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  • President's Column June 2017

President's Column June 2017

26 May 2017 10:35 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

HELLO EVERYONE,

Well, it is summer and whether the calendar says it or not, it is time for the ski club to get back to its main purpose; having a good time whether be it in snow, sleet, rain, or the dead heat of August.  As we all know, variety of weather is “the spice of life.”

Wow, for the first time in two years someone wrote the lead article for the Newsletter in May.  John Neblett, thank you for that. Also, thank you for willingness to serve the club through the years, and even though you may be slowing down a little bit in your contributions, remember anyone who takes over jobs you have done in the past will always be told, “Yeah, that was okay, but John Neblett, he always did it this way and it worked great!!!” You have set a high bar.

END OF THE SEASON PARTY

I must say the End of The Ski Season/Derby Party at Tom and Jinksie Harris’ home was a house party for the ages. Food, Fun, Fillies (and I do mean the hairy ones…….. did that come out right?), and the party was just a great time had by all. Tom and Jinksie took all of us in their home early in the afternoon and kept us engaged and happy all evening. Estimates were that approximately 70-80 members and their special others attended.  I got to say this, Robert Haile and his date really looked cool.

I guess it needs to be said here now, but it should have been said years ago, Tom and Jinksie Harris have both been such an important asset for our little group and have put themselves totally into the ski club activities for years.   If you like the meetings and how tables are set up, if you like the food set out at any club function, and if you understand the whole concept of giving to others, this is all Tom and Jinkise. Some people cannot see past their noses and some people only think of others. These two wonderful people are definitely the latter.

A personal thanks from the entire club to you young folks. Remember you are appreciated and loved.

Your Old Forester Mint Juleps are good too.

ONE REASON NOT TO SHAKE HANDS!!!!

I know it sucks, but a personal experience for this month’s Aesop’s Fable. It will be short.

Many years ago, in fact 30 years ago last month, I started practicing law.  Now there is another great story that is for a later time.

Years ago when I just got out of law school, I was fortunate enough to get hired for a job in my home town with an older attorney who was a local legend and had fought the wars, defended the oppressed, and did exactly what I wanted to do with my career. I thought this was Heaven to learn from the best and take it to the next level.

Problem was, even though my boss was the best attorney and most amazing guy, he had severe issues he had never dealt with which devastated his life, family, friends, but never his practice in the roughly 15 years I personally knew him and the almost 40 years he practiced.

He gave me my start. I was able to learn how to practice law (always with a alcohol and no fear of the outcome of a case win or lose), how to make a living with a law practice -- he showed me what his professional model was for success in a small town practice. 

It was great for a while. But as you can guess, the dynamics of the situation were not in my favor and four years later we were not enemies, per se, but we were definitely on opposite ends of the stick. It was set-up-a-shingle-on-the-side-of-the-road time at my place and we left on the worst terms. We did not speak for years.

A couple of years prior to his passing, we had become cordial to each other but we never had the opportunity to have the following conversations;

  • 1.     He never told me how big a dick he was to me and apologize ;
  • 2.     I never got to tell him  how much of an ass I was to him and apologize; and
  • 3.     I never got to thank him for giving me a start in the business and say how my short time with him put me light years ahead of everyone else practicing at that time.

Fast forward this month, I saw my old boss’ grandson who was born shortly before he passed away. I did not really know him well, and my wife pointed him out to me and we went over to say hello.

When I met the grandson, a funny feeling came over me. The last thing I wanted to do was shake his hand. My hands were clean, I did not have anything I was holding, but I just did not want to shake his hand.  It was just not going to be good enough.

I grabbed his neck and tried to get all I could grasp at that time, anything or any part of my old boss that could have been present or could have been in the general area around his grandson at that moment. It may have looked a little awkward, but what the hell, I needed it, and I am sure he knew I needed it because you have to make accommodations for older folks, you know.

Here is my point, whenever we get together as a group, go on a ski trip, or see ski club members out, let’s make sure that we get our money’s worth out of each other in every contact we have as a general collective or individually. Skiing is great, traveling is fun, but our interactions are the best. I have said it in the past and it is true, if we are going to drink, let us drink up each other first and then go to the bar.

If we come in contact with someone that is not our favorite person, remember, and I have learned the following the hard way,

  • 1.     Not every good thing is the best thing; and
  • 2.     Sometimes bad things can change your entire life for the better, even though, it may take a little time to realize it truly is better .

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.

John Ruskin- English writer

See you at the next meeting.