Anderson/Hatgidakis/Nelson/Metcalf: Newsletter

Old news: January 2001

Gary
1/31/2001
A couple of weeks ago, when a big snowstorm hit Buffalo, NY (which is one of this country's snowiest cities), I read that some of the people there were upset that schools and businesses were not closing; so one of the newspapers countered that with an editorial titled, "What is this, Bermuda??" It snows here in the winter, they were saying; get used to it! :-)

On the other hand, there is nothing like a snow-day. Sure, I can get out there and drive through eight inches of snow if I have to, but there are few pleasures on earth that can equal staying at home on a snowy day and watching movies -- so I support a policy of generous snow-days.

As for Amanda's Texans putting on chains, I remember my first January in San Francisco: on average about once every ten years it can get cold enough in San Francisco to produce frost, and it happened that January. In fact, on Mt. Tamalpais (which is the peak you see in the background of the Golden Gate Bridge webcam) it actually snowed -- just a dusting, like two-tenths of an inch. The next day the newspaper headlines looked like war had been declared: "SNOW ON MT. TAM!!" And the 6 o'clock news showed footage for about twenty minutes of people trying to scrape their windshields with butter knives and credit cards (nobody owns scrapers).... Meanwhile, back in Nebraska, I knew that there was about two feet of snow on the ground and nobody was even mentioning it. :-)

Amanda
1/31/2001
I kind of agree with Marsha's joke, though you had me going... Its not like we live in Texas, we know that these months are like this, its not like ice & snow are a real big surprise. Why must everything close? Its like I said in another newsletter I posted about Ryan & the haircut, come on! Funny though, how when I was working full time I DREAMED for a storm to close us and it happened maybe once. People still arent coming to class, babies! When we lived in Texas though it snowed literally one inch and some people we know wanted to get chains for their tires. Whoa, again good ol' down home Texas stupidity.

Marsha
1/30/2001
What a bunch of crybabies! We had 4 inches of ice, driving winds of 35 mph, l8 inches of snow, and, of course, school was open, as was everything else in Minnesota! The attendance rate was 95% to be exact! Just kidding! We had an ice storm, but it was all slush by this morning, so everything was open. We are soooo jealous of your snow day! Hope we get one this winter!

Amanda
1/30/2001
Yeah, poor Lincoln. I am glad I am in this valley of Omaha. I watch the radar as it is dumping on us and it is GREEN in Omaha and nothing in Lincoln. It is almost like it is just swirling around Lincoln, but never to touch! We did have school today but in my first class there was hardly anyone. There were only 4 people including me to be exact. This is the messiest snow I have seen in a long time, YUCK! Just means it is going to be slick for a LONG time til it has a chance to get off of our streets and sidewalks!

Karen
1/30/2001
Well, we must have gotten Lincoln's snow. We started to get heavy snow yesterday about 3. Kids got out of school at 1:30. Kept snowing all night, about 6 inches by morning. No school for anyone today!!! Brent just finished shoveling the driveway - took about 45 minutes, lots of heavy, wet snow. Forecast is for 2 -3 more inches of snow and winds to pick up this afternoon :)

Gary
1/30/2001
This town cannot catch a break, when it comes to snow-days! We got a few inches of snow yesterday, but we were told to expect the big storm last night -- six to ten additional inches. This morning, what? Not one more flake! So it's another school/work day....

Amanda
1/29/2001
I hope that we are off tomorrow too! I could handle that. I got lots done today, including studying I have needed to get done. I like being closed, but come on, this is Nebraska, its not like snow is new to us, right? Ryan just went to get his haircut and it was closed, come on... The guy that hit Ryan's truck got a ticket, actually a couple I think, but Ryan takes it tomorrow to his insurance to get an estimate and a check cut already. They were ready for the accident count to go up! So nonetheless it got hit, but atleast it wasnt the nicer of the 2 trucks, and we will make some money off the deal, I am just glad a neighbor saw who it was! Imagine, the driver was from Texas... Idiots, they think they can get away with anything!

Gary
1/29/2001
Dang, am I the only one at work today?!? I just heard that Emily and Erika are home today too (though Emily did go in this morning). This is no fair! I'm going home! :-)

P.S. I thought Survivor was very good. And I've already got a list of annoying characters I'm ready to vote out. The tribe has spoken!

Donna
1/29/2001
Hi, I am home today too. I am officially working from home-but not too hard. I taped Survivor but have not watched it yet. I hope it's good. I really liked watching the first one mostly because everyone at work was talking about it.

Amanda-I can't believe someone would hit and run on OAFB and think they could get away with it. That's like a small town. Too bad about the truck. I'm glad no one was in it at the time. Wow, it's really snowing here now. Maybe we can get tomorrow off too.

Amanda
1/29/2001
No school today for me! They screwed around forever saying 2 hour late start while EVERYTHING in Omaha was closed, but they finally got it right and closed down... Also, we fell victim to a hit & run this morning. Luckily it was just Ryan's beater truck, but you better believe Ryan is out there right now talking to a cop about it! People make me so mad! Busted up his tail light (that we replaced about a year ago, and were not cheap) screwed up his bumper & actually pushed his truck. A neighbor came down to tell us they saw it, and Ryan went to find the hitter & sure enough their truck is messed up too. Never a dull moment on quiet little Offutt AFB. Oh, and we sold our Explorer and for the time being I am driving a clone to Ryan's truck.... Let's just say I am actively seeking a different vehicle. And I am sure had we still had the Explorer it would have been that to get hit, only smacked even harder!

Karen
1/26/2001
Today's cool site -- I don't need to use the translation - I'm use to listening to Emily. :)

Emily
1/21/2001
I found Homer!!!

HOMER IS FOUND AGAIN! Emily found Homer, only 32 minutes after he was hidden. Congratulations to you, Emily! But Homer is still out there if anyone else can find him. --Gary

Emily and Erika
1/20/2001
D'oh!!!

HOMER IS FOUND! Dang, that only took 46 minutes! You win! Everybody else can keep looking! :-) --Gary

Emily
1/19/2001
Hey Gary I just wanted to say that I think those pictures of George Bush and the monkeys are really funny and they really do look alike! 8)

Gary
1/19/2001
FIND HOMER CONTEST: Okay, let's bring some of that fun to this page. Sometime tomorrow morning I will put a picture of Homer Simpson somewhere on this website. When you find him, click on him and write down the message you see. First person to get that message to this page wins! (No prize, you just win!) Any questions? Good luck! :-)

Karen
1/19/2001
Hey Lindsey, I think I found the sharks -- under the projects - in the aquarium?? :) Emily and I saw them the day it was on the "cool sites". Neat web page Lindsey and Olivia...

Lindsey
1/19/2001
Here is a little contest for my website!! Try to find sharks on my school website!! Let me know if you find them!! Have fun.

Lindsey
1/19/2001
It was hard to find you! I looked all over but couldn't find you. I am not on my school website but that would be neat.

Emily
1/18/2001
Gary has the right answer -- tricky to find me, but that's where I am. We won 2nd place in the 6th grade kick ball tournament. 8)

Grandma
1/18/2001
Emily, bear in mind I don't see so well, but I think you are in the first picture of the 6th grade comm. service page. I think you are near the top and you are wearing a purple sweater. Can only see top of your head.

Gary
1/18/2001
I think I've got it -- but it was like a scavenger hunt! Under "Welcome to Our Website" click on the green "Our School" -- then click on "Activities," then "Math Bee," and finally click on "P.E." And you'll see this picture -- Mr. Nash's kickball team. Right?

Donna
1/18/2001
Emily, I'm guessing that you can be found in the first picture of 4 on the 6th grade screen. There are some kids sitting around a table. All you can see is the top of your head and a hand reaching for tin foil. Is that you?

Emily
1/16/2001
Since Gary took off the Movie Quiz, I have a new one. The "cool site" is my school webpage! Somewhere in it is my picture -- see if you can find it and e-mail your results to me or put them up here! Bye 8)

Amanda
1/15/2001
I had my first day of class this semester... Today I had Composition & German Culture. Tomorrow I have Introduction into Political Administration, Understanding Mass Media, and Computer Concepts... In case no one heard, cuz it didn't get posted on the website, I got 3 A's and a B+ last semester which makes my GPA a 3.8! So, I think German Culture will be very interesting. My professor in that class is from Switzerland so just that will be interesting to me. Can't wait! I will pass on more info as I see appropriate... Thanks! BYE!

Lindsey
1/15/2001
How is everybody doin'? I am just trying to put up something new on the webpage. Good Reviews Gary. I have a week out of school this week so you will probably be seeing stuff from me up here. I gotta go, bye!

Gary
1/9/2001
I've added the first batch of "Cool Sites" to the Links page, in case you missed any. Also, Christmas is officially over: check the Rockefeller Center webcam....

Lindsey
1/9/2001
I am just trying to put some new stuff on the webpage. Today we are going on a field trip for school. We are going to the Lied Center to see the Symphony Orchestra. It will just be a couple hours this morning. Just a few weeks ago in school we went to Northeast and saw "The Fiddler on the Roof." That was really good and they did a good job. My teacher's daughter was in it too. So he had to see it about 6 or 7 times. Well, gotta go to school bye! :) :) :) :) :)

Gary
1/5/2001
Don't miss the new webcams! Watch the ships in the Panama Canal, gauge the snow depth in Minneapolis, and watch for the Loch Ness Monster. Also, when was the last time you checked the recipes page?

Samantha
1/2/2001
If you haven't seen "Remember The Titans" rush right out and do so immediately!!! It's a great movie about two races coming together to play football in the 60's and 70's. I also dyed my hair brown. Pictures coming soon. Hope that's not too boring for Amanda and Lindsey. J/k

Gary
1/2/2001
You may have noticed a new button on the main webpage labelled "Cool Site." This button will take you to an interesting new site every day. (...Okay, I might miss a day once in a while!) Every week or so I will collect all the "cool sites" and add them to the Links page; but if you find a site you like it never hurts to bookmark it yourself. Also, if you have a cool site of your own to recommend, send it to me and I'll make it a "cool site of the day."