The Yearbook World of Scott Geesey

from Jostens Yearbooks of central/northern Pennsylvania

SCOTT'S EXCLUSIVE ONLINE BLOG

 

 

Message below Posted 08/10/08

 

I'll call this the last post of the 2007-2008 school year. More opinions, insights and information to come soon!!

 

 

Message below Posted 06/02/08

 

Congratulations to all high school seniors on your upcoming graduation, or for a few folks, your recent graduation. It's been a pleasure and honor working with you on your yearbook this year. Your life is really about to change, and perhaps you don't even know it! I remember the summer after I graduated from high school - it seemed like any other summer, but gradually it sank in that a chapter of my life was over and it was time to move to a new chapter. You'll have the same feeling in a few weeks I'm sure.

 

Everybody has words of wisdom for the new graduates, so here goes...first, work hard in whatever you do. The world is more competitive now than ever in history. Those who work hard, apply themselves and look for opportunities will find them. Those who just cruise, thinking that something will pop up for them, are increasingly finding that they get lost in the shuffle. And with gasoline now at ridiculous prices, and the costs for everything else going upalong with it, that job at the local convenience store doesn't look that easy or great anymore.

 

Another thought is to learn everything you can, whether if you're going to college or into the working world. Knowledge is power, as they say. Actually, acquiring knowledge and then using it is where the real power lies. It's a big world out there with tons of opportunities. Never limit your scope because in this new age you could literally get a job anywhere on the globe, or be working with people from the four corners of the earth. A great future is there for those who reach out to grab it

 

And as you proceed in your life's journey, always remember that a dose of humility is not a bad thing. I recently got a BIG dose that set my thinking straight. I turn 45 years old this week - not old but not young, that dreaded middle age area. A Jostens friend recently asked if I'd like to play on his men's softball team this summer; in the State College area we have a men's 45-and-over league. I accepted, looking for a fun summer activity to help keep in shape.

 

Last week I was able to make my first game now that my work schedule is beginning to thin out. I arrived and met everyone and as the youngest player on the field, I figured I had this licked, right? I was a pretty good softball player - 25 years ago. Looking back I see that I didn't warm up and stretch nearly enough before the game, a big mistake...

 

My coach made me the designated hitter in the first game of a doubleheader. On my first at-bat, hitting a slow pitch softball for the first time in many years, I grounded into a fielder's choice. On my run down to first base I noticed a slight twinge in my leg but thought nothing of it. On my next at-bat I smacked a hard single to left field. As I neared first base and looked over I noticed the outfielder misplayed the ball, so I dug hard around first and headed for second base. I went about 10 feet when ZING, I pulled the hamstring in my right leg. As I went limping into second I thought "no, no, not here, not ME!" Yes, ME! The youngest guy on the field just got injured. I managed to bat two more times in the game, essentially on one leg, and I smashed a shot over the third baseman's head for a solid single in one at-bat, but the damage was done. I really felt embarrassed, this wasn't supposed to happen!!

 

Graduates, a dose of humility should be a learning experience. I learned that I'm not 25 anymore and shouldn't pretend like I am. My leg is pretty sore and will be for at least several more days, but it's a reminder to me to use my head next time (meaning a thorough warm up before the next game) and play smart. Thankfully my team doesn't have a game this week so I should be healed up by the next time we play (I hope). Some folks think humility is a bad thing to be avoided. I disagree, and in a way I'm actually glad I got injured because it taught me an important lesson. Take that lesson along with you, graduates, as you begin this new journey in your life. And never forget to HAVE FUN along the way!!

 

 

Message below Posted 05/26/08

 

I'm writing this on our holiday Monday and what a weather weekend. WOW! After dealing with weeks of on-again, off-again rain showers, having a sun splashed weekend is just fantastic. My lawn at my home doesn't squish anymore after this sunny dry spell, thank goodness. Alas, no real holiday for me, I must go out again today and catch up on outdoor and lawn work that the rain showers held up. My family and I live on a primarily straight state road, and nice weather this time of year always means MOTORCYCLES, sometimes dozens of them in one large pack roaring down the road. Mix that with my Amish neighbors and their buggies clip-clopping along much more slowly and you have an interesting view of central Pennsylvania life circa 2008.

 

It's hard to believe that seniors at a couple of schools I work with are now GRADUATED! Is it that time already? My daughters' school goes till June 13 because we begin classes after Labor Day, plus weather interruptions this year. It looks like most folks will be done with school by the end of next week, with just a few after that. The countdown of days continues...

 

What summer plans do YOU have this year? It's hard to miss all the stories about higher gasoline prices and how folks will curtail many vacation plans this year. If that's the case for you, consider what I'm thinking, vacationing much closer to home. I bet if you look around the area within an hour's drive of your home, you'll find lots of places and activities you've never considered before. A state park is less than a half hour from my home so I'm thinking about one or two camping trips there this summer. Check out museums, small amusement parks, even that staple of summer, local carnivals. I feel for popular tourist destinations that are obviously going to take a hit this summer simply because people won't be able to afford to drive there. Meanwhile, our "leaders" in Washington do essentially nothing except argue. Some things never change...

 

 

Message below Posted 05/18/08

 

This week here's a good news story that I'm honored to relate, one where a deserving teacher received her school yearbook's annual dedication. But this was no ordinary yearbook dedication - it was for the school's yearbook adviser and was a complete surprise!!

 

A full year ago the yearbook staff at Brockway High in Jefferson County and their veteran adviser, Mrs. Tracey Dusch, visited me at the Jostens State College plant to design their new 2008 custom cover. Mrs. Dusch is like many other yearbook advisers - she is also asked to handle other school functions like the prom committee, school plays and musicals, and other responsibilities that other teachers won't touch. "Tireless worker" doesn't begin to describe Tracey and others like her.

 

At one point during their plant visit last spring, Tracey went to use the ladies room. At that point the staff came to me and said they wanted to dedicate their 2008 yearbook to Mrs. Dusch, but how? She would never allow a dedication to herself. It had to be a complete surprise. The wheels began to turn...

 

When the new school year started I remembered the staff's request but didn't hear anything from anyone at school for some time. Then a fellow teacher, Karen Ball, a good friend of Tracey's, dropped me an email asking if the plan was still on. I said sure, but I would need images to use on the dedication page as I had planned to do the design myself. Karen came through in spades with a ton of images from Tracey's life, thanks to offerings from Tracey's family, all in secret. Karen wrote the dedication text and I edited it to work with the design.

 

In the meantime, Tracey designed a dedication page for another teacher and submitted the page. I decided to use her exact page design, rebuilding the page and substituting all of the pictures and text with shots of Tracey and her information. Karen and school principal Denise Carlini reviewed my layout and gave the thumbs up. Our Jostens plant consultant, Micah Martin, was a big help in getting the "old" page replaced with the "new" one without Tracey's knowledge.

 

But would the surprise remain all the way to the annual yearbook dedication assembly in mid May? I figured someone at school would accidently slip up, or perhaps someone from Tracey's family would spill the beans. Amazingly everyone played their part perfectly, no accidents, no misplaced beans. And Tracey helped in a way by undergoing some leg surgery in mid April and taking a medical leave through the end of the school year - thanks Tracey, your surgery actually cinched the surprise by keeping you out of the building!

 

The yearbook assembly was scheduled for Friday, May 16. Mrs. Dusch actually wanted the assembly the following week but Mrs. Carlini was insistent on the 16th - thankfully Tracey never really asked why even though I said the shipment of books would be cutting it close (yeah, right...) On the morning of the 16th in a pouring rain at the State College plant I loaded up all the Brockway books in the back of my Ford Explorer and headed off. Arriving 45 minutes before the ceremony and before Mrs. Dusch arrived, we unloaded the books in a backroom. The official story was that the books would be late because of the rain and an accident on Interstate 80 and that the dedication would have to go on without an actual book present. There was an accident on I-80 that day - it was in Clinton County, an hour and a half way and nowhere near my route, but who's counting...

 

Before the assembly I was spirited to a room in the back of the school building, complete with two new books. Tracey's family joined me a few minutes later as they were to come on stage at the moment of surprise. It was great to meet them and exchange some stories about Tracey and our little subterfuge. A few minutes later we were whisked to a room closer to the auditorium as students filed in to take their seats for the assembly (and Mrs. Dusch was inspecting outside, a close call.) We were then sneaked backstage out of sight as the assembly began.

 

After a year's effort I probably had the smile of the Cheshire Cat on my face as one of the yearbook staff began reading the text of this year's yearbook dedication. Tracey was expecting to hear the name of the other teacher she had designed the page for, but when the student read HER name the surprise was complete. The audience erupted into applause as Tracey's family members, and two copies of the new book, were brought onto the stage to her shock and then tears. I took a seat near the back of the stage and watched the honors, cheers and applause continue. At one point in her remarks to the audience Tracey said she would kill her yearbook rep who did this - I was nervous for about a half-second.

 

At the end of the assembly it was time for lots of pictures, hugs and great feelings. And I realized then that THIS is why I do the job I do - to remember great moments forever and recognize deserving people for their achievements and hard work. My congratulations again to Mrs. Tracey Dusch at Brockway High - you absolutely deserve this honor and praise and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

 

 

Message below Posted 05/11/08

 

First, for all the moms out there, I hope you had a very Happy Mother's Day on Sunday! The weather wasn't the greatest (we seem to have fallen into a rut of rain every weekend) but it was still a nice day. Let's count our blessings - we could be living in areas of the South and Midwest that have been hammered by devastating tornadoes, or we could be in Myanmar in southeast Asia, crushed by a deadly cyclone. Whenever I hear someone complain about prevalent cloudiness in our area of central and northern Pennsylvania, I try to remind them that our weather is actually pretty darn good, usually nice and rarely deadly.

 

Now as we enter mid May it's approaching time for distribution of spring yearbooks. I refer to this as "pins and needles time" because I hope that all of the organization, planning and hard work of the school year pays off with a yearbook that's a big hit at every school. If you're a spring yearbook staff, hopefully you've already completed planning for whatever distribution event you have at your school. If not, HURRY! For all of the work you've put into your effort this year, you deserve a slam-bang handout ceremony or event. And take my advice - tease your audience in the coming days before your distribution. Think about movies - we get the teaser commercials on TV or at other movies to build up the excitement before the big release day. Do the same for your yearbook - build up the excitement in advance, then watch the smiles on distribution day. And if you ordered options for students, be sure to check in advance that you have all items ordered. If something is missing, let me know right away so we can get it to you before distribution.

 

 

Message below Posted 05/04/08

 

I'm really feeling my age this week - as of Tuesday I have TWO teenagers in my house as my youngest Morgan turns 13. Boy, I am SO old. And I'm getting over a back problem from the last three weeks (another age problem). Maybe this is what some folks call a midlife crisis - if so, I now have both feet in it. Or maybe I'm just paranoid, that's possible too. Either way, life is changing. On my refrigerator we have lots of photos (like many other folks do) and I see a shot of Morgan from less than two years ago when she was shorter than her older sister Alison. Now Morgan is TALLER than Alison. Somebody please slow the clock...

 

I'm looking forward to two days of my Jumpstart workshops in State College this week. A total of six schools are taking advantage of the chance to get an early start on their 2009 yearbooks, from custom cover work to advance planning to some learning on things like journalism, photography and design. I really enjoy teaching yearbook to interested listeners because it actually encompasses many different areas, from writing and art to math and business. In the span of just a few hours these yearbook staffs will get a good start on their 2009 efforts, and I've found that schools who take the time to get an early start usually have a good year.

 

 

Message below Posted 04/27/08

 

It's interesting some of the movies that Hollywood comes out with each year. In the continuing series of superhero flicks, I see that "Ironman" has now been made into a movie. But another new film brings me back to my boyhood days...

 

Many younger folks have probably never heard of Speed Racer. But here comes the new feature film. Speed Racer was a Japanese-created cartoon show from over 30 years ago about a young man, a boy really, who is a top flight racer in his amazing car, the Mach 5. He has a girlfriend, Trixie (haven't seen her in the movie trailers yet), a kid brother Spreidle and his pet monkey Chim-Chim, and other characters. Haven't seen them yet either.

 

When I was a kid I wanted the Mach 5, the hottest car around. And as I see these movie trailers on TV recently, it brings back some memories, and the Mach 5 is STILL the hottest car around. Alas, the closest I can get is that I own a Honda. Well, it's Japanese...

 

 

Message below Posted 04/21/08

 

Ready to vote? For those 18 and older, tomorrow (Tuesday the 22nd) is our Pennsylvania Primary day, FINALLY! No more flyers filling my mailbox, no more mudslinging, no more phone calls...let's just CHOOSE! I'm actually much more interested in our local 5th Congressional District Race than in the presidential race - I get the feeling people made up their minds in that race weeks ago. For younger readers who perhaps just did turn 18 and this is your first election, congratulations, you picked a good one! As someone who can make the claim to have never missed an election, please make it a habit of yours to always go and vote, every year, no matter the weather or the races involved. That's what makes our democracy work.

 

Apparently I'll be voting in some pain Tuesday. Those folks I visited last week saw yours truly in some discomfort because of a lower back problem that I've actually had for two weeks. I've had a half dozen people say "Scott, go see a chiropractor." Well, I'll be doing that for the first time right after I post this website update today. Wish me luck...

 

 

Message below Posted 04/13/08

 

Well, here we are, just a week (or less depending on when you're reading this) until the historic April 22nd Pennsylvania primary. We may set records for attendance for this year's primary, aimed mainly at the interesting 2008 presidential race but also for those who live in the 5th Congressional District, which covers most of the area I work.

 

If you're a high school senior who has turned 18, what a great election to make your first official vote! I'm proud to say that to my knowledge, I've never missed a vote since I turned 18. I consider it an honor, privilege and duty to go vote every year. Maybe my parents instilled this in me - I remember my mom volunteered often as a polling place worker when I was young. What was interesting in my family was that my mother was a registered Republican while my dad was a registered Democrat, so I often got to hear both sides of political arguments.

 

I won't give advice on who to vote for. My only advice for young voters is to look beyond the headlines in the newspaper and try to become as informed a voter as you can. We didn't have websites when I was young so you have an advantage in getting information on candidates today. Look past the fluff, the insults and the like, and really try to find out about which candidate you think would do the best job as president, as congressman, as other offices. I think we need more people like you and me who actively work to stay informed and engaged, instead of those who do nothing or just bellyache about problems. This is an historic year - go out and be a part of it.

 

 

Message below Posted 04/06/08

 

The last several days have certainly been tumultuous, and tragic. First, the tumultuous...my oldest daughter Alison, a high school junior, and I have begun a search of colleges, and last week was an interesting week as we visited two different campuses in two days. A former high school yearbook editor of mine was her host one day, showing her the campus and all the nuances of the school, going out to lunch with other students at a local hangout. We attended a junior day at another campus, sharing the time with hundreds of other students. I think Alison preferred the personal touch.

 

What was my job those two days? I was the good dad, gathering up as much information as possible, especially financial information. I found it interesting how the two schools were alike but very different, and we're just getting started. We got some good advice at both schools to help us with this early college search.

 

The tragic - if you follow news you may have heard about the terrible fire last week in Brockway, Jefferson County. An overnight fire killed 10 people in one home, including nine people from a single family. Two high school students were among those lost, as well as some other younger children. A family was devastated, and so was the town. The father was working an overnight shift in a nearby town; I can only imagine what is going through his mind right now. It will take a long time for the good people of Brockway to return to anything resembling normal. Hundreds of people attended a viewing at the high school on Sunday, with the funeral scheduled for Monday.

 

Ironically I visited the school the day before the tragedy, and everything was going great. That now seems so long ago. Please keep Brockway in your prayers this week and for the foreseeable future as the school and town grapple with their emotions during a very difficult time.

 

 

Message below Posted 03/30/08

 

What would you consider to be a milestone in your life? Different people have different answers. Some of them might be large and important, while others may seem small or insignificant. This week I'm having two very different milestones. Last weekend my hardy green Honda CR-V car hit the 280,000 mileage mark. For some reason my car just goes and goes and goes, thank goodness.

 

The other milestone will come this Friday when my oldest daughter Alison, a high school junior, and I make our very first college visit. The time has come to start checking out schools, and we'll actually be visiting two schools in two days. I guess I'm just not ready for this yet. Maybe it's the feeling of my wallet aching, or perhaps it's the idea that this girl who was learning to walk just a while back (a short while?) is now getting ready to graduate high school and move on to the next phase of her life. It's rather sobering.

 

But to repeat one of my favorite sayings, "it pays to have friends," and I'm fortunate to have a few. A former high school yearbook editor of mine, who is also the daughter of the adviser, is serving as Alison's host on our Friday visit. We couldn't ask for a better tour, one literally from the inside including attending an actual class. What will I be doing? I suppose I'll wander the campus getting information, and I plan to make a stop at the financial aid office to get all of that important information. Wish me luck...

 

 

Message below Posted 03/23/08

 

Hope you had a Happy Easter! Alas, I think I ate too much. My family had company visiting for the holiday and what an Easter dinner! Oh well, more running in my future I see...

 

One thing I've always wondered is how the date for Easter is set each year. I've heard various versions, but one I received recently from a Jostens friend explains it perfectly, along with some interesting trivia that make this year's Easter a little extra special...

 

Easter is the first Sunday (March 23) after the first full moon (March 21) after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, always tied in with Easter, which is why it moves around on our current calendar. Based on the above, Easter can actually be one day earlier (March 22) but that is pretty rare. This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly of our population have ever seen it this early (95 years old or above!) And none of us have ever, or will ever, see it a day earlier!

 

Here are the facts: The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (yikes, 220 years from now!) The last time it was this early was 1913 (so if you're 95 or older, you are the only ones that were around for that.) The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (a staggering 277 years from now.) The last time it was on March 22 was 1818, so no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year! Amazing!

 

Now, go out and dazzle someone this week with this amazing trivia!!

 

 

Message below Posted 03/16/08

 

It's a short week this week with Easter this weekend. And thanks to scheduling and snow days this winter, Easter vacations are all over the place. My home school only has one day off, Good Friday, as is the case for a number of schools. But I know of one school district with a five day vacation this weekend, from Thursday through Monday. How about that!! Easter is early this year but the break comes at a nice time for everyone, I think, with many schools having some kind of brief holiday sometime in April.

 

I don't know how many of you have folks attending the Pennsylvania Middle School Association convention this week in State College, but I'll be there Monday afternoon as Jostens has a booth at the event. This is the first time I've attended this meeting so I'm looking forward to meeting folks and showing those who work with other yearbook companies what Jostens and I (or other Jostens representatives) can do for their yearbook and their schools.

 

I love watching college basketball so this week is always a big week, with the NCAA men's tournament starting Thursday. I'll even watch schools that I couldn't find on a map! For some reason most of the games are always thrilling and exciting even if you don't know the coach or a single player. And there are always upsets, especially during the opening weekend. Thankfully we have more than one TV in my house, otherwise the remote wars starting Thursday would be legendary.

 

 

Message below Posted 03/09/08

 

Squish, squish, squish - that's the sound of me walking in my yard over the last few days. Our area has received so much rain and moisture in the past week that the ground is saturated. As I'm writing this Sunday afternoon I still have puddles and small ponds throughout my rather large yard, even those that froze over last night with the cold winds that blew in. The church that my family and I attend sits right next to a large creek and the water level in the creek this morning was WAY up over normal, although it was beginning to recede. How about a nice dry spell now? Any takers?

 

Recently Jostens announced the lineup for this year's Hear the Year music CD, our annual list of the top musical hits of the school year...

 

1. How Far We've Come, Matchbox Twenty

2. Who Knew, Pink

3. Teardrops On My Guitar, Taylor Swift

4. I Don't Wanna Be In Love, Good Charlotte

5. Hey There Delilah, Plain White T’s

6. Love Like This, Natasha Bedingfield (featuring Sean Kingston)

7. Wait For You, Elliott Yamin

8. Love Song, Sara Bareilles

9. Hero/Heroine, Boys Like Girls

10. The Way I Am, Ingrid Michaelson

11. Stealing Cinderella, Chuck Wicks

12. Cry For You, September

 

Music is an extremely important part of any teenager's life. Trust me I know, I have two such people in my house. The Hear the Year CD, a real bargain at only $12.99 (and your yearbook effort gets $1 of that total!), is a great way to remember the year in music, and used in a computer the CD also has a fun video trivia game. It's not too late to order or sell the Hear the Year CD in your school, or for advisers this makes a great Thank You gift for hardworking yearbook staffers. Just let me know...

 

 

Message below Posted 03/02/08

 

Enjoy Leap Day last week? For those who have a birthday on February 29, it must have been a big day. I don't know anyone that has a birthday on Leap Day but it must be cool to actually be 10 years old when you're really 40. Talk about eternal youth!

 

Now this weekend, it's the start of Daylight Savings time Saturday night the 8th. Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead when you go to bed Saturday night; you'll lose an hour of sleep. Starting on Sunday you'll have sunlight lasting until 7 PM or so. Daylight Savings time is starting earlier than ever before, which is the basis for my complaint. Just when I get used to having some sunlight in the eastern sky around 6:15 AM to help me get my day started, now it will be pitch dark at that time. For students who catch an early bus, isn't it annoying to start your day in the dark?

 

When I was growing up, Daylight Savings Time didn't begin until mid or late April. But Congress, with apparently far too much free time, has tinkered with the start of DST for years now, making it longer over the course of the year than ever before. Doesn't Congress have enough to do messing up other things without fooling with the calendar?

 

Daylight Savings Time was originally designed to help farmers to work later in the day during their tilling, sowing and harvesting chores. How many farmers in our area are out in their fields in early March? Essentially NONE! Congress' argument that shifting an hour of daylight from morning to evening somehow saves us energy doesn't fly with me. Bring back the morning daylight!

 

 

Message below Posted 02/24/08

 

ENOUGH! Enough snow already, and the school closings that go with it. Almost everyone's schedule has been snarled by the recent snow days, delays and early dismissals. If you're a spring yearbook school that's had its yearbook work interrupted by this $%#@ weather, just persevere. It can't last forever - can it???? My prediction - one more good snow dumping between now and mid March. For those old enough to remember, there was the mid March 1993 blizzard, remember that one? A good two feet of snow or more literally closed down the state for a day. I couldn't get my vehicle out of the garage that next morning, it was that deep. That was then followed by a rather rapid warmup (this WAS mid March) which caused big time flooding problems in many areas. Are we due for another blizzard?

 

How many people earn all-state honors in anything? Athletes usually get lots of publicity for this, but there are others. Let me brag for a moment - I'm thrilled and honored that my daughter Alison has qualified for Pennsylvania all-state band this spring, following a regional band event in Hollidaysburg over the weekend. Playing alto saxophone, she was one of just 27 musicians from around 200 total students in the regional who earned the distinction. Now she heads off for Hershey and the all-state concert event in mid April, with the chance to advance to the All Eastern band event next February, covering 13 states. The message to students here is that hard work pays off, and Alison's hard work is really paying dividends right now. And thanks to my friends in Hollidaysburg for taking good care of her last week! It's also been a kick to see some yearbook students at various schools taking part in these musical events as well.

 

 

Message below Posted 02/17/08

 

Uh oh - it seems to happen every February or March...we get a good dumping of snow, followed by immediately warmer temperatures and lots of rain. All that adds up to tons of melting and that equals FLOODING. Anyone who lives in a low-lying area or next to a river, stream or creek has to live in trepidation of this time of year. We never seem to get a slow melting of snow as winter winds down. Hope you're not in that flooding situation this week.

 

This time of year is also unpredictable because of the calendar. Many schools have no classes on Monday the 18th, this year's President's Day, but a few do. I know of one school district that had a five day weekend with no classes on Thursday through Monday. Couple that with the snow day or days in most areas last week, and mix in some state PSSA testing right around now, and you might understand why some administrators and teachers are suffering from headaches. Pass the aspirin.

 

On Sunday I was honored to emcee an event at my local high school to remember a local man who personified music in my town. Guy Rachau was someone who was a musician and singer for over 40 years, establishing or taking part in several choral groups and bands over that time. Sadly, Guy passed away one year ago, ironically while performing at a function. A special concert in his memory was organized to remember his legacy while also establishing a scholarship in his name at my local school. I had the easy part at this event, just introducing each of five musical groups with some memories and quips as they performed in a round-robin style over a two-hour period. Everyone was on stage at the same time for the entire concert. The event was truly inspiring as two bands and three choral groups performed excellently, in a couple of cases even bringing tears to the eyes of many, ranging from German oompah band music to Civil War-era compositions to a capella singing.

 

For young people reading my post this week, keep in mind that one person CAN make a difference as did this man, all for the love of music. Someday, or perhaps even now, you could be that person. My friend Guy made a legacy and a lot of great memories for a whole lot of people. He'll always be remembered - who could ask for more?

 

 

Message below Posted 02/10/08

 

Wow, it's COLD out there today!! That winter wind is a nasty one, sure glad Sunday isn't a school day. Driving to church Sunday morning was rather easy, but then the winds kicked up by lunchtime and the drive home was a bit of an adventure, with some whiteout conditions along the way. And the forecast for Tuesday this week doesn't sound promising with a wintry mix predicted. Has anybody else noticed that ever since Punxsutawney Phil made his extended winter prediction, it's become decidedly more wintry? Actually, it seems that February is always the wildest winter month of our year, Phil notwithstanding. Hope you have good snow tires...

 

I'm a proud Dad once again as my oldest daughter Alison attended our district choral concert in McConnellsburg this past week and earned a spot in the regional event next month. And I'm VERY proud because she earned the coveted first chair for Soprano II. While attending the final concert Saturday I recognized at least two girls from other schools who are also on their respective yearbook staffs. I think I surprised them when I called out to them - "what's HE doing here?"

 

Anybody following politics out there? Goodness, how COULDN'T you follow it? You can't pickup a newspaper or news magazine, or watch any TV news show, without seeing something about the presidential race. This is truly an historic year as both major parties have their pending schisms. For Republicans, solid leader John McCain isn't conservative enough according to some. For Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in a dead heat, unheard of at this point in recent times. Looks like the major party conventions later this summer might actually have some meaning this year instead of being coronations. And I'm expecting that at least one third party candidate will emerge by the summer. If you're 18 you MUST plan to vote in our Pennsylvania primary in two months, it's going to be WILD.

 

 

Message below Posted 02/03/08

 

Yes, I'm doing this update during the Super Bowl Sunday night, surrounded by my Jostens friends at a special party during our annual winter meetings. The cheering has been rather spirited for both sides, the Patriots and the Giants. But as we sit and watch the game together, everyone's talking about - the commercials! Just saw one for Doritos with a giant mouse who pounds a guy with a bag of the tasty snack. I liked this ad because Doritos runs a contest every year for regular people to compose their Super Bowl commercials, not some Madison Avenue big shot. The Budweiser ad with the Clydesdale horse who retrains himself ala the Rocky movies to rejoin the horse team was a good one as well. Unfortunately there are lame ones as usual - the one with a walking heart was just bizarre with a friend calling it distasteful.

 

As for the game, WOW! One of the best Super Bowl games ever, with all the drama, exciting plays, great defense, big gambles, everything. When the game started I wasn't rooting for anyone, but surrounded by Giants fans I started pulling for the underdog. The last five minutes of the game were unbelievable. Clearly the play of the was game was late when Giants QB Eli Manning somehow spun away from a sure sack and heaved the ball downfield, caught by a Giants receiver by pinning the ball against his helmet!

 

Clearly the classless move of the game was when Patriots coach Bill Belichick left the field with one play still to be run. There was confusion at the end of the game but Belichick was informed by a referee that one second remained on the clock. It didn't matter, he still left the field in a move that will brand him as a sore loser for some time to come. It's too bad that the Patriots perfect season came to a close, though, because it's vary rare when you approach sports immortality.

 

And if you missed it, on Saturday morning the famous Punxsutawney Phil DID see his shadow on Gobbler's Knob, predicting another six weeks of winter. Yes, we had that ice last Friday, but I have to wonder with our lack of snowfall this year if Phil will be right. We'll see...

 

 

Message below Posted 01/27/08

 

First up this week, who will win the Super Bowl Sunday night? New England or the New York Giants? As I'm typing this days in advance, I honestly can't make a pick. The undefeated Patriots are the big favorite, but the Giants are playing the best football in the postseason. The game they played against each other in the final week of the regular season was one of the best games of the year. It promises to be a terrific game. And maybe some of the famous TV commercials won't be so bad this year - last year's were a little disappointing. Maybe the biggest challenge of Super Bowl night - not eating too many big game snacks. I've been trying to shed some weight since Christmas, down five pounds so far, and I hope some Super Bowl snacking won't ruin my progress.

 

But the first big event this Saturday the 2nd is the annual Groundhog Day celebration with my friends in Punxsutawney. With Groundhog Day on a Saturday this year, a larger than expected crowd is expected to gather at Gobbler's Knob to see the big pronouncement around 7:30 AM. Will Punxsy Phil see his shadow this year, meaning six more weeks of winter? I've been honored to work with the yearbook staffs at the high school and middle school in Punxsutawney for many years. When I recently asked one of the high school secretaries if she would be attending the big event that morning, she said NO WAY, too many tourists. But the school will still get its traditional vacation day, this time on Friday the 1st. Happy Groundhog Day!!

 

 

Message below Posted 01/20/08

 

Whoa, now it's winter, it's COLD! At my house Sunday morning it was down to around five degrees. Not much snow on the ground, maybe two inches tops. I'm waiting for a winter wallop, will we get one this year? We see the stories about big snows this winter in New England, upstate New York, some areas of the Midwest, even snow flurries in Atlanta where it rarely snows. But here at home, another quiet winter...

 

And I'm watching the NFL championship games as I work on the website this week, where it's also COLD in both New England and Green Bay. Here's something I'd like to see - a Super Bowl outdoors in a cold weather city. C'mon now, football is a COLD weather game! Why always play the big game indoors or in 80 degree weather in Florida or southern California? This year the Super Bowl is in sunny Arizona. Wouldn't it be great to watch a Super Bowl in the snow?

 

I did something a bit unique Saturday night - I chaperoned a high school dance at my local high school. It's one of the dangers of being married to a high school teacher. Actually it was pretty tame - the students at my local school are well behaved and no one would think of trying a stunt or inappropriate behavior. Still, it felt strange. My job was to move above the room, just making sure everyone had hands visible and no problems ensued. At one point I somehow found myself in the middle of the room, surrounded, teenagers jumping up and down to the thundering music from the DJ. Let's just say I felt my age for that one brief moment. I have to ask - doesn't anyone really know how to dance anymore? I saw the occasional line or group dance, and the boring slow dance (couple clutching each other, moving around slowly in a circle) but very few couples actually DANCING. For most upbeat songs the dancing was limited to shaking hips or jumping up and down. For all the success of the "Dancing With The Stars" TV show, apparently teenagers don't watch the program. Maybe it's time to bring back ballroom dancing as part of gym class? Just a thought...

 

 

Message below Posted 01/13/08

 

As I've made my travels in recent weeks I've come across the phrase "Classrooms for the Future" on numerous occasions. Many schools throughout the region have received new computer and related equipment from state government as part of a major initiative to incorporate more technology into classrooms to improve learning and test scores. Anything from new laptops to smartboards to webcams and more, I've come across many new tools in area schools. I've learned that teachers now must undergo special training for use of these tools, which I know "thrills" many teachers to have to undergo more training.

 

Smartboards are interesting items, a way to project a website onto a large white board and then use the board as a giant touch screen. Cool! I've also seen many schools with portable computer labs integrated into a large cart, a great way to turn any classroom into an instant computer lab.

 

Clearly the integration of more technology into the everyday classroom is the wave of the future (or actually the present) but, in my opinion, nothing will replace the human interaction of teacher and student. I've read all about today's students who are more interactive, faster paced, less patient, always on the move. Nobody has EVER liked long lectures and today's new technology is certainly fast paced, but the interaction of teacher with student will never be adequately replaced by technology alone.

 

In the meantime, part of the equipment with Classrooms for the Future is webcams, I'm told, and a number of you now know about my new initiative to use new technology to better serve you with your yearbook effort. More on this later...

 

 

Message below Posted 01/06/08

 

If I were a full-time teacher, the subject I would choose would be social studies or history. I've been interested in history or current events for as long as I can remember. When I was in seventh grade I did a project on the Battle of Gettysburg from the Civil War, displaying the entire battlefield on two large plywood sheets with paper mache ridges, hundreds of blue and gray soldiers, trees, cannons and more, even getting a small size Civil War-era cannon built to scale as a side item. My office at home is lined with books on history, biographies on important figures and more; I'm currently reading a biography of Dwight Eisenhower. I really like history, where we've been and what we can learn from it to not repeat the mistakes of the past.

 

The 2008 presidential election right now is shaping up to be one of the major events of the early 21st century. It's the first time since 1968 that an incumbent president or vice president isn't running - it's a wide open field. With the Iowa caucuses last week and the New Hampshire primary this week, the battle has officially been joined. From my angle as a former broadcast journalist I try to keep an objective mind in hearing or reading stories about candidates from both major parties.

 

I wonder how many history or social studies teachers are getting their students actively following this historic presidential race. All the different candidates, all the different angles, the first viable African-American and female candidates, the earlier primary dates - there are so many historical things happening all at once. I know some schools will have student "votes" later this spring, but I would have students really researching the candidates of both major parties and maybe even some minor ones. I'd include some student debates to tackle the tough issues that the presidential candidates are tackling. This is an outstanding and rare opportunity for young people to not only learn our American political process but learn about their leaders and the difficult topics facing them and us as a society, from terrorism to health care to the economy, jobs, education and so much more. Is your school covering the presidential race? Maybe drop me a line at scott.geesey@jostens.com, I'd be curious to hear...

 

 

Message below Posted 01/01/08

 

Happy New Year! I'm beginning to believe the adage that the older you get, the faster time goes. It seems like we just did this New Year's thing, it couldn't be a year already, could it? At my house my daughters always have friends over for a New Year's Eve party - better here than out and about somewhere else, my wife and I believe. It always makes for a bit of a long night, but with unknown numbers of folks who party a little too hard on New Year's Eve, I'd prefer not to be on the roads.

 

I hope you and yours had a very Merry Christmas!! It was a good one at my house. And I hope you enjoyed your holiday break. I got a little work done over the break but mostly I took it easy, watching lots of football and frankly eating too much. I got on the scale a day after Christmas and saw a bigger number than I've ever seen before - YIKES! So I did a little searching and found a workout and diet program through a men's health magazine that I receive and got started. One of my vices is nighttime snacking which is really hard to give up. It's interesting what motivates us but always look for positive motivations to meet your goals. For me, in a month I'll be attending a Jostens business meeting that will cap off with a formal dinner. I want to make sure I fit well into one of my suits which right now I DON'T. So we'll see how I do, I'll keep you apprised...

 

Way to go Penn State - I enjoyed watching the Nittany Lions win the Alamo Bowl football game over Texas A&M. And if you're a PSU fan, realize that the team will only lose a handful of starters for next season, which promises to be a great one.

 

 

Message below Posted 12/16/07

 

Since this is scheduled to be my last update before the break, here's a wish for you and your staff to have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! In my visits the last few days I've joked that I'll see folks again "next year" which isn't that far away. I'm looking forward to some time off over the break, although for those who might be doing yearbook work over the holiday keep in mind that I'll be checking email and messages every day.

 

This is a special holiday for our State College plant consultant, Micah Martin, who finally popped the question over the Thanksgiving break and proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Ashley Shoenfelt. We at Jostens have been waiting FOREVER for this! A November 1, 2008 wedding is planned. You KNOW a wedding is serious when the couple has their own website, www.ashleyandmicah.com, check it out. And you know THIS wedding is serious because after the big day next November, Ashley and Micah will take a honeymoon cruise and he claims he's passing on hunting season next year!! Micah passing on hunting season is like Joe Paterno passing on football. Be sure to congratulate Micah the next time you email or talk to him.

 

 

Message below Posted 12/09/07

 

With the wintry mix of weather we've had in recent days, my thought for this week is WATCH YOUR DRIVING. Last Monday the 3rd I witnessed my first auto accident of the season, and I was lucky not to be in the middle of it. After visiting my friends in Philipsburg to end my workday, I had to drive to neighboring Bald Eagle Area High School to pickup my daughter Alison as a singing event. State Route 504 is almost a straight shot between the two towns, so I headed east as some light snowfall began to make the roads a little treacherous. Leaving Philipsburg I settled in right behind a Penndot snowplow and after driving a few miles at a rather slow pace, I started to get antsy, looking at my watch and wondering if I would pick up Alison on time. Maybe I should pass the plow, I thought, but didn't act.

 

About two miles later, still going slowly, the plow and I approached a curve and a hill. Another car was coming down the hill on the other side. What happened next almost seemed to go slowly as I watched the car begin to slide right into the other lane. The snowplow driver didn't pick up the slide at first, and by the time he tried to go left to avoid the car it was too late. The collision was audible even to me as I followed the action; thankfully I had already started slowing down before the loud thud that knocked the plow blade off the plow while obliterating the front right corner of the car.

 

I pulled off the left side of the road to avoid the wreckage and quickly got out to check on injuries. Thankfully the car driver was uninjured thanks to his airbag and got out of his car after shaking loose some cobwebs. The plow driver was fine but rather unhappy after having his plow blade removed from his truck. For the first time in my life I called 911 to report the mishap as two other drivers came to a stop and got out to check the damage, kicking and sweeping car parts from the roadway. Once making sure that help was on the way, I continued on my journey. And I wondered, if I had passed the plow a few miles back, that might have been my car that collided with the other driver. VERY close...

 

I drive quite a bit as part of my yearbook job and sometimes find myself in unexpected weather or slippery conditions. This accident last week was a reminder to me that safe driving is more important than the clock. I'm thankful that my yearbook adviser partners are always understanding in such situations.

 

 

Message below Posted 12/02/07

 

Well, better get used it - blown weather forecasts. We were supposed to be getting some pretty nasty weather on Sunday; instead, it was a bust. On Friday I started hearing how "bad" things were going to get and immediately started wondering "another bust?" Sure enough...the problew becomes when folks try to make future plans off of a forecast that turns out bad. My daughter Alison had an event Sunday afternoon that was postponed because of the expected weather forecast and then it turned out that the panic button had been pushed, everyone could have easily made it. As I said, better get used to forecast busts because it seems that it happens more often than not.

 

For Penn State football fans it's the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio a few days after Christmas. I visited San Antonio for a business meeting a couple of years ago and really enjoyed the city. The famous Alamo, which you might think is outside the city in the middle of nowhere, is actually right in the middle of the city, just minutes from the hotel I was staying at. The famous Riverwalk through the middle of the city is really cool with lots of great restaurants and shops. You would think that south Texas would be really warm but I was surprised how cold it was in December and January.

 

As for the rest of major college football, what a mess - can anyone say PLAYOFF?? This year would be the best year ever to have an eight team playoff to determine the champion - every game would be competitive. Instead, some polls and computers will pick the two "best" teams. What a joke - would someone please fix this problem?

 

 

Message below Posted 11/26/07

 

Welcome back! I hope you and yours had a Happy Thanksgiving and a restful break. Maybe you even did a little hunting on Monday's first day of the two week deer season. Yes, the weather was rather miserable for hunters across the state to go along with a smaller than average deer herd, in the belief of many hunters. I haven't seen many deer in recent weeks, very unusual for this time of year. I'll be curious to see how many deer are taken after the two week season is over.

 

Ready for the winter sports season? It's time for basketball, wrestling, swimming and some other winter sports. For these pages or sections in your yearbook, be ready now - figure out your coverage, create your basic page layout, setup your scoreboards in advance, then look for opportunities to get some great photos of your top athletes or big games.

 

 

Message below Posted 11/18/07

 

Here's a wish for a Happy Thanksgiving for you and yours. Thanksgiving is perhaps my favoirite holiday of the year - no need to buy presents, not nearly as stressful as Christmas, the family gets together, a chance to watch some good football games (THREE NFL games this year!) and of course, great food! Please keep in mind, though, that some families aren't as fortunate as others and a big feast may not be in their plans. I know of some local churches that will hold special Thanksgiving meals on Thursday - perhaps make a food donation or help out at the meal so everyone has a chance to enjoy this special holiday.

 

That's the good news - the bad news involves some miscreants in my home area of Centre County over the last couple of weeks as a spate of bomb threats have disrupted classes at four schools near my home, including my daughters' high school. It started at State College High a couple of weeks ago, causing them to cancel classes one day. It spread to two other high schools nearby, and for my friends at Tyrone High in Blair County a round of threats caused many parents to keep their kids home last week and eventually the administration there closed school last Friday and all of this week, meaning at least three wasted school days that will have to be made up later. In every instance, administrators reacted to threats scrawled on bathroom walls and paper notes left on the floor. And while bomb threats never seem to amount to anything (can you recall ANY actually happening?) school administrators can't afford to take that chance. This is always a recipe for copykats to see what trouble they can cause.

 

What can we do? One local school quickly discovered that a seventh grade student scrawled the threat, who then admitted to the stunt. The school reacted by tossing the student from the district for the rest of the school year, a move that I'm sure didn't please the parents but pleases me. Miscreants need to be dealt with severely and a message needs to be sent to other students who try these stunts that not only disrupt class time for students and teachers but also for parents and others who must react or change their plans. Here's hoping these stupid stunts are finally over.

 

 

Message below Posted 11/11/07

 

How did elections go in your area last week? I know school boards had elections all over the state last week. Teachers always pay attention to these elections because essentially these folks are the bosses of any school district. I've always seen being a school board member as being one of the most overlooked and thankless tasks of any job out there - no salary, plenty of work, lots of grief when things aren't going well, very little thanks when things are going well. In State College this year there was a very controversial school board election when some incumbent school board members moved forward on a new high school building that would have cost over $100 million. Others stepped forward to oppose the move and the community was essentially split with a lot of rancor and hard feelings which will probably linger for years to come. For a job that carries no salary or benefits (except maybe a free yearbook in some cases) being a school board member is one of the toughest jobs around.

 

I can't believe the Thanksgiving holiday is now just around a week away! You may know that our Thanksgiving date this year, November 22, is the earliest possible date for the holiday, always the fourth Thursday of November. The fall season is just flying by this year. But I'm a little disturbed at hearing Christmas music already when I visited some stories in the past week - could we please just hold off on the annual buying spree and onslaught until Thanksgiving is over??

 

 

Message below Posted 11/04/07

 

OK, fess up - who forgot to turn their clocks back when they went to bed Saturday night? I'm guessing a LOT of folks forgot because I think this is the latest we've ever had the time change. never before in November. When kids went out trick or treating for Halloween last week I was wondering why there was still light in the sky - THAT'S why. I wish the government would stop fooling with the clocks and changing Daylight Savings Time seemingly every year. I welcome the time change to get some light in the sky in the early morning - I know many students recently had been getting on their school bus in the dark, yuck.

 

Election Day is this Tuesday the 6th, with lots of local elections to be decided. For those who follow news, next year's presidential election has been garnering all of the attention - goodness, if you DON'T follow news you know this because the 58 presidential candidates have been garnering tons of attention. OK, it's not 58 candidates but it sure seems like that many! But in my view, the local elections settled this week are just as important as any presidential election. If I have a beef with the President, I can't go to the White House and tell him my views. If I have a beef with a County Commissioner, I CAN go see them and express my views. On the school front, new school board members are elected during the so-called "off year" elections, but those seats are extremely important in how your local school is run. Local leaders have just as much impact on you and your family as any big shot in Washington or Harrisburg, and are usually a lot more receptive. If you're reading this before Tuesday's voting, and you're 18 or older, be sure to do your civic duty and GO VOTE!

 

 

Message below Posted 10/28/07

 

Now, THIS feels like Autumn. As I write this Sunday night a serious frost is expected tonight and perhaps other nights this week. With Halloween and November this week it's about time. And the recent rains we've had hasn't completely wiped out our dry weather conditions this year but it's certainly a help. As glamorous as southern California may be, the devastating fires there in the past week make me VERY glad to live in central Pennsylvania. And with the awful drought conditions this year in the Southeast and the water problems that follow, I'm again very glad to live where I do. Still wondering, when will the first snowflake fly???

 

I wonder how many high school yearbook staffers still go out on Halloween night? My high school junior daughter went to a party the other night in a police officer's costume. Not sure if she'll be trick or treating Wednesday night but my youngest will be. When you think about it, Halloween is as much a part of Americana as baseball, hot dogs or apple pie. Go out and have a good time.

 

Speaking of baseball, the Boston Red Sox are the best team in the game. I'm writing this as I watch Game 4 of the World Series Sunday night and I just don't see Colorado coming back from a 3-0 deficit. Another thing I like - country music star Trisha Yearwood just sang the national anthem and did so without the ridiculous warbling that many other singing stars feel compelled to do. I'm a traditionalist when it comes to singing the Star Spangled Banner - just sing it straight up, forget the "unique" interpretations.

 

 

Message below Posted 10/21/07

 

For advisers or staffers, I hope you checked out my Picture of the Week on my home page this week. Here's my first plea of the year for you to send me YOUR digital images to post on my website for everyone to see. Enough of my stuff, how about some of yours? Just email me some of your recent shots and I'll pick the best to post.

 

For Penn State football fans the big game is THIS week when top ranked Ohio State visits Beaver Stadium Saturday night. I think the Nittany Lions have an excellent chance to win this game because of their improved play in recent weeks, and also the belief that NO major college football team will fiinish undefeated this year. This has been a topsy-turvy season so far and PSU is due so go Nits!

 

 

Message below Posted 10/14/07

 

First, time to talk some college football - what a WEIRD season! It seems every time a major college team makes the top five, they LOSE. This past Saturday the team ranked #1 and #2 BOTH lost. Ohio State is now #1 - they probably wish they weren't. And the season is only half over - who KNOWS what will happen over the last seven weeks of the season.

 

And Penn State is finally playing their best football so far, with two dominating victories the last two weeks. How can they NOT be ranked in the Top 25 this week? Another reason why the rankings are a joke and becoming more and more irrelevant. Hey, powers of college football, how about a national PLAYOFF to determine the REAL national champion? With a season like this year, an eight team playoff would set ratings records. It's inevitable, let's get the playoff started...

 

Thank goodness it finally feels like autumn this week. As I make my travels over the next two weeks I plan to have my camera handy, looking for those terrific fall foliage shots that make our area so beautiful this time of year. The annual Flaming Foliage Festival was held over the weekend in Renovo, Clinton County, and I'm always amazed how many high schools send a girl to this event to become the Festival Queen. Girls from 33 schools attended the event this year, many from schools that I work with.

 

 

Message below Posted 10/7/07

 

OK, I've heard of "indian summer" but this is RIDICULOUS! It's not supposed to 85 degrees in October! No, I'm not blaming the current furor over climate change because I've seen warm spells before, just not this LONG. I remember a Christmas in the mid 1980's when my parents were in the process of moving to a new home. Ahead of time we assumed it would be tough moving furniture and stuff in the December cold - imagine our surprise when temperatures were in the balmy 60's on moving day. And no one was blaming global warming back then.

 

Some schools don't (or didn't) have classes on Monday the 8th because of Columbus Day. Not many folks know that central PA has a direct connection to the historic explorer. In Boalsburg, outside State College, is the Columbus Chapel which contains the Admiral's Desk, said to be actually used by Columbus during his voyages around 500 years ago. The desk came into possession of the Boal family around 100 years ago and has been a local treasure ever since. For history teachers looking to make a unique field trip, consider a trip to Boalsburg to see the Chapel and desk and also the Pennsylvania Military Museum just a walking distance away. And take pictures at nearby Kelly's Restaurant which has the largest bull you will EVER see on the ROOF of the restaurant.

 

Speaking of field trips, you know that everyone is welcome to visit the Jostens plant in State College to see how books are made, but right next door is the world headquarters of Accuweather. If you want a COOL tour, it's available at Accuweather complete with how they do weather forecasting, all the great equipment they use, how they broadcast all over the world and much more. I have friends who work at Accuweather and have taken the tour - if you're into science, meteorology or broadcasting, don't miss out on this one!

 

 

Message below Posted 9/30/07

 

First, welcome to October and it's starting to feel like autumn, with cooler mornings and the leaves beginning to turn color and drop. Alas, that also means it's time to dust off my rake!! For city dwellers, perhaps you don't have a lot of leaves to take care of but out here in the country we have PLENTY of leaves to deal with. Still, the annual fall foliage is a real treasure in our area, especially across the Northern Tier which always has some spectacular views.

 

This is a BIG week! The week of October 1 is National School Yearbook Week, celebrating it's 20th anniversary. It was 20 years ago in 1987 that President Ronald Reagan approved a proclamation that began the annual observance, celebrating the work of school yearbook staffs across the nation as part of the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For yearbook advisers I emailed a special press release to you nearly two weeks ago, hope you used it with your local media. You and your hard-working staff deserve the attention. Play it up big at school as well, with mentions on the morning announcements or posters around school.

 

 

Message below Posted 9/23/07

 

Ah, the trials of being a dad - I'm actually composing this week's message on Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of a State College movie theater, listening to the Penn State football game on the radio as my younger daughter Morgan and a friend enjoy a movie inside. If I were in front of a TV watching PSU's big game at Michigan I'd be cheering or yelling at the set, harping at JoePa's play calls and anguishing with every play. I'm not yelling here in my car for fear that someone walking nearby will think I'm nuts. I see a man walking two small dogs across the way, obviously NOT a football fan!

 

Here we are at the close of September - I hope you and your yearbook staff has completed your basic organizing and planning for this year's book. Remember that plans changing are certainly not unusual - sometimes things happen, people come and go, etc. Maybe you have a fall sports team that is really on a roll or is surprising everyone with their great play - sounds like a great yearbook story to me. Do everything you can to cover as many of the great stories in your school as possible, and believe me, there are MANY great stories in EVERY school. Remembering those people, those great events, those special moments - THAT'S what makes a yearbook special!

 

 

Message below Posted 9/17/07

 

WOW, it sure got cold in a hurry! The weather over the weekend made it feel like mid October, with a freeze warning for Sunday night. I prefer cooler weather over hot weather, but not ALREADY! That's OK, the weather forecast will warm up as the week continues. If you haven't discovered it already, check out the special Accuweather feature on my home page, at the bottom right. If you've never been to the Jostens plant in State College, it's located right next door to the world headquarters of Accuweather, and I have a number of friends who work there. Weather has always interested me - when I was a boy I had my own set of weather instruments, and for a while I made daily measurements of the temperature, humidity, wind speed, precipitation and more. Want a cool job? Become a meteorologist, always in demand.

 

 

Message below Posted 9/10/07

 

Many of you know that I'm a big Penn State football fan so Saturday night's win over Notre Dame felt pretty good. There have certainly been some interesting results in the first two weeks. I must admit - I DON'T like Michigan so I'm not shedding a tear for the Wolverines. But when Penn State plays them in two weeks I actually hope they have at least ONE win this weekend vs. ND. Another thought - PSU should be ranked in the top 10 this week, not 12th. Their outstanding defense alone should be enough to get them there but the media biases continue to work against PSU. Oh well, a few more wins should solve that problem.

 

Earlier on Saturday I witnessed a titanic athletic struggle that rivaled the PSU-Notre Dame game. My youngest daughter Morgan had entered her hamster Mabel in a "hamster race" at a State College pet supply store. Thirteen well tuned contestants arrived for the battle, and after a spirited warm-up it was time for the big race. Each hamster was placed in their own plastic ball, which was then set down at the end of a special track, almost like the gutter on a bowling lane. Mabel was entered in the first heat of the day, and Morgan was nervous - Mabel hid her feelings from all of us.

 

A store employee with a small bullhorn served as the announcer and starter, and when he said "GO!", the cheering by the gathered throng began. Morgan let go of her ball, and Mabel did the rest, streaking to the finish line while the other competitors sputtered, or spit, or did whatever hamsters do. The stirring victory advanced Mabel to the finals - as we waited for the other three finalists, Morgan planned her strategy (not much really, just put the plastic ball down.) She tried to keep Mabel focused, mainly by keeping the ball stationary so she didn't get motion sick.

 

Then the finals - Mabel was placed in lane one, where she won in her heat. The other grizzled competitors, none over the age of 12, placed their racers in their lanes. The announcer man, taking this a bit too seriously, announced the hamsters and then did the countdown before the big "GO!" Mabel, either stunned or perhaps just bored, stalled at the start and was in last place. Morgan clapped her hands, which apparently woke Mabel from her momentary stupor, and off she went, flying down the track into first place. On she went toward the finish line but then about a foot from the finish, she stalled again, allowing a competitor to squeeze in a last second spurt to just finish ahead of Mabel by a nose, or head - heck, they're so small it was hard to tell.

 

Despite the last second loss Morgan was thrilled to get the second place ribbon, which included some yummy hamster treats and a certificate. We drove home victorious, no trash talking, all good feelings. And as I write this, Mabel is busy training for her next racing event, busily spinning on the wheel of her hamster house. Ah, the thrill of victory...

 

 

Message below Posted 9/03/07

 

Howdy! Just about everyone in the neighborhood has started classes, with just a few folks getting things rolling on Tuesday or Wednesday this week. For those who began class last week, here's hoping you're off to a good start. It's been a long time since I was a high school student, longer still for middle school or elementary, so I can't really remember what the first day of school is like except that there was an inherent excitement on Day One. I see my two daughters today, Alison and Morgan, as they prepare for their first day of classes Tuesday. Alison, the junior, is taking a rather ho-hum approach, perhaps because her varsity soccer team has already begun their schedule so it feels like school has already started to her; after all, they've been practicing at school for three weeks now! For my seventh grader Morgan, it's a brand new building for her, although with her mom teaching in the building for the last 20 years, it's old hat to her as well. Oh well, so much for excitement...

 

I'm a soccer dad, actually an ex-youth soccer coach of ten years, and I'm already enjoying watching Alison and her teammates play this season. When a schedule begins you're never quite sure how things will turn out, but we're cautiously optimistic that the team will have a really good season this year. I coached Alison and many of her teammates at one point or another so it's extra special to see these girls achieve. Last weekend the team opened their season at a tournament in Hughesville, near Williamsport. They've gone to this tournament for years but never came home the winner - until last weekend, when they knocked off two opponents by identical 2-0 scores, including the home team in the finals. I was thrilled when Alison came off the bench with about two minutes left in the first half as we held a tenuous 1-0 lead. With just under a minute left she took a crossing pass and slammed the ball flat on the ground, rolling home a goal beyond the diving goaltender. Later she was switched to defense and played her position perfectly, outhustling opponents and using her skills to keep the other team away from our net. This is one proud Dad writing here, again cautiously hopeful that this is just the start of things to come...

 

 

Message below Posted 8/06/07

 

Don't miss the super special CODE BELOW!!! But read on first...

 

I wasn't planning to start my new blog listing until the new school year began in late August, but this just can't wait...for those who are checking my website over the summer break, here's the scoop about an incredible new service from Jostens called OurHubbub.com...

 

Perhaps you've seen or heard of other startup websites that allow you to create your own personal memory book about events, vacations, whatever you wish. I've seen a few of them and they're not bad. The printing industry is changing rapidly with Internet startups popping out of nowhere seemingly every week, making this claim and that. The established publishing companies are watching this new breed cautiously while their market share slowly begins to dwindle.

 

Enter Jostens - already we can easily make the claim to being the world leader in Internet book production. For the 2007 school year over 11,000 schools in North America created their annual yearbooks online through Jostens - folks, that's well over two million books produced with our revolutionary YearTech Online creation tool, and created flawlessly. But we wondered - what if we adapt our fantastic technology to allow anyone to create a book, whenever they wish, whatever the topic? And even just ONE copy if they wish? And what if we create and ship the book within days, maybe even HOURS, of submission?

 

And here it is - the new website called OurHubbub.com. As in, what's all the hubbub about? This stupendous new website is now active and promises to cement Jostens' reputation as the WORLD leader in easy book production, both yearbooks and now memory books. Look for the link to this special website in the left column of my home page.

 

There's so much to say about OurHubbub.com - first, how about cool covers? There will be 22 different designs to start, from sports to activities to general covers. I've seen them - they're COOL, colorful and embossed. Want to do a book on your soccer team? How about a cover with embossed stitching on a large soccer ball - you can really FEEL it!! There's a dance cover with an actual varsity letter D on the cover that feels like the real thing! Unbelievable!!

 

Our slogan for OurHubbub.com is Fast, Fun and Easy - and it IS! Even those who aren't experienced with websites will pick this up easily and produce a cool all-color book in no time. Every page is colorful but YOU decide the design, either one of our many templates or change them around if you like (YT Online users, sound familiar?) Just upload your digital images and away you go! Put in as much or as little writing as you wish.

 

Here's something REALLY cool - one person can start an OurHubbub.com project for a book, say a recap of the volleyball season. Once they finish they let everyone else on the team know about the project. Others can then log-on to access the project, then upload their own images and place more shots of their own player in their own particular book. They can change existing images or choose to add more pages to their very own book. It's the same project, just more of the special images THEY want, then they order their version of the book online. You could have unlimited versions of the same book, made one at a time and special for each individual person or family. AND you'll have your specially made book shipped to arrive at your home in a week or LESS - WOW!

 

Along with the book, users of OurHubbub.com will also have the chance to further personalize their particular book with foil namestamping and other neat products - it's all there on the website, just check it out. We even have a special toll-free phone number to call with LIVE tech support folks standing by to assist anyone who has any questions.

 

Now, before you fly off to OurHubbub.com to start creating your own book. WANT TO SAVE SOME MONEY? I have a special code that will earn you a 15% discount off the cost of your newly created book. It can be used as often as you wish - if you have a group, everyone can get the 15% discount. My special access code is S1224991. Just enter that when you are ready to purchase, or as someone new logs in to an existing project to make a purchase, and you earn the 15% discount. Or click on the OurHubbub.com link here or above - the code is automatically embedded in the link! The price on OurHubbub.com is already reasonable, but why pay full price when you don't have to?

 

Check out OurHubbub.com TODAY and start creating your OWN special book, and don't forget my code above!! This new website will change EVERYTHING! Let me know if you have any questions, and definitely let me know when you create a book - I'd love to see it!!

 

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