in north GA but have been up this way for 10 years or so, and I’ve grown to love the region (though winters are a bit colder/longer for my liking).
With three very young kids, I have little free time, and in fact if I can squeeze in a 30 min workout 4-5 days in any given week, I’m thrilled. With that said, I plan on doing more volunteer coaching for my kids youth sports teams, and I’d like to eventually do additional work promoting IT/security to kids/teens as a possible career field; particularly disadvantaged ones, who generally aren’t exposed much to the field, and there are and will continue to be great opportunities for them if interested.
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I have a son that is in his last year of a cybersecurity degree from Kennesaw. Would you be open to talking to him and sharing your experience?
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Sure. Feel free to provide an email, and I’ll be in touch soon.
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Thanks! its much appreciated. Contact him at hunter.b.waters at gmail dot com
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I’m a CPA working in the Kaolin industry in Middle Georgia. If you ask my kids what I do, they’ll tell you I count dirt, have meetings about dirt, and sell special dirt – and they aren’t wrong!
We volunteer at several places around here but the one that y’all should check out is Comfort Farms Milledgeville. CF is an agri-therapy farm for veterans. It’s a place where vets in crisis can come, work on the farm with retired Rangers, and begin to heal. Check out Comfort Farms and STAGVets on the intergoogles – their mission is awesome and the meat they produce is absolutely unrivaled.
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I work in the realm of urban planning helping local governments in the Athens area with compliance and advisory services. This is my first professional job and I am trying to figure out where to steer my career after spending most of my 20’s floundering vocationally.
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I spent 20 + years in Parks and Rec running sports programs and then completed my doc and worked for the University System for another. Whatever you have done can contribute to your future so follow your bliss.
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Have you looked at cybersecurity and/or is that a field you might have an interest in? I made a career change in my early 30’s to this field after realizing one day that making good money wasn’t rewarding enough or making me happy overall. Best move I ever made, and most days I can’t wait to get started working for the day.
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Augusta College has a relatively new cybersecurity program that offers undergrad through doctoral level curricula.
https://cyber.augusta.edu
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Oops, Augusta University!
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That’s awesome 3rd. Computers are one of those things that I wish I wanted to know more about. I force myself to learn just enough to survive but that’s about it. If one were to try to break into cybersecurity, what would you do?
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I’m an Episcopal priest living in enemy territory. I grew up loving the Dawgs, met my wife in Athens, and we’ve been west of home for over a decade. We graduated in 2003, and we don’t get to many games anymore.
At my current call, I have oversight of Christian education and multiple lay ministries, and I share preaching, teaching, and pastoral care duties with two other priests. I get to preach to about 1200 kids twice a month and a few hundred every Sunday. They know I’m a Dawg and love me anyway.
Walking with people through the ups and downs of their lives and being with them in their holiest moments is a great and humbling honor.
As an aside, I find I take great comfort in these words from our burial rite, especially after a loss:
All we go down to the dust, yet even at the grave we make our song: Go Dawgs.
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Ben,
I’ll be going to the Dominican Republic on a construction mission in concert with the diocese of the central gulf coast and the bishop’s office in Santo Domingo building furniture(pews , lecterns and kneeler) for churches down there. What is your secret at getting so many kids. Our church has a retiring rector and we need to reinvigorate our church. We have a good base of young people, but our chance to redirect is now.
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Hey, Aladawg, I know your context and I know some of the people going on that trip. I’m across the bay from you. We’re tied into a school; that’s how I have so many kids to preach to. Enjoy that trip; is this your first time on it?
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Wow, didn’t know you were so close! This will be my 3rd trip. My wife will be 5. It’s hard work but very fulfilling. E-mail me some time at samsadawg@gmail.com if you have an interest.
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Hey Reubs!
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I need a job lol. Just had a government analyst contractor position end abruptly when the option year fell through. Such is life, I guess.
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Semi-retired working,physically, harder than since athletic days renovating houses w/my wife. We jokingly are the geriatric Chip & Joanna. 84’ UGA AgEcon graduate. Serve with Fellowship of Christian Athletes and also FCA Outdoors.
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I am married to Kate Upton…..then I wake up….
Excuse me I’m going to take a nap.
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My family and I started a non profit to benefit Children with Serious Illnesses in the Atlanta area. http://www.WestGaElves.org
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Mr. White, I believe I went to school (and grad school) with you. BSAE and MSAE in 1987.
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Yes sir we did! Good times!
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More about myself. I have a BSAE and MS from UGA (’85 and ’87). I have been in the software consulting business the last 22 years. We support and install Oracle ERP (JD Edwards). So that means I travel weekly and currently on a project in chilly Wisconsin. I try to wear something UGA at least weekly. I have on occasion seen the G logo up here and that offers an opportunity to strike up a conversation. GO DAWGS!
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I own and operate fast food restaurants. When I was younger I was a musician. The most notable venues I played were on Today in Georgia, at Luke Appling’s wedding anniversary party, the Brathaus in Underground Atlanta, in Athens in a band called Azrock, Little Five Points in Atlanta, and the Crystal Palace. I donate to my church, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (2 of my brothers died from cf), and Tunnels to Towers.
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i post under my real name. two daughters, one is a UGA grad now working at a great job. the other is now a sophomore at UGA. writer, photographer, publisher, sportswriter and volunteer soccer coach. i love dove and quail hunting and fishing – fly fishing in particular.
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Owned a small business (rental equipment) for over 30 years. Sold that during the recession (2008) and had to hunt for a job, at age 57. Knocked on lots of doors before getting into the banking business (of course my UGA ABJ degree helped me enormously). Retired from that in 2016.
Ever since 2003, I’ve spent most of my baseball seasons at State Mutual Stadium in Rome GA as PA Announcer, then Stadium DJ for the Rome Braves.
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Been to a few games there with my baseball loving son who lives in Rome.
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I work for one of the big professional services firms in Atlanta. I love the people and problem solving aspects of the job. I’m fortunate that I get to spend a good bit of time in Athens recruiting Dawgs to join our firm.
I’m on the board of an NFP that focuses on teaching youth how government especially at the state level works. I try to be involved with the school our youngest attends.
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I’ve always been curious about working at one of those firms. I looked at management consulting, but could never figure out how to break in. I’ve got a master’s in public administration with a specialization in organization management.
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Have you looked at the firms’ government/public sector practices? They all have strategy/human capital practices that serve the federal and state governments.
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I have a solo law office in Pawleys Island SC. It’s a desk practice; wills, trusts, small business, real estate closings. Nice practice. Don’t make the big paydays but the clients appreciate the work and come to depend on me. I’m 63. Still pretty full time, but I leave the office when I feel like it and close for two weeks when I feel like it.
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I’m not as erudite as some of you here. Can you tell me where your screen name comes from?
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Lewis Grizzard had a fictional fraternity brother by that name. He didn’t mind people calling him Hogbody because his real name was Norbert.
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I work in marketing for the PGA TOUR at their headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fl. Any golf fans in the house?
If you haven’t experienced THE PLAYERS down here I highly recommend it. 🙂
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We lived on St.Simons the last 8 years and the TPC was a favorite of ours every year. Great course to walk and a great tournament. Have to miss it this year. But we will make the AP Invitational. My sister lives in Orlanda.
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Nice! I’ve actually never been to API, always wanted to. I love the move of PLAYERS to March. Weather is much better.
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I moved to Orlando right out of school and have attended every Bay Hill Classic, Nestle Invitational, MasterCard Inv, API, except two since ‘81. Heading down the first week of March. Its been our annual golf kick-off all these years. No course has ever brought me to the brink of giving up golf like Bay Hill has. Hardest course I’ve ever played and I’ve been blessed to play some of the best.
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Hi Ginny
I live at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale AZ. Heard of it? Golf paradise!
Sure you have abscess everywhere but let me know if you are in the area and want to play. Not many Dawg fans around here!
GO Dawgs!
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Thanks so much Dave! It is on my bucket list to go to the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Will you be there this week? Looks like the best party ever.
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YW Ginnny! I have been to the Phoenix Open many times. Now I only go If a friend has Suite passes. Totally spoiled. Definitely best party scene. Only tournament I like more is in Augusta!
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Ginny: Before I went to Georgia I played on the golf team at Augusta State and know several guys on the PGA Tour who played there after I did. I also am an avid PGA Tour fan.
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Nice! Augusta State has a great program. One of the best. The Dawgs are very well represented on TOUR as well.
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Worked for the TOUR for 20+ years, still in PVB working for K9s For Warriors. PLAYERS isn’t the Masters but I can walk to the TPC!
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…and went to AC and played a couple fo years of golf, mid-70s.
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You must know John Flaschner then! We love K9s for Warriors.
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Know Flash well…We love the TOUR too!
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Love playing the Stadium every though it’s definitely above my punching weight (hit the green on 17 on all 3 attempts including our forecaddie allowing us to play it from the TPC tee when the flag was back right). I would definitely like to experience the tournament and see the best take it on. I’ve been to the Masters a number of times, the PGA at Quail Hollow a few years ago, the last 2 US Opens at Pinehurst and would love to finish a fan’s Grand Slam at the 150th Open at St. Andrews.
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My name is Matt Foley, and I am a Motivational Speaker. Now, let’s get started by me giving you a little bit of a scenario of what my life is all about:
First off, I am 35 years old. I am divorced…and I live in a van down by the river!
Now, you kids are probably saying to yourself, “I’m gonna go out, and I’m gonna get the world by the tail, wrap it around and put it in my pocket!” Well, I’m here to tell you that you’re probably gonna find out, as you go out there, that you’re not gonna amount to jack squat!
You’re gonna end up eating a steady diet of government cheese, and living in a van down by the river!
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LMAO – I almost spit out my Coke Zero reading this! One of the best SNL skits ever. Well played
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Matt, I thought you were thrice divorced. Or did you quit counting?
I’m an engineer from UGA (yes we’ve existed at UGA continuously since the 1800’s) and have worked in aerospace for 30 years, mainly as NASA contractor.
How does an agricultural engineer wind up working at NASA? By developing systems to grow food in space. That evolved into general life support systems and currently I’m working on the Commercial Crew Program to help Boeing and SpaceX each develop vehicles to take our astronauts to and from the International Space Station, and quit paying the Russians for the rides. (Did you know we have had humans in space continously for over 20 years now?)
As for volunteering, I’ve enjoyed mentoring UGA engineering students who are also interested in aerospace. With our fairly new engineering college (it was formerly part of the College of Ag and Env Sciences), we have more students looking for direction and career advice. I love helping fellow Dawgs follow their dreams like I was able to do.
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A+ parenting right here.
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Agreed. Hysterical post. You should look up the real Matt Foley. He was one of Farley’s best friends (and a Catholic Priest). He would call Chris from time to time and say “it’s Matt Foley” . Chris would think someone was screwing with him and hang up on him. Gone too soon. Miss you Chris. Miss you too John (Senator) Belushi.
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Lead singer for the World’s Greatest Rock And Roll Band
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Ahem…
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He did qualify it with Rock n’ Roll.
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Well-played, Lone Stranger.
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Excuse me?
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Please…
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I can’t tell if this is one bored individual playing with himself, or several bored individuals. In any case, gotta go with Plant on this one…
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What time is it!?!?
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The funk is it’s own reward.
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John Lodge?
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Definitely one of my favorite playpens so far.
I graduated from Grady and got a job in advertising as a copywriter/creative director. Started out at agencies in NYC/LA and now I work for a tech company in SF, writing commercials mostly. We have a couple coming up for the big game Sunday. I’m also working on commercials for March Madness and I so want to put the dawgs in a spot but it might be a tough sell now given how our season is going.
Bad thing about advertising is the big agencies pretty much require you to live in 3 places (SF, NYC, LA) so as much as I enjoy big city life, I’d love to figure out a way to go back somewhere smaller and closer to home like Charleston. I miss the ability to pop over to Athens whenever I want. One day…
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Hey! I’m also a Grady grad in the marketing/advertising world. Went client side a couple years ago for an opportunity within Home Depot. Definitely a departure from agency lifestyle and culture BUT the pay and hours are much better plus you don’t have to live in LA, NYC or SF 🙂
Which agency do you work for? A family friend was a copy writer in LA for one of the big ones until she went freelance.
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Not a Grady grad, but another Ad Dawg. Graduated from UGA in ’07 with a degree in Education, taught/coached for 3 years, went into non-profit for 3 years and then stumbled into an ad job where I’ve been since.
I do brand strategy work for an agency out of Greenville, SC – which beats the hell out of the LA, NYC, SF situations. Been extremely lucky to work on some awesome accounts over the last few years including College GameDay, LinkedIn, and some movie campaigns – Kingsman, Bohemian Rhapsody and… my favorite… Deadpool 2.
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Awesome! I was at BBDO and then RPA working on Honda in LA. Then I made the client side jump as well to Google. You’re right, definitely a different vibe than agency side, but much better work/life balance which is critical at my age. No more red bull-fueled all nighters.
@Cory I know that agency! Great shop from what I hear. It’s nice to know there are more options beyond SF. I like the city a lot, but cost of living is insane.
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As a Special Assistant Attorney General who investigates and (hopefully) prosecutes internet/email scams and wire fraud, y’all are scaring the crap out of me with all this personal information you’re sharing out here today 😉
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I work in education for the University System of Georgia, something I’ve done for almost 20 years now. I’ve also done a lot of volunteer work assisting those struggling with addictive issues. Currently on the BOD of the Remedy Project http://theremedyproject.com/
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Downtown or in Athens?
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Insurance defense attorney in Indianapolis. I agree with Chi-town’s assessment of Chicago between Memorial Day and Labor Day. No city does summer like Chicago.
I volunteer at a food rescue not-for-profit up here called Second Helpings. We take food donated from restaurants and grocery stores that has hit the sell-by date, but is still good food, and make it into meals for hungry people in central Indiana. We provide between 3500-5000 meals per day, delivering to other not-for-profits around the area so they don’t have to use their money on food, but instead, can use it on programming for their clients. Our meals include a protein, a vegetable, a starch, and a sweet. UGA has a similar food rescue program that serves predominantly elderly people in the Athens area. I think we’ve rescued and repurposed over 50 million pounds of food over the last 22 years we’ve been operating.
The other thing we do is provide culinary training and life-skills training for people who are trying to get back on their feet, whether coming out of rehab, prison, or a shelter. Our grads are in every major commercial kitchen in the city, and have also run the Colts’ kitchen for their training table.
Finally, I volunteered as a Big Brother with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Indiana for seven years. My little is finishing his associates in automotive repair at Ivy Tech Community College up here. I now volunteer on the development committee for BBBSCI, which is celebrating its 50th year in central Indiana.
And I do stuff with the local bar association and other legal groups. But I need to do more pro bono work.
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I am the Director of Ops for a local beverage company – New Creation Soda Works (www.newcreationsoda.com). We make soda and a margarita mix with real, natural ingredients. You can find us all over Athens: we’re in every Jittery Joe’s (except the one on campus but are carried by Niche Pizza on campus), many local restaurants and bottle shops, gas stations, as well as Terrapin and Creature Comforts. Creature also mixes Athena with Nadarita (our strawberry habenero margarita mix) at their mixing bar. I wish I could name all the places that support us in Athens, but fortunately and unfortunately this post would be too long. You can of course find us throughout the state and in AL, SC, TN, and VA as well. Our four packs have drink recipes on the bottom, and I highly suggest Hopscotch – our dry-hopped ginger ale – as a Moscow Mule base for tailgating. If anyone has any questions about New Creation, please email me at martin@newcreationsoda.com.
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Mmm. Root Beer.
I like that ginger, too. It’s milder than Blenheims, so I don’t use it as much.
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Mmmmmm. I’m always lurking about looking for a better margarita. I’ll give it a try….
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Thanks Stoopnagle, Root 42 is our best seller. I’m glad to hear you know and enjoy our products. And Got Cowdog, I hope you enjoy Nadarita when you get to try it. I warn you, it ruins all other margarita mixes for most people.
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I was a Dawg fan before I could walk. Grew up in south Georgia and still in south Georgia.I wanted to go to UGA but the grades and money were not there so I ended up graduating from Valdosta State in the late 80s. Became a graphic designer/desktop publisher for a directory company, then part owner in a graphic design/website/networking company, then owner of my own design company, and then completely changed careers at 45 and became a contract background investigator. I have worked for several contract companies over the past ten years investigating folks that need security clearances for federal jobs and the military. I work from home and each day is different than the one before and I continue to meet great people each day.
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Painter remolder on the emerald coast, looking for a good mid management job. Hurricane Michael messed my life up. I’m a great painter though.
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Do you paint houses?
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Yea.
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You should paint the White House black. Jagger upstream could help out…
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Excellent. I will ask Rudy to call you along with Fat Bastard. Rudy very much knows what’s happening and he is a very capable guy. If you could speak with him that would be great.
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I’d love that. ty. chuckdawg95@gmail.com
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I think he is asking you if you murder people for a living.
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The details of my life are quite inconsequential… very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we’d make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum… it’s breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.
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Good Gawd Almighty, that was hilarious and intense! Truly a whirlwind.
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LMAO!! Was that lifted from a Vonnegut novel or Confederacy of Dunces!?
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Austin Powers
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Ahh. Right. Goldmember! Somehow even funnier out of context!
Thanks
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Its the life story of Dr. Evil. Hard to believe Those movies are over 20 years old.
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Pure glory. I may never have laughed harder in a theater than at that first one.
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Nice to meet you Doctor.
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One of my all time favorite bits!
Breathtaking.
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I can’t place it. From what is this lifted?
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Austin Powers. Dr. Evil to be exact.
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This would have taken me a minute but I just rewatched it a couple of months ago. Classic.
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After undergraduate at UGA (got on of those really cool bicentennial diplomas in 1985). Worked for a while then decided it was time for a change of scenery. Bounced around the S.E. for med school and residency. Been a practicing physician for the last 25 years landing in Texas and putting down roots. My kids are all native born Texans, but I taught them very early to bark like a DAWG and how to yell GO DAWGS SIC EM on every kick of on TV. Much to my delight, I have one that has her sites set on becoming a DAWG (now if we can only do something about that pesky out of state tuition rate). My body may be in Texas, but my heat will always be in Athens.
It is very interesting to see what a lot of the people that you have regular “conversations” with on this forum do in their day to day life.
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What part of Texas? I’ve been in Houston for 20+ years.
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DFW
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Cool, I think I’ve asked you that before but I’m old and have CRS.
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We usually get down your way a couple of times a year. My son races down at Speedsportz Race Park in New Caney and then over at GCKI in Katy.
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I have one of those diplomas too (BSPharm ’85) Met a guy in an airport (Denver?) who said he’d designed it. You can get into all kinds of interesting conversations when traveling in your UGa gear 🙂
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Same here. We are probably in the same class as mine says BSPharm’85 as well.
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After getting my frequent-attendee certificate from UGA in the early 00’s, I fell into the IT field as a web tester for a web design company in Athens back in 2002. Now, nearly 20 years later, I’m a senior QA consultant for a firm that builds SaaS apps on the Salesforce platform. Do you know Salesforce development? Do you know software sales? We’re hiring like mad. 100% remote, crazy good benefits, amazing work environment.
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should have added to PM me here, or reply here with your email address…it’s early, and I need more caffeine…
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Hey guys, I served in the US Marines for 4 years and Army National Guard for 2. Since getting out, I’ve been working in a Mill in south Georgia for almost 14 years. I’ve been a DJ for 9 years and last year I started doing stand up comedy, which was a lifelong dream. If you ever need a DJ, my business page is Facebook.com/djbriggy
And you can follow my stand up career at facebook.com/LaughingwithBriggy
I hope to see y’all in the audience one day or in Athens on gameday. Go Dawgs!
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Two peanuts were walking down the road and one of them was assaulted.
You can use that one free of charge. 😉
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That cracked me up. 🙂
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I’m a geologist, but I prefer the term “dirt monkey.” Born and raised in Warm Springs, I got my undergrad degree at West Georgia and my Master’s at UGA. I’ve worked in the environmental consulting field for 32 years, mostly soil and groundwater investigations and cleanups. Aside from college football, I enjoy shooting, fishing, knives, and playing guitar and bass. People have been calling me Truck since my junior football season. The DB coach said that when I blocked downfield, I looked like a big red fire truck.
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Coach Jessie was one of the best!!!
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Coach Jessie was a great coach! So many good sayings. Fond memories from those days!
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Coach Jessie was the greatest motivator I ever met. How did you know him?
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played football with you and your Dad cut my hair (until there was none)
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Okay, that narrows it down quite a bit but it still covers a lot of territory. I’ve gotta admit I’m really curious now. 🤔
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Cliff…..I sent you an email
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Oh man, I’d like to pick your brain on kids with Enviro Science degrees. My son just graduated with one of those and he’s trying to get started in the field. He’s stuck doing GIS stuff now and wants to find a way to get outside as a “dirt monkey”. Any advice wood be greatly appreciated.
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David, feel free to e-mail me:
Roger@gaoilmens dot com
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I own Athens Gas and Welding Supply in Athens Georgia. I started it 12 years ago. We service all the metall fabircators around Athens and also provide specialty gases and liquids to Research (UGA), Medical and Industrial companies within about a 30 miles radius of Athens. I am pretty plugged in here locally and often hear a lot that goes on behind the scenes because it comes up in conversations with my customers who are pretty tied in with the university. I am in my early 50s and thought when I moved away from athens in 93 that I would only come back to visit. I actually really enjoy living in this area. It has a lot of the trappings of a big city without most of the head aches.
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http://www.IGFTO.org
Observing today..Conserving for tomorrow
I run the above non profit providing trained Observers to verify safe catch and release of big game fish during International tournaments
Bleed Red & Black. Go Dawgs
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Great work! When I caught my 130 lb Yellowfin on Maui it belonged to the boat and I didn’t have a say. I did have a mount made by King Sailfish and I believe they are your replica maker?
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O/O South GA Landscape Mgt. Svc In Dougherty Co. BSA Environmental Econ & Mgt c/o 2002. Collect & play guitars, drums, bass, learning piano. Love to hunt & fish, volunteer coach w my 2 sons baseball teams.
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I am a mediator at BAY Mediation in Atlanta. I help litigants resolve a range of disputes. Most of what I mediate is personal injury with construction and business litigation mixed in. It is interesting, challenging, and rewarding. I also maintain a practice in business litigation at a very large law firm in Atlanta. That, I enjoy a bit less. I am a Double-Dawg! I love my life and my Dawgs! Thank you all for your participation in the Senator’s blog. I read it daily and really enjoy many of the comments.
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I’m a mediator at Henning.
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As I’m headed towards retirement I’ve been thinking about doing day or half-day leases on our farm for bird hunters to bring their own dog. I’m not interested in turning it into one of the “Plantations”, just a no-frills place for someone to work their dog. It’s just an idea I’ve been kicking around for a few years and I have no idea if there would even be any interest. What I do know is that one of my favorite things to do is to take my Spaniel and put out a few birds for her to find. I have a ready source for live birds and we find wild coveys from time to time. I enjoy working with my own dog in a small group environment (Me and a buddy, or even better me and the dog) and I like being able to go at my own pace. I figure there might be others who would like to do the same. It’s an easy hour north of ATL so it’s pretty convenient.
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I was kicking up rabbits a couple years ago. It had been so long since I experienced them a covey of quail actually startled me. I could still call up horny Mr Bob White with those 4 notes. I just never hear him out here in the woods or the farm.
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If ya got a good dog Bob can’t sneak up on ya!
Coyotes and cats are hard on ’em, raccoons and skunks destroy the nests. The ragweed and lespedeza they eat is typically sprayed out in cropland.
I’ve spent the last few years turning our place over from a defunct cattle operation into (for want of a better description) a hunting preserve. It’s truly a labor of love (I just thought golf was an expensive hobby) but there are very few things that make me happier than watching a good dog get birdy. Not to mention fried quail is very tasty.
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FWIW I had to call out Hazel D. Boykin-Spaniel Sunday during practice for pointing then breaking point to chase Bre’r Rabbit. That’s a no-no for a bird dog. Plus if she breaks point she’s too close to the rabbit for me to take the shot.
Gonna be a good dog though, methinks. Time will tell.
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Got..have you read “For a Handful of Feathers” by Guy de la Valdene?
It’s a great book about a guy who kind of did just that.. The author bought 800 acres near Tallahassee and built a quail plantation and personal resort.
also a pretty good book on nature based philosophy..(which makes no sense until you read the book). If you can find it I promise you will enjoy it.
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I just downloaded it. I have heard of it before but never read it. Thanks for the recommendation.
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If you circle back to this: Many thanks. I read the first few hundred pages last night and it’s been a while since I put a book down because I didn’t want to be done with it. It captures and defines the idea that’s been in my head and heart for a long time. BTW, I realized last night that it’s OK for me to be selfish, visits to Got’s place will be by invitation only.
If you get up Banks County way bring your favorite fowling piece and look me up. I owe you one.
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Gosh, that’s a gracious offer!
And thank you for the feedback.. It’s a book you can go back in read again in a couple of years and it’s as good as it was the first time. My next reading of it will be my fourth.
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Attended H.S. in Atlanta – finally got out when they threatened to set the building on fire
Drifted aimlessly after the fire.
Volunteered for the draft and entered the service in 68
Got selected to attend flight school – I could walk and chew gum simultaneously.
Finished flight school spent some time at Ft Benning supporting the jump school.
Got selected to attend UH1 IP School
Spent a little over a year flying the friendly skies of S.E. Asia
Discharged in late 71. Joined the active reserve unit at Dobbins AFB – flew for seven more years
Started working for a G.C. in 71 and attended Southern Tech (7 years night school)
Co-founded a GC business in 77
Raced sports cars in the early 80’s (still needed that adrenaline rush)
Sold my part of the business 17 years later and retired. Played golf daily.
Got bored and realized I was headed for financial ruin.
Went to work running a female owned medium sized 8A Certified GC
Retired again
Now spend my time painting abstract art and working with copper.
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I am a semi-professional race car driver and an amateur tattoo artist. I’m also a volunteer firefighter.
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Where were you when I needed you? I could have stayed another couple of years.
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You were there when I needed you, metaphorically of course!
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I did pull a few out – but remember – I also put your ass in harms way.
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I work with UGA sports history and archives. The Senator has been kind enough to highlight some of my projects here on his blog. I will tell anyone who asks that the best part of my work is getting to meet Dawg fans of all ages and backgrounds.
Outside of work I’m an avid hiker and have also volunteered as a tour guide at Historic Oakland Cemetery (final resting place of Margaret Mitchell and Bobby Jones, among many others) in Atlanta for the past eleven years.
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And my ancestor who was killed at the Battle of Atlanta and buried in the common grave for the Confederate dead.
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Best. Playpen. Ever.
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2013 UGA grad with Grady degree. Originally from Griffin, GA and became an avid dawg fan from listening to Larry Munson while watching all UGA games on the TV with my dad. You could say I learned to hate tv announcers from a very young age 😉
Always worked in marketing/advertising, spent some time working in Nashville before landing back in Atlanta. Wish I had lived in Tennessee during the Butch Jones era but at least Vandy fans were mostly apathetic.
Currently do marketing for Home Depot – starting on grills, outdoor power equipment, cleaning, pool, patio, etc. and now do content strategy for the site.
This is one of my all time favorite blogs and feeds my UGA football addiction. Thank you for keeping me informed and for normalizing my dawg obsession.
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I am a Ceramic tile contractor. Commercial work only. In business 28 yrs. Been in the industry for 42 yrs. Lifelong DAWG fan. Proud Grandparent and semi retired. Loving life. Avid outdoorsman.
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Grew up on Covington Hwy in Decatur in the 70″s, 96 Rock, Uncle Tom’s Tavern, cruisin Stone Mountain on Sundays in my 65 Imp SS Convertible, Alex Cooley’s, Concerts at the Omni, Shootin the Hootch, River Bend Raft Races, Y Dock at Holiday Marina at Lanier and sitting on the tracks watching the Dawgs then Party’s at UGA are all great goto memories…was accepted at UGA but went to Maximum Security College in Charleston, SC… Now live in Mouseville, FL, 30 year company in Alternative Energy Technologies focused on green H2 from waste fuels. Have lived up close and personal with liberal ideologues and navel gazers…so I issue a one time apology for my zero patience policy to the Senator and a couple of you other Assholes….Go Dawgs!!! WOOF WOOOF WOOOOF!!!!!
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I grew up in Sandy Springs but otherwise I did most of the things on your list. A track regular, I only went inside the stadium once during my time in Athens. I really miss the raft race. That was fun!
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Perfect Place at the Perfect Time…
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There are a couple of videos on YouTube about the raft race. Lots of great photos from times I don’t remember too well.
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I am a Army brat. Longest place I ever live until recently was Augusta GA. I went to Augusta College. I met my husband at Ft Gordon and became a military wife for eight years. We moved back to Augusta for 15 years and started going to the games with a friend who has season tickets since the 1980s. My oldest graduated from GT as a chemical engineer and lives in Wheaton IL. Lots of Illinois connections here. My youngest has her graduate degree from UGA in Special Education with an emphasis on autism education. We moved to Greenville SC 15 years ago due to a job change. I volunteer at the school my daughter teaches at. I also work with kids at my church. My passions are God, the DAWGS, my grandkids, and kids in general. Best playpen ever Senator.
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The home of Red “The Iceman” Grange. Also known as The Galloping Ghost. I’m so old that when I lived in West Chicago, Il we had leather helmets in Jr High Football!
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Went to Eastside in Taylor’s. Greenville is a great place. Hope your daughter is loving her work. It’s a very special group doing special ed. My daughter is a media specialist and robotics teacher near Athens. Such specialization these days. Always like your posts.
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She loves the work and kids but hates the paperwork. She taught in Athens for two years but moved to Greenville six years ago. We go with her to the Special Olympics and put up our UGA tailgating tent and always hear GO DAWGS. There are a lot of fans here.
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I’d bet you and I went to AC together Debby.
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Small world. Did you take any classes from Dr Walker, he was one of my favorite professors?
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I loved him!!! Apparently had the same sense of humor because he always cracked me up. Was the only class I took at AC – during the summer of 94.
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The name’s Francis Sawyer. But everyone calls me psycho!
If any if you call me by that other name. I’ll kill ya!
I don’t like anyone to touch me. If any of you…touch me. I’ll kill ya.
And I don’t like anybody touching my stuff. If i catch you touching my stuff, I’ll kill ya.
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Lighten up, Francis.
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Very enjoyable reading about all of my blogging buddies!
From North Augusta, SC.
Spent most of my life in corporate sales…Shaw, Emser Tile & Dal Tile.
After graduation in ‘86 I had a fun year on Daufuskie Island and HHI sewing wild oats hanging out at Shuckers, Jim’s Paradise & Remy’s.
Took me 49 years to get to Texas….have property in Rockdale and love it, but unfortunately have to live in Houston!
Raised by two wonderful parents and have three beautiful children, the youngest is a son in Engineering School at UGA!
My father was a Naval Academy grad, ‘53, but I grew up a Bulldog fan. Attended games in the mid 60’s, playing with the plastic football on the grass hills inside Sanford and watching drunks roll down from the train tracks!
Side note and very cool story….my father beat Army his junior year and his senior year. President Truman drove over from D.C. to watch the Army/Navy game in ‘53. After dad walked off the mound victorious, he entered the stands to meet the President. Truman signed the baseball dad used for the final out….I still have that ball.
Take care and God Bless…Go Dawgs🐶🐾
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Now THAT’S a good story!
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Sad ending Mayor, in ‘54 dad had to ditch his F-86 Saber Jet out at Nellis AFB during takeoff due to an engine fire. He broke his neck and spent the next 45 years in a wheelchair. Banked down on Broad Street and also was an attorney. His classmates at the Augusta Law School would take his chair up and down a flight of twenty plus stairs for night classes. Passed the Bar Exam the first time, typing!
There is not enough room on this for me to tell you what a Great American and inspiration to many, that my father was. Maybe you knew him as he had many friends in the CSRA. I am proud to be his son and may Donald Metz RIP
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Born in ATL. Grew up in Watkinsville, Bogart and Eastman. UGA class of ’88 in English. Went to seminary in KY and ATL. Served as a pastor in Elberton; Narrows, VA; Cherry Log, GA; and Valdosta. Daughters all are VHS Wildcats and UGA grads. Serve a church now in Owensboro, KY. Son at Western Ky U. Love the work I get to do, but hate being so far away from the red clay hills of northeast Georgia where much of my family still lives or are buried. The bourbon and bluegrass here are outstanding. The BBQ, not so much. And they love the ball that bounces straight, not the oblong object we worship. I never post here, but read everything all day, every day. Keeps me sane. And this is the best subject ever today. Thank you all.
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Senator, just so you know, you keep us sane.
Sorry I chuckled at that one but agreed, like the topic even if I elect not to go into much detail here.
I have always lived in the Metro Atlanta area, and work in Corporate Finance. Graduated from another school in the Georgia System worked most of my way through school taking classes at night which is a big reason why I never made it to Athens. Money was always good working a cubicle and my nights and weekends were free. Costs were low enough then I could graduate without debt. Grew up attending UGA games. If I get any crap for being a sidewalk alum, I could count the number of home games I missed during Goff’s time on 1 hand, even made Knoxville and Jax during his tenure.
Love this blog. It is one of the few places where people with sanity (a few posters are exceptions) still get into discussions on the internet.
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Me, out on disability, was working in employee benefits, broker/consulting and many years on the carrier side including retiree programs.
I am also a master BBQ judge (not a good weight loss plan btw).
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Used to run a nationwide crew of door to door bible salesmen. Then I invented software that could load advertisements on people’s computer screens in new windows when they were on the internet. Sold that off for a good bit of change.
Then I developed some software that would automatically call people’s cellular phones from anywhere in the world, but it appears to come from a local number so people are a lot more likely to answer. I also dabble in consumer data tracking software. Got some very exciting new things in the pipeline.
In my spare time I like to collect important works of art and permanently store them in dark warehouses.
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LOL – I’m going to kill you.
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First Tech grad to post on this thread…
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I live on the West Coast now, so I’m often late to the party. Not sure if anyone’s still reading but I’ll kick in my story.
I was born in Athens (’62) while my Dad was in Pharmacy school. Returned to Athens to graduate from Pharmacy school myself in 1985. There was at one time a picture of my dad (22 and me 2) walking down the halls of the pharmacy building, wish I could find it.
I’ve worked in Hospitals (10yrs), Retail (8yrs), and have owned my own Compounding Only pharmacy practice since 2002.
I have daughter graduating this year with a degree in Anthropology from the University of Victoria, BC.
I’m about 5 years behind in planning an exit strategy, and spend waaaaay too much time on this blog. Anybody want to buy a pharmacy?
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We were in the same class. BSPharm 85 as well
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Small world, eh? Has it been everything you’d hoped it would be?
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How many of us have attended Pharmacy School? Seems like about 50% of the guys that read the Senators blog. Of course I am much older than you guys, but it is a pleasure to hear from all of you.
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This has been a great read! I never look at the Playpen because it’s usual political and the last thing I want to read is about politics and peeps yelling at each other. Talking about myself is not a subject I like to expand on but I will say that I am retired, live in SWFL, and I’m usually at the beach and or fishing whenever I can. I’m 67 and considered a ‘youngster’ down here, so there are plenty of ‘oldsters’ down here to help. I stay busy with the amount of company we seem to get! GO DAWGS!
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Grew up in Savannah. 1993 UGA grad in Marketing and Logistics. Thought I might follow in dad’s footsteps (he ran the trucking arm of Dixie Crystals Sugar). Ended up trying my hand at professional golf (I was a walkon at UGA). Spent 7 years chasing the ball full time and as a teaching professional at an Atlanta area country club. Parlayed that experience into outside sales for a member and have been doing that for the last 20 years. Currently rep a company that sells technical training equipment and curriculum to trade and technical schools (I do a lot with TCSG) and high school CTE programs. Left Towne Lake in Woodstock for 25 acres in southern Floyd County 11 years ago and haven’t regretted it for a minute.
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Unless I missed it, we did not her from Derek, Chili, and a host of others who are usually all over the playpen. I guess with no controversy, no interest from them.
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Imagine how civil the conversation has been.
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Too nice today.
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You failed to mention gifmaster Bonerfart.
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I grew up in Augusta. My Dad was career military but he did short tours and left the family there and, thankfully, always came back in one piece. I remember the first Georgia game I ever went to like it was yesterday–Georgia beat UNC at Sanford in 1964. Been a fan ever since. But the game that really got me hooked was the 1965 Bama-Georgia game between the hedges where Bob Taylor ran a lateral from Pat Hodgson, after Hodgson caught a pass, almost the length of the field to win the game. Bama won the national championship that year and that was the Tide’s only loss. Been a diehard Dawg fan ever since.
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Pat’s knees were NOT on the ground. It was a legal play. UGA still had to go for the two point extra point and Pat caught that pass also.
Mayor you are probably the only person here that knows what I am talking about..
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Have thoroughly enjoyed reading about your lives – I knew you were quality people but is great to have the details.
Live in Newnan with my sweet wife (a Georgia cheerleader, actually – don’t ask me how I did that, neither one of us knows) and a fun 7-year old daughter who, when younger, had to be told to stop saying “dirty rotten gators” too loudly when she saw that logo in public.
Went to UGA from 1989 to 2012…not the whole time…and got an Econ degree. For many years I was a talent buyer / manager and eventually owner for live music venues in Atlanta, New Orleans, and Lexington Kentucky, booking all kinds of original music, mostly Americana and indie rock.
Currently a partner in a company that does video production / post production and handles Georgia film tax credits for about eight other production / post companies.
I like to play a little guitar, read, write, and work on my shipwreck of a house.
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I ride the range…
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Went to UGA as a freshman in the late 70s. Ran into women, whiskey and sin…but not often the classroom. As a result, I was asked not to return the following year.
To recover, I joined the Air Force, but the pain of failing out of Georgia ate at my soul for the following 33 years.
When approaching retirement, I decided to apply to the Graduate School and was accepted. However, after congratulating me, they stated that there was a “strange flag on your application” which no one at the school knew anything about. They said they would do some research and give me a call.
A couple of days later they called and told me that as a result of my failed freshman year, I needed to attend academic counseling before I could return. Since I never attended counseling, I remained on that list.
I said “Are you telling me that for the past 33 years I’ve been on double secret probation? Can you put that in a letter and send it to me?”
Regardless, after retiring from the AF, I went back to Athens and got a degree in Science Education. I’m now teaching high school Physical Science in NW GA.
BTW, discovered the blog while deployed to the Middle East. Kept me sane for a year, and I’ve been a daily reader ever since. Thanks for all you do, Senator!
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I love hearing stuff like this. Thanks for following!
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Grew up in Augusta,, 30+ years in college and professional sports. S.I.D. at Augusta College, now Augusta University (where I met Greg McGarity when he worked in the sports information office at UGA and we played the Dawgs in basketball); assistant S.I.D. at Georgia Southern where I worked with Erk (who impacted my life in profound ways… I still remember walking into what passed for the football office in the fieldhouse at 7am for a cup of coffee, and Coach Russell would be there with his cigar and New York Times and say, “Tim., today is another day in which to excel!” We won back-to-back I-AA National Championships in football, went to the NCAA basketball tournament in 1987 (losing to eventual national runner-up Syracuse by six at the Carrier Dome after leading at halftime) and falling to Willie Anderson and the Dawgs in Athens in the 1988 NIT. Spent 20+ years at the PGA TOUR where I worked with the legends of golf and where Arnold Palmer introduced me to the woman who would become my wife. I still live in Ponte Vedra Beach (outside Jacksonville) among all these Gators (my daughter actually went to FU, though she would have preferred UGA but I couldn’t afford out-of-state tuition, but she is still a Dawg at heart and proudly wears the red & black each fall). I now work for K9s For Warriors, an incredible non-profit founded by Shari Duval (David’s step-mom) that trains dogs, mostly rescues, to be service dogs for veterans with the invisible wound of war. In less than 10 years we have become the nation’s largest provider of service dogs to disabled American veterans. As one gets older it becomes increasingly important to do something that matters, and what I am doing now feeds my soul! Check us out at http://www.k9sforwarriors.org, and any of y’all in Jacksonville for the Cocktail Party are welcome to visit our HQ in Ponte Vedra for a VIP tour! Go Dawgs!
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That’s not something you hear every day. 😉
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I’ve really enjoyed reading these (and actually realized I know a few of y’all I real life). Small world!
I grew up in Mobile, but was raised a Georgia fan due to a mother (and grandparents) who graduated from UGA. Wound up running cross country and track at Emory and saved my time in Athens for business school at Terry several years after undergrad. It was literally a life changing experience. UGA has been very, very good to me (the free tuition for the MBA program was a real blessing).
I own a strategy and innovation consultancy in Atlanta and have had some great luck with it (I’ve worked with clients like Lexus, Toyota, Clorox and others). Lately, my largest client has asked me to step aside from my business for a few years to be their VP of Strategy & Innovation. So, it’s an exciting chapter to look forward to, albeit a hectic one. Striking the balance between serving two masters will be tough. But, I’m hiring some good people to run my consultancy in my absence. Fingers crossed.
It’s been great getting to know y’all a little better!
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I’m a certified sommelier and I teach wine & whiskey seminars. Holla if you want to set up a class for your book club or group of friends.
http://Www.greatgrapesga.com
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I’m also the event coordinator for the Northeast Georgia Mountain Chapter of the UGA Alumni Association. Would you be interested in doing an event for our area alums?
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Email me. Greatgrapesga@gmail.com
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A great read today. Interesting and no name calling. Reminds me of the early days of the blog. Let’s do this again.
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I make gin … also some tonics, cocktail cherries and other provisions for cocktails and parties.
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Do tell. I was in London last year, our room was around the corner from Borough Market. I’ve not been a fan of gin since the “Great Russell Hall Juniper Berry Incident of 1987” but one of the highlights of the trip was tasting some very, very, good gin at the kiosks in Borough.
Something about the tonic the Brits have that make theirs so much better…
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Drawing inspiration from those small footprint places like Half Hitch in the Camden Market, Graveney in Tooting, Portabello Road in Notting Hill to place similar concept here in Metro Atlanta. Make 3 different types of gin with distinct botanicals beyond the four core botanicals I use in each one. Also make tonics, etc. Have been to London too for fun and research purposes.
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We brought back one that we really enjoyed, Tarquin’s strawberry and lime.
Is this something you do as a hobby? Or is this available commercially?
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Non-alcoholic cocktail provisions are commercial & growing. Full fledged distillery is next when aim can find the space to matches the vision
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A little late to the party…interesting reading up on you fine people. I just want to plug the American Red Cross. Most of you have had direct or familial experience and pain associated with cancer. Please consider donating platelets, which cancer patients require on a regular basis. The shelf life is only 5 days, so the need for donors is constant. It takes 2.5 hours and you can watch a movie with your phone off. Been donating for over 30 years, once a month, and it’s so easy, yet so important.
Hoping this Wake Forrest QB is the real deal!
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Better late than never. Graduated from our beloved UGA in 1977. Did some other stuff, went back to medical school and am now a Physician. Love my work and actually get to help people a little. I have no plans to retire. Retirement = sitting around waiting to die.
Really interesting reading what you guys do.
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Late to the party. Author, writer, Advocate for Children with Special Needs. Lots of family went to UGA and a few played for the Dawgs in the last century. Was accepted to UGA, but went to Berry because they offered more money. If you know any Dads with special needs children, hit me up. I just held a conference for Dads and am eyeing organizing local support groups…PS: I still miss Munson.
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