Today, my faith in human kind was restored.
I hate to admit that I allowed myself to run out of gas but I did it. I was hoping beyond hope that I would have just enough to make it to the end of the Fort Bend Toll Road where a Kroger gas station was waiting... but no, my tank ran dry about a mile before the road basically dead ends into the Kroger parking lot. I coasted along down hill as long as the truck would roll and then set out walking.
Those who know where I live, know its not too far from where I was. Perhaps a couple of miles, less if I could have cut through the woods and private property to get there, but I didn't. Amazingly enough, I only walked about 2 minutes before a car pulled over and a nice gentleman stopped to offer assistance. I explained where I was going, what the problem was and he said hop in. It was not something I would recommend for my wife or children to do, but from outward appearances, he was a nice man offering to help a guy in need. Thankfully, he was just that...nothing more.
Dave took me to my house, allowed me to bring an almost full can of gas into the front floor of his very clean car... and then drove me back to my truck and waited while I put the gas in and started it up! The entire episode which could have taken all afternoon, was over in a matter of minutes and we were both on our way feeling pretty good about life. He had helped someone and now I feel the need to pay it forward... so watch out. Someone out there is about to benefit from the kindness that Dave extended to me. I have no idea where or when it will happen, but I plan on making sure that it does... and I hope it continues to grow and grow from there.
This world could use a few more guys like Dave.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Today's Post is all about procrastination
Check back tomorrow to see if its written yet. Thanks..
Kevin
Kevin
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Life Lessons Learned On A Train Trip
Many who know me, have already heard all about the big train trip my youngest daughter and I took back in May when she was moving to New York to begin an internship on Long Island. While planning the trip, we decided we wanted to do something different and fun instead of simply jumping on a plane and flying up there and back... so we decided to take Amtrack from Houston to New York's Penn Station. Here are a few of the lessons learned along the way... some are quite noteworthy, others might come in handy for you someday if you should decide to ride the rails instead of flying.
- First of all, a train trip is going to take much longer than flying, so be sure and work that into your schedule...its not the fastest way to get to a destination if you are in a hurry.
- When you take an overnight train trip, get a sleeping car ticket. Its worth every penny. We chose to have a sleeping car for the trip between New Orleans and New York, which was to last about 25 hours or so... But the sleeping car was not just for a place to stretch out... it was also the first class ticket of the train world... we had special boarding accommodations and a special lounge to wait in at the New Orleans terminal on the morning of our departure. The room's cost was a single charge that covered two of us in the room... and it included all our meals in the train's dining car! Not bad, because you have to eat something and there are not too many choices unless you bring your own sandwiches etc... We feasted on burgers, sandwiches, steaks, salads, omelets and much more... and didn't even need to bring a wallet to the table with us.
- The sleeping car also provided us with our own private toilet while traveling... and shower facilities were available just down the hall..
- We got to meet some interesting folks in the dining car during meal times and up and down the narrow hallways to and from our room... One couple across the hall from us had brought some movies on DVD to watch while riding... they were nice enough to loan us a movie which we never even took the time to watch.
- Sitting facing each other in a space that is just barely big enough for two adults to stand or sit in sounds like it could become a problem in itself by the end of a long trip, but it wasn't. In fact, it encouraged more communication between us than if we had been sitting side by side. We didn't go stir crazy... we didn't get tired of talking to each other...
- The most interesting lesson learned during the trip was when we got to discussing the things we were seeing out the windows as we rode along.... I was facing forward.. Andi was facing backward... So I would see a cool looking house or beautiful scene as we approached it... then she would get a good long look at it as we pulled away from it. We could each see the same distance ahead and behind, but yet for me seeing something in the distance getting closer, it took awhile for me to determine exactly what I was seeing... then by the time it was close enough to really see, it would zip right by and out of my view.. but then it was in her view and it stayed there until it faded out of site. We talked about how that was such a metaphor on life... we can't really see into the future to know what is coming our way...until it is upon us. On the other hand, we can see our past very clearly... we can study it... we can hopefully learn from it...
I think that was the best lesson learned from the train trip.. that and the fact that men should probably sit down when using the restroom on board a train... otherwise it can get pretty messy.
Thats all for now...
Kevin
- First of all, a train trip is going to take much longer than flying, so be sure and work that into your schedule...its not the fastest way to get to a destination if you are in a hurry.
- When you take an overnight train trip, get a sleeping car ticket. Its worth every penny. We chose to have a sleeping car for the trip between New Orleans and New York, which was to last about 25 hours or so... But the sleeping car was not just for a place to stretch out... it was also the first class ticket of the train world... we had special boarding accommodations and a special lounge to wait in at the New Orleans terminal on the morning of our departure. The room's cost was a single charge that covered two of us in the room... and it included all our meals in the train's dining car! Not bad, because you have to eat something and there are not too many choices unless you bring your own sandwiches etc... We feasted on burgers, sandwiches, steaks, salads, omelets and much more... and didn't even need to bring a wallet to the table with us.
- The sleeping car also provided us with our own private toilet while traveling... and shower facilities were available just down the hall..
- We got to meet some interesting folks in the dining car during meal times and up and down the narrow hallways to and from our room... One couple across the hall from us had brought some movies on DVD to watch while riding... they were nice enough to loan us a movie which we never even took the time to watch.
- Sitting facing each other in a space that is just barely big enough for two adults to stand or sit in sounds like it could become a problem in itself by the end of a long trip, but it wasn't. In fact, it encouraged more communication between us than if we had been sitting side by side. We didn't go stir crazy... we didn't get tired of talking to each other...
- The most interesting lesson learned during the trip was when we got to discussing the things we were seeing out the windows as we rode along.... I was facing forward.. Andi was facing backward... So I would see a cool looking house or beautiful scene as we approached it... then she would get a good long look at it as we pulled away from it. We could each see the same distance ahead and behind, but yet for me seeing something in the distance getting closer, it took awhile for me to determine exactly what I was seeing... then by the time it was close enough to really see, it would zip right by and out of my view.. but then it was in her view and it stayed there until it faded out of site. We talked about how that was such a metaphor on life... we can't really see into the future to know what is coming our way...until it is upon us. On the other hand, we can see our past very clearly... we can study it... we can hopefully learn from it...
I think that was the best lesson learned from the train trip.. that and the fact that men should probably sit down when using the restroom on board a train... otherwise it can get pretty messy.
Thats all for now...
Kevin
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Reunions and Homecomings
This past weekend I did something I have wanted to do since the early 70s... I got to attend the homecoming festivities in Mineola, TX, the town where I lived through the first half of my 7th grade year.
My memories of the friendships I had there and of the places we went when I was living there are quite vivid, even though I have basically not seen any of the people I was in school with since we moved away. I have found many of the people from that period of my life thanks to facebook and that led to my invitation to attend this weekend's events.
Now I have been back to Mineola many times since 1972. In fact my mom and dad live there now, my brother and sister and their families have each lived there for a time too, but not me. When I would visit family that was it, I don't recall seeing anyone I grew up with unless we bumped into someone at Walmart or my mom pointed them out at the grocery store... so in a way this trip was a bit intimidating at first, because I kept thinking that just because I remember these people, they may have forgotten all about me... after all, I was the one who left, not them.
I was pleasantly surprised at the reception I got from the core group of former classmates (Class of 1977) who welcomed me into their lives again. In fact, I had a blast. It didn't matter anymore what any of us looked like...or how much we weighed...how gray our hair was...or any of those physical things that used to be so important. It was instead as if we had a connection that went beyond those things to a time when all our lives were less complicated... when the world was that way too.. less complicated. We talked about who had had a crush on who all those years ago.. we talked about our current families..husbands, wives, children, and grand children.... each of us eager to share a little bit of our world with the others... eager to find out about friends who were not able to make it for whatever reason... some were no longer with us... some facing serious illnesses now... others just decided not to come for one reason or another... some of them are already saying they plan to make it to the next get together. I hope they do, and that I get to be there as well. These people were an important part of my formative years. And while we sat and reminisced about years gone by, we also re-established friendships based on where we all are today. And I like that feeling.
Kevin -
My memories of the friendships I had there and of the places we went when I was living there are quite vivid, even though I have basically not seen any of the people I was in school with since we moved away. I have found many of the people from that period of my life thanks to facebook and that led to my invitation to attend this weekend's events.
Now I have been back to Mineola many times since 1972. In fact my mom and dad live there now, my brother and sister and their families have each lived there for a time too, but not me. When I would visit family that was it, I don't recall seeing anyone I grew up with unless we bumped into someone at Walmart or my mom pointed them out at the grocery store... so in a way this trip was a bit intimidating at first, because I kept thinking that just because I remember these people, they may have forgotten all about me... after all, I was the one who left, not them.
I was pleasantly surprised at the reception I got from the core group of former classmates (Class of 1977) who welcomed me into their lives again. In fact, I had a blast. It didn't matter anymore what any of us looked like...or how much we weighed...how gray our hair was...or any of those physical things that used to be so important. It was instead as if we had a connection that went beyond those things to a time when all our lives were less complicated... when the world was that way too.. less complicated. We talked about who had had a crush on who all those years ago.. we talked about our current families..husbands, wives, children, and grand children.... each of us eager to share a little bit of our world with the others... eager to find out about friends who were not able to make it for whatever reason... some were no longer with us... some facing serious illnesses now... others just decided not to come for one reason or another... some of them are already saying they plan to make it to the next get together. I hope they do, and that I get to be there as well. These people were an important part of my formative years. And while we sat and reminisced about years gone by, we also re-established friendships based on where we all are today. And I like that feeling.
Kevin -
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Things Found Along Life's Road
I read an article full of rambling thoughts in the paper several years ago. You remember the paper don't you? Its that thing you used to read every morning while drinking your coffee before facebook came along...but that's another story.
Among the questions raised in the article was this... Why is it that at least one or two times a week you see a single tennis shoe on the side of the freeway? Where did the other one go... and how did this one get here? Good questions... but even more interesting to me is finding something on the road that is worth stopping to pick up. I've seen mattresses, refrigerators, sofas, ladders, lumber, even a brand new BBQ grille laying on the shoulder of Highway 6 about a mile from a Home Depot store where it had just been purchased. (it still had the sale tag on it) Each item caught my eye and I considered going back to take a closer look, but I didn't. Until one day I saw the one thing I could not just leave there in the street. A gasoline can.
For some strange reason, I thought "what if its full of gas?" That would be 3 or 4 dollars worth just waiting for someone else to pick up. It appeared to have fallen from a lawn service trailer...and the guy who didn't secure it before he started driving from one job to the other was probably quite upset when he went to look for it the next time. The container turned out to be over three quarters full of fuel...and I couldn't let it go to waste.. in fact, I noticed it was already mixed for use in my weedeater... That same can of gas has now powered my weedeater for most of last season and the beginning of this spring's mowing season.
Now before you start thinking I must be nuts to stop and pick up something valued at 3 or 4 bucks on a freeway, I didn't. The gas can was on a street in my neighborhood. There was very little traffic and it was a hazard because it was literally in the middle of my lane. Who knows, I may have saved a life...or prevented an accident. Most likely I just frustrated the lawn guy even more when he tried to retrace his route to find the missing can.
Now back to how do those items get there on the side of the freeway? I can actually answer that one from personal experiences.. One happened years ago when we were coming home from a camping trip with friends. They had all their camping gear in one of those backpack looking gizmos that you strapped to the roof of your car. You guessed it, one of the straps broke and the entire contents of the backpack, all of the family's camping supplies, basically exploded along I-10 near Columbus. I would imagine they might have left an item or two during the cleanup.
A second incident happened to my family as we were leaving town for yet another camping experience. We were pulling onto the Sam Houston Tollway in Southwest Houston pulling our pop-up camper... when someone flagged us down to tell us the door of the trailer was hanging open... After inspecting it, we discovered that a basket of items, some of value...some of sentimental value, was missing... That time I did stop on the side of the toll road to retrieve the items. Many broken and destroyed, but some salvageable... There were some items that we never found including the basket itself. I have to wonder if somewhere there's another guy like me who occasionally stops to pick things up and puts them in my basket.
Among the questions raised in the article was this... Why is it that at least one or two times a week you see a single tennis shoe on the side of the freeway? Where did the other one go... and how did this one get here? Good questions... but even more interesting to me is finding something on the road that is worth stopping to pick up. I've seen mattresses, refrigerators, sofas, ladders, lumber, even a brand new BBQ grille laying on the shoulder of Highway 6 about a mile from a Home Depot store where it had just been purchased. (it still had the sale tag on it) Each item caught my eye and I considered going back to take a closer look, but I didn't. Until one day I saw the one thing I could not just leave there in the street. A gasoline can.
For some strange reason, I thought "what if its full of gas?" That would be 3 or 4 dollars worth just waiting for someone else to pick up. It appeared to have fallen from a lawn service trailer...and the guy who didn't secure it before he started driving from one job to the other was probably quite upset when he went to look for it the next time. The container turned out to be over three quarters full of fuel...and I couldn't let it go to waste.. in fact, I noticed it was already mixed for use in my weedeater... That same can of gas has now powered my weedeater for most of last season and the beginning of this spring's mowing season.
Now before you start thinking I must be nuts to stop and pick up something valued at 3 or 4 bucks on a freeway, I didn't. The gas can was on a street in my neighborhood. There was very little traffic and it was a hazard because it was literally in the middle of my lane. Who knows, I may have saved a life...or prevented an accident. Most likely I just frustrated the lawn guy even more when he tried to retrace his route to find the missing can.
Now back to how do those items get there on the side of the freeway? I can actually answer that one from personal experiences.. One happened years ago when we were coming home from a camping trip with friends. They had all their camping gear in one of those backpack looking gizmos that you strapped to the roof of your car. You guessed it, one of the straps broke and the entire contents of the backpack, all of the family's camping supplies, basically exploded along I-10 near Columbus. I would imagine they might have left an item or two during the cleanup.
A second incident happened to my family as we were leaving town for yet another camping experience. We were pulling onto the Sam Houston Tollway in Southwest Houston pulling our pop-up camper... when someone flagged us down to tell us the door of the trailer was hanging open... After inspecting it, we discovered that a basket of items, some of value...some of sentimental value, was missing... That time I did stop on the side of the toll road to retrieve the items. Many broken and destroyed, but some salvageable... There were some items that we never found including the basket itself. I have to wonder if somewhere there's another guy like me who occasionally stops to pick things up and puts them in my basket.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
ProVoices.net
Hurricane Ike blew through the greater Houston area in September of 2008... just one week later I found myself unemployed for the third time in my career. After over a year of searching for and almost having other full time jobs working in my chosen field of radio, I have recently come to the conclusion that September 2008 is going to be the last time I will be a victim of corporate downsizing, position elimination, moving in a new direction or whatever they are calling it now.
I like many others have decided it is better to work for myself than to face the uncertainty that comes with what I once considered the best job on earth. So its official... I've dug out the storage room in my garage that I originally built as a home recording studio. It is now where I work every day. Some days more than others, but I am out there every day trying to put together enough voice over and production jobs to make a living. So far, it seems to be working out. I've decided that after 30 years or more of being on the air and behind the scenes in radio, that I still have allot to offer in the form of my voice, and my creativity and editing skills. Now all I need to do is figure out the best way to let everyone know that I'm here and doing what I do. In other words, how does a guy who creates advertisements advertise? Thus, the creation of this blog and the updating of my website www.provoices.net.
I have also realized that even though I have all these years experience behind me, I still need to learn... still need training... still need to practice my craft. I'm doing my best to attend seminars hosted by pros who have been successfully doing this kind of work for years. I've rediscovered the joy of reading and learning which had been all but lost while working the world of modern radio where very little is required of the talent outside of the ability to recite a few standard liners, give a brief forecast and punch a button now and then. I find myself soaking up knowledge like never before. My brain is like an old sponge that has been laying around drying up over the years and now its being revived with all sorts of new information, new technology, and new adventures.
For the past 5 or 6 months I have been doing some audio and voice over work for Mike Landry, host of the Purchase Like Pros radio show. It's all about home improvements, with a focus on finding the right contractors and products to get the job done right the first time. The program airs on Saturday afternoons on "The 9-5-0" in Houston. Mike has kept my studio busy doing all of the promos, imaging and commercial production that goes into the making of his program. Here is one of the TV ads for an outdoor home show that Purchase Like Pros hosted this past weekend in Spring.
This is just one of several local clients I have recently completed work for. You'll also hear my voice on some of the commercials and promos airing on AM 700 KSEV as well as KVCE, AM 1160 Highland Park, Dallas-Fort Worth. You gotta love modern technology that allows me to sit in my garage producing audio that is being used all around the world. Last week, I did a PowerPoint presentation that was being put together in Singapore. Before that I was doing a television voice over for a Phoenix, Arizona pawn shop.
I say all this to say thank you to all those who have helped to shape me into the person I am today. I have worked with and for some mighty talented and dedicated people in the past 30 plus years and every experience was preparing me for what I am doing now. Thank you for teaching me, mentoring me, putting up with me, guiding me, correcting me, encouraging me, and yes even firing me. Because it was during those tough times that I have been able to discover who I really am and what I am made of. I have also learned that the words to a song my children used to sing in Bible school are quite true! "My God is so big, so strong and so mighty... there's nothing my God cannot do.."
And with Him on my side, there's nothing I cannot do!
Kevin
I like many others have decided it is better to work for myself than to face the uncertainty that comes with what I once considered the best job on earth. So its official... I've dug out the storage room in my garage that I originally built as a home recording studio. It is now where I work every day. Some days more than others, but I am out there every day trying to put together enough voice over and production jobs to make a living. So far, it seems to be working out. I've decided that after 30 years or more of being on the air and behind the scenes in radio, that I still have allot to offer in the form of my voice, and my creativity and editing skills. Now all I need to do is figure out the best way to let everyone know that I'm here and doing what I do. In other words, how does a guy who creates advertisements advertise? Thus, the creation of this blog and the updating of my website www.provoices.net.
I have also realized that even though I have all these years experience behind me, I still need to learn... still need training... still need to practice my craft. I'm doing my best to attend seminars hosted by pros who have been successfully doing this kind of work for years. I've rediscovered the joy of reading and learning which had been all but lost while working the world of modern radio where very little is required of the talent outside of the ability to recite a few standard liners, give a brief forecast and punch a button now and then. I find myself soaking up knowledge like never before. My brain is like an old sponge that has been laying around drying up over the years and now its being revived with all sorts of new information, new technology, and new adventures.
For the past 5 or 6 months I have been doing some audio and voice over work for Mike Landry, host of the Purchase Like Pros radio show. It's all about home improvements, with a focus on finding the right contractors and products to get the job done right the first time. The program airs on Saturday afternoons on "The 9-5-0" in Houston. Mike has kept my studio busy doing all of the promos, imaging and commercial production that goes into the making of his program. Here is one of the TV ads for an outdoor home show that Purchase Like Pros hosted this past weekend in Spring.
This is just one of several local clients I have recently completed work for. You'll also hear my voice on some of the commercials and promos airing on AM 700 KSEV as well as KVCE, AM 1160 Highland Park, Dallas-Fort Worth. You gotta love modern technology that allows me to sit in my garage producing audio that is being used all around the world. Last week, I did a PowerPoint presentation that was being put together in Singapore. Before that I was doing a television voice over for a Phoenix, Arizona pawn shop.
I say all this to say thank you to all those who have helped to shape me into the person I am today. I have worked with and for some mighty talented and dedicated people in the past 30 plus years and every experience was preparing me for what I am doing now. Thank you for teaching me, mentoring me, putting up with me, guiding me, correcting me, encouraging me, and yes even firing me. Because it was during those tough times that I have been able to discover who I really am and what I am made of. I have also learned that the words to a song my children used to sing in Bible school are quite true! "My God is so big, so strong and so mighty... there's nothing my God cannot do.."
And with Him on my side, there's nothing I cannot do!
Kevin
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Like I really need another reason to sit in front of my computer all day. I have finally decided to enter the blogosphere and see who pays attention and how this goes. No guarantees that I will update this site daily or if it will be worth reading when I do, but I will give it a shot. The first entry will be very short as you can see, but I really just wanted to get something online and get it set up before I put a whole lot of thought into the content. Check back later and we'll see how things develop.
Kevin
Kevin
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