Planning The Fall Schedule

Somehow the summer has already disappeared and we find ourselves on the brink of autumn. Now that September has started it is time to take a look at the fall schedule and, hopefully, make sense of the chaos that is my calendar. It is a process that has become increasingly important over the past few years but most especially the last couple of years. After all, I need to make sure that the balance remains in the small blocks that rigidly grid the paper.

While there are always a few things that I know fill some week nights, there is a surprising amount of other plans and activities that we already have in place. Actually, our plans begin right away with the schedule full until early next week. When I finally took a look this morning (and again this evening) at all of the items that needed to be included and scheduled, I was surprised to find such a long list. It is almost as if these events had been horded for the first eight months and now I am finally able to sort through them.

In addition to the usual lodge commitments and holidays, there are a few new things that have been added this year. First and foremost are the various Sons of the American Revolution meetings and events. This is followed by the various house projects that will be taking place over the next couple or few months. Finally, there are numerous family events that we are planning to attend which have to be included in our seasonal plans. These will certainly be welcomed respites from the chaos that is our calendar.

This is the plan that we have in place heading into the new season but we also begin this new month knowing that things will most definitely change. Some plans will stick, some will move. Some of the changes will be our choice while other alterations to the schedule will be completely out of our control. All we can really do is plan and hope for the best.

There have already been so many plans made and so many changes take place in our schedule this year that it would be nice to return to some regularity but it really isn’t expected at this point. However, there are a few events, a few brief windows in the schedule, that should hold and, thankfully, those are the things of which we are most looking forward. As for everything else, we will just have to wait and see and hope that the only thing that changes is the season.

Sunday Search: A Local Family Reunion

In recent years I have gained a greater appreciation for our annual family gatherings. While it was a little different this year with regard to both place and time of year, it was still a great time catching up and simply seeing everyone in one place. Yesterday we gathered together and took the opportunity to talk and, more importantly, to listen about all that was going on in the family and all the unique experiences that each of us has had over the past year (and a half). It is interesting because we are actually quite the diverse group.

This year I was able to bring more than food to the ‘reunion’ as I had recently completed pulling together all of the information needed for my supplemental Sons of the American Revolution application. Thankfully, I was able to print out an extra copy before leaving the office on Friday which allowed me to go page by page, generation by generation, when explaining our patriotic lineage. This is another part of the process that I really enjoy as I could see their faces when I was able to uncover each piece of information and name of which they were previously unaware. It was the same look that I had when I originally discovered the information.

However, that was only secondary as it was family time to both talk about our lives and also remember some of the past times when we all got together for a day or two. This is the most important part and I have become more aware and appreciative of this particular aspect. After all, we can talk about the past and ancestors whose lives have long since been completed but it is the current, ever changing, lives that we lead which are what makes our family dynamic. Events such as this allow us to enjoy both sides of the equation.

While we all lead very different lives with different experiences, professions, and opinions, we are all part of one family with a common ancestry. Different branches, different leaves; same trunk, same tree. We live in the present but are always cognizant and respectful of the past. I enjoy sharing what I know, what I have been able to uncover, but I truly enjoy hearing about the family history and simply listening to the stories from the current generations. After all, documents will (usually) always exist but the stories will not always be told and are often lost amongst the generations. And a reunion is a perfect opportunity to listen.

T-Shirts, Horseshoes, and Hamburgers

It was really a matter of happenstance that we even had the time to drive down to King of Prussia a couple of weekends ago. And, somehow, our son’s nap schedule had some flexibility for the day so, after lunch, we all piled in the car with the hope that he would sleep on the way over. While we are having work done on the house in between the work weeks, the scheduled day off corresponded nicely with an event that was a couple of months in the making… the 6^th Masonic District Family Picnic.

To say that it was a hot afternoon would be an understatement. While I have broiled at higher temperatures, the combination of heat and humidity was, to say the least, uncomfortable. So much so that I was wondering what the turnout was going to be like as we weaved our way through the King of Prussia neighborhoods. After a few missed turns and slow coasting down the small streets, we finally made it to the park where I was met with a pleasant sight.

We arrived about an hour after the picnic was scheduled to start and we were greeted by nearly everyone in attendance as we walked through the crowd to the t-shirt table in the back. It was great to see everyone outside of the lodge and especially during the summer when we usually don’t have the opportunity to get together as a district. It was also nice to once again meet the masonic families in attendance and introduce them to my family in the process.

While we looked to sit down and have a bite to eat (our District Deputy makes a fantastic hamburgers), our son couldn’t help but be mesmerized by the horseshoes flipping and spinning through the air landing, mostly, with a loud pink or clang. It actually brought back some great memories from when I was not much older than my son as I watched my uncles trade points in the back yard. Of course, it didn’t take long before his attention was broken by everyone around us trying to catch his attention especially a little girl (of one of our new candidates) who just wanted to play with our shy little boy.

Again, it was hot and we all seemed a little sluggish that afternoon but time didn’t seem to be fazed by the temperature. Before we knew it, we were heading back to the car and turning the air conditioning as high as it could go. It was a great time and I look forward to this new annual gathering. I just hope that it is a little cooler next year and every year after that.

Prime Day Done Right

Last year most viewed Amazon Prime Day as nothing more than a ploy as the online retailer didn’t really offer up any of the amazing deals that everyone was expecting. While I didn’t have as strong a response last year, there was clearly room for improvement as I only found a few items that were of interest with most of those small purchases being for my son. When all was said and done, the real deals were on items that only a few people were looking to purchase while the rest of us not finding any discounts beyond that which we have been seeing for years in the daily deals. This was the expectation that many of us had when Amazon announced that they would, once again, have an Amazon Prime Day on July 12^th.

This was probably why it wasn’t until later in the morning when I decided to log into my account and see if there was anything that piqued my interest. Scrolling through the pages upon pages of discounted products I did find a couple that I considered purchasing and subsequently added them to my cart. However, none of those things I would qualify as anything that I needed to purchase so I decided to take a closer look at some of the things that my wife and I had been looking to purchase that were, at the time, saved in my cart for future consideration.

It was in these items, varied as they may be, that I noticed the huge difference between the flop last year and the vastly improved experience this time around. While I couldn’t find anything that was singled out as a deal, I did find that most of the products and items in my cart were part of a larger category or collection of items that were being offered at 10, 20, and 30 percent off. This is the kind of sale that many of us were looking for last year and were now ready to take advantage of this summer.

And this didn’t just apply to the new items. I also noticed that many categories in the “Amazon Warehouse” carried with them the same discount. The compounded savings on a few items finally pushed me to purchase some of the things that I had been thinking about for some time and now, at nearly 70 and 80 percent off, it was definitely the time to buy.

It may not have seemed likely but Amazon did actually learn something from the tepid response that they received the first time around and now, it is safe to say, most of us are looking forward to how they will improve the experience in the years to come. Of course, those beyond the 1 hour delivery areas are just waiting for our packages to arrive. And some of us are just letting them take their time so that we can further our frugality just a little bit more with the digital credits we are earning because we are willing to wait. Safe to say that next week should be an interesting UPS experience.

Quarterly Debriefing

This past weekend a few of the brothers from the lodge made their way across the commonwealth to attend the Quarterly Communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. While I have attended this meeting the past two years and I was considering making a day trip to Pittsburgh, I simply did not have the time to attend. These meeting are always an interesting gathering of brothers from around the commonwealth and I enjoy reconnecting with many of them whom I have gotten to know a little during previous meetings. However, the real motivation which made the decision of whether to attend rather difficult was that, for the second year in a row, our lodge was being recognized with the Grand Master’s Award.

There have undoubtedly been a few obstacles over the past few years and moments when quite a few of us have questioned whether we could continue but we have always pulled together and pushed through those barriers. And that is the real reason why we have been able to achieve such recognition recently. Not only have we been surrounded with brothers of great tenacity but, more importantly, we have brothers in the lodge that can clearly see what the end goal is and what we need to do, or fix, to reach that goal. Thankfully, this seems to be a common thread among many of the brothers that have joined our lodge over the past few years as well… a few of which have already become tremendous leaders in our small part of the fraternity.   

Having now been recognized with two award there is no doubt that the lodge has undergone a drastic change over the past few years and now we have set a new precedent for ourselves to continue the progress that we have made during this rather short period of time. The truly exciting aspect of this is that we have the leadership and new members that not just make that a possibility but a probability. I am not going to predict another Grand Master’s Award for this year but there will definitely be at least one more presentation made in the near future. After all, we have already accomplished a great deal and seeing the brothers continuing to invest in the lodge and in one another makes this almost a sure thing.

But, as was the case in the past, awards are not our point of focus. Education, fellowship, participation, and leadership are what will bring about the change that we all hope to achieve. If we can focus on these four foundation principles while maintaining our motivation there is nothing that will stop us from making our lodge the jewel of the district and one of the leaders in our jurisdiction. Do this and the rewards will be a natural result of our transformation.  

No Shoe For You!

The last couple of years we have been able to round up the brothers and converge en masse in Conshohocken to take the shoe for the remainder of the year. It seems as though, like many things, time has gotten away from me a bit and the reminders weren’t as frequent as they have been in the past. This was clearly an issue last night as our turnout to the last official district visitation of the year wasn’t nearly what it had been during our previous efforts. Because of this we all got in our cars knowing that another lodge would be holding the shoe until the calendar changes.

However, while we may not have walked away with the shoe, it was a great night when I was able to reconnect with some brothers I had not seen since this same meeting last year while others I was meeting for the first time… at least I think it was the first time. It was during these moments of re-acquaintance that some of the best conversations of the evening took place and I was able to find many more commonalities with a few of my brothers which I had not realized previously. Of course, as usual, there were also moments when I realized more clearly just how much more I have yet to experience in the fraternity.

The meeting itself is always a little odd for me as I am used to sitting in the east for the duration and actively playing a role in all meetings. Sitting on the sidelines for the entire meeting is something that I am simply not used to doing. I can’t tell you how many times that I nearly stood up when I heard only two raps from the gavel. That being said, there were things that I was able to observe from this perspective as I watched another secretary take charge. There were some things that I didn’t prefer while there were other items that I will certainly incorporate moving forward.

However, there was a singular moment that caught me completely off guard. As the names of those brothers that were suspended was read to those in attendance, my mind stuttered a little when I heard a brother who shares my family name was no longer in good standing. I guess this year my work will have to go beyond my lodge and I need to improve my communication not just with the brethren but within my own family as well. After all, no matter you endeavor, which is how we learn and that is how we band together both as brothers and as a family, separately and together.

Planning Our Summer Travel

Back to the mountains... again!

Every year my wife and I have numerous discussions about where we would like to go over the summer and this time around it is no different. While we don’t have any extensive plans like we did last year, we do plan on returning to our usual weekend trips around the state that we enjoyed so much in the past. Basically, now is the time to get the broad strokes down and we will fill in a lot of the other day trips as the season progresses. Plus, with all the things that usually occupy our weekends, being able to schedule this much is kind of surprising at this point.

The first trip that is on our agenda is a place that we have visited many times in the past the last drive up there being two years ago on our anniversary. Having introduced our son to the Strasburg Railroad a few weeks ago, we thought it was time to return to Jim Thorpe for a couple of days. Not only is it a place where we can relax a little and walk around but we can also take our son on the train through the valley. Also, it helps that it is only about an hour and a half away which affords us plenty of time for exploring. Of course, we might have to introduce our son to Country Junction while we are up there as well.

The second trip that we have locked into the calendar is a return to Gettysburg. With our son more mobile than ever and looking for a place that would allow us to explore both from in the car and by walking around, Gettysburg seemed to be one of the better options. Given the family history regarding the Civil War it is also important for me that we introduce our son to sites like this early on. And, as many of you know, no matter how many times you go to Gettysburg you always find something new every time you are there. 

In addition to a variety of local and regional events, I also have a number of locations on our calendar for later dates including Elizabethtown, Lititz, Ronks, Lancaster, Manheim, New York, Kennett Square, and a number of others. All of these are in various stages of planning and I am not sure if we will be able to fit them all in but there are some options beyond the scheduled items above. It certainly won’t be the busiest travel season that we have ever experienced and it won’t have some of the longer excursions like last year but it will give us all an opportunity to get out and explore a little this year. After all, our son wouldn’t want it any other way.

Less Than Some, More Than Others

Having paid closer attention to the number of miles that I accumulate over the year, it is a bit staggering to think about all of the driving that I have done over the past year. Given recent circumstances, it is difficult to determine a truly accurate number but I still have a good sense about how many miles I can expect to put on the new car. This is especially true given the fact that I have already tallied about 2,500 miles over the first nearly three weeks since I picked it up. Of course, that includes some of the usual trips just to get acquainted with the car during the first week.

For someone who used to put 10,000 miles or less on a car annually, the numbers are pretty surprising when I sit down and calculate my travel from the past year. Just between the miles that I put on the Jeep (22,500/ 9 months) and those that I have put on the Mercedes to this point (2,500 / 3 weeks), I can already expect to see approximately 25,000 miles annually. Add in the miles that I put on the rental cars over the month and a half of use (3,000) and the additional miles that we put on my wife’s car over the past year during family trips and while driving the rentals (4,000) and the total miles over this past year jumps up to 32,000. Yes, this pretty much ensures that I will be replacing my car every three years to keep from driving beyond the warranty.

To put that total in perspective, I drive enough miles annually to travel around the Earth along the equator (24,900 miles), complete a cross country trip across the United States and back (2,800 miles each way), and I would still have 1,500 miles remaining in case I wanted to take a detour to two. Of course, that adventure would be much more interesting than the vast majority of the miles that I have driven this past year as the bulk of my total (over 25,000 miles) consists of my daily commute to and from the office during the week. Especially given recent events, this is not a fun nor interesting part of my year behind the wheel.

In fact, I remember more about those other 7,000 miles than I do about my time commuting. In addition to the 2,500 miles that we put on my wife’s car exploring Virginia last summer, we also put some miles behind us driving over the Pittsburgh, Hershey, and a few day trips here and there. It was also enjoyable (and highly annoying) driving up, down, and across different streets during our prolonged home search. I would like to experience more miles exploring this year. Not as many as a couple of years ago when we traveled all over the Commonwealth (and then some) but somewhere in the middle. Of course, it helps that our son enjoys exploring new places and doesn’t mind (too much) being on the road.

House Mail

Over the last few days my wife and I have received a few letters in the mail regarding our house... another couple of firsts… which were equally good and bad. The first letter that we received was something that we knew was going to show up eventually and we weren’t looking forward to it… our property tax bill. It is almost like being lulled into a false sense of relief when looking at this total with the knowledge of what our total annual taxes are on the property. This was obviously the first and much smaller bill… the school tax bill will arrive this summer.

Having paid our taxes up front at settlement… actually, our mortgage includes the funds being held in escrow that we need for our annual taxes… I scanned and sent the invoice off to the bank. While it means a pretty significant increase in your monthly mortgage payment I do recommend having the bank hold these tax related funds in escrow as the last thing that I wanted to pay this past month was a rather substantial property tax bill. It was reassuring to see this invoice taken care of without a big hit to our account and without any impact on the amount we still owe the bank.

Another piece of mail that I scanned and sent to the bank was our official approval for our Homestead Exclusion. Essentially, since we own this property which serves as our primary home, we are entitled to a slight reduction in our school taxes. And when I say slight I mean very, very small. But, at the end of the year, whatever that amount may be, it is still money that stays in our account. Given the size of the invoice that we are bound to receive, about 2-3 times more than the initial bill from the township, it will be nice to be able to hold on to a few extra dollars.

I guess you could say that these are a few of the unpleasant first time experiences as new homeowners but, in the end, we wouldn’t change a thing. There are some ‘negative’ things about ownership and the responsibilities that we now have as partners in this endeavor but, in the end, they are minor in comparison to the benefits and security that we now have in our home. We know where we are going to be for the long term. We know where our son is going to grow up. We own our home and we have land that we are free to enjoy (after taxes).

TMI Tuesday: Bracing For My Annual Departure

Every year I go on an annual business trip which was never a real issue in the past. Last year it took some more coordinating as my son was just over a month old when he helped to drop me off at the airport. It was also helpful at the time to still have the doula helping us out until I returned. Now things are completely different as daddy’s little boy doesn’t want daddy to leave this weekend.

This time around my wife and I have decided to not tell out son about my quickly approaching trip. We learned our lesson from my unusual travel last month that it probably isn’t the best thing to ‘prepare’ him throughout the week prior. However, he still seems to know that something is going on and has wanted to be with daddy a little more than usual. Of course, for me that isn’t a completely bad thing.

And this is just the stuff that we have to keep to ourselves before I leave. Now that our son is a little older I have to schedule a few other stops during each of my trips since I want him to have a little something from each of the places that daddy goes for work. Part of what I try to pick up is a magnet for his growing collection which we started last year when we went to Hershey and continued during our jaunt through Virginia.

The second item that I try to find for him (and I went out of the way by finding the time last trip) is a small stuffed animal that he can snuggle when I am either away on a trip or simply out late that night. The third and final item that I am now on the lookout for, since it was so successful last trip, is some kind of inexpensive hat and shirt combination. It is also nice to remember those travels (and at the same time not pleasant) when he wears them to school or around the house.

However, what might be the most important part of this whole operation is whether Bear-Frog is ready for duty. So far he has done the trick at night in our son’s crib and he better pull through for us on this one as well because, in the end, we want this to go by as quickly as possible for all of us. I just hope that the flight sniffles that have been coming and going over the last few months are nowhere to be found next week… that would make for a long trip.

Firearms Friday: Membership Considerations

Anyone in the firearms community is familiar with the breadth of options when it comes to various firearms and second amendment groups and associations. For many of us, we hold multiple memberships in various groups at any given time and we receive regular correspondences from the others asking for donations and dues. This is one area where we have to be mindful of the total costs of these memberships and we must weigh the options both of becoming members and what kind of membership do we want to have in these various groups.

The first group with which everyone is familiar is the National Rifle Association (NRA). This is essentially your foundation on which I believe all your other memberships and donations should be structured around. The dues that we pay go toward supporting the rights that we all enjoy and the financial commitment, regardless of level, should be considered a necessary expense. However, from the basic annual membership there are other levels including life, endowment, benefactor, patron, golden eagles, etc. This determination is something that each member has to figure out for their self but, for me, I have found that becoming an endowment member has allowed me to focus on some of the other organizations while not having to worry about the annual commitment.

Once the foundation is in place other organizations can be explored such as Gun Owners of America (GOA), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Citizens Committee for the Right To Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA), National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR), Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JFPO), and many other national and local organizations. Keep in mind that many of these and other groups are far more aggressive than the NRA and you should take a look at each before determining whether or not you wish to support them and their message. And, once again, when you have made your decision you must also determine what level of support to which you wish to commit.

My level of support varies from organization to organization depending on both the messaging and the financial commitment that each requires for membership. In some instances, I have chosen life memberships over the annual option as it made financial sense. In other cases, there were some overly aggressive messages that I couldn’t fully back with the extra finances so I either kept my membership at the lowest level or ceased supporting them altogether. In the end, it is a balance that is up to the individual but definitely a process that needs to be considered by every supporter of the second amendment. After all, without the work being done to protect the second amendment, your rights will slowly become nothing more than a memory.

Mortgage Monday: A Means To Reconnect

There has been an unexpected benefit to moving into our own house that we have enjoyed over the past several months. Since the day the movers unpacked our furniture and belongings at our new address, we have been able to get together with a number of people with whom we have lost contact over the last couple of years. With all that has transpired we, for lack of a better term, closed ranks for a while just trying to get through some of the tougher moments that we have encountered. Since moving we have been able to open up and reconnect with a myriad of people that have been nothing but supportive and understanding of all that has gone on.

Recently, we were able to invite our Rabbi and his wife to our new home for lunch. I personally owe this man a lot for helping me become who I am today most notably in serving as my mentor during my conversion. My wife and I owe them both a great deal for providing us with the support and guidance over the years specifically during a rather interesting Aliyah experience. We were lucky to have them close by when we were living in Israel and were able to meet with them on several occasions to help us with our difficult decision to return.

As I mentioned previously, this has also been the impetus, or at least one of the contributing factors, in motivating us to restart our family newsletter. It is reassuring to know that in future years these annual reports will always be coming from our home… there is no longer the question of from where the newsletter will be sent. And we no longer have to include a section about moving. By the way, after a few unexpected delays, they are finally in the mail!

Most importantly, over the past few months, our home has been a means to reconnect with people. As I have admitted before, I am not the best person at keeping in touch with others. This has proven to be a great way to restart long dormant conversations and a means to discuss updates with friends and find out what they have been up to. Of course, now the goal is to keep myself from reverting back into old habits and putting forth the effort, and finding the time, to have substantive conversations with friends and family that I truly enjoy talking to and with which I continue to have great conversations.  

Firearms Friday: NRA Decals

And we all have the pin to match our car!

One of the interesting things for me when my wife and I lived in Bala Cynwyd was the looks on faces when people would see the NRA sticker prominently displayed in my window. While they may have been appalled and had their liberal sensibilities offended, I remained entertained by their hoplophobia and had to keep myself from chuckling at their wide eyed stares. Having moved out to the country, that is no longer an issue but there is another entertaining aspect to the proud displays around me.

These days, rarely will I come across a car without an NRA decal or some other means of supporting the second amendment. This lack of decoration is usually accompanied by a New York or New Jersey license plate. Actually, looking around the difference is much more drastic than those previous experiences. Now, there is a variety of NRA stickers on display and there is clearly a pecking order to the cars in the parking lot of the local Turkey Hill.

Seldom will I come across a car with a single, basic, sticker. It seems as though the basic rule of thumb is that one should put a sticker in their window for each year that they are a member of the NRA. I guess you could say that this is the hillbilly equivalent of a beach tag collection. Some have about half a dozen while others clearly don’t care about seeing out through the side windows of their car. That is your basic membership level.

From there you have a number of other options. I probably see more Life Member stickers than any other kind on a daily basis. This is usually the people that put a lot of miles on their car and need the visibility. At some point, we all look at the annual cost of membership and realize that it make more sense to wait for one of the discounts offered on life memberships.

The next level up is the Endowment Member. It is pretty much guaranteed that if you see a car with an endowment member sticker, the person getting out will be wearing some piece of NRA clothing. This is also where you find the Golden Eagle members. Basically, this is the double down category of NRA members where multiple levels of membership apply. The same basic trend applies to members at the Benefactor and Patron levels the primary difference being the base price of the car to which it is affixed. And, yes, I am one of these Endowment Members.  

In the end, what is important is that we all have our membership and support for the second amendment in common. We also all have the same look on our faces when that New York plate pulls into the lot for a cup of coffee. And, of course, we all have the same smile when that person gets out of the car with their wide eyes and their panties in a bunch. You’re not in New York anymore and I’m not on the Main Line anymore!

Sunday Search: Restarting Our Tradition

Our newsletter will look nothing like this!

Years ago my wife and I would pull together a holiday newsletter recapping the previous year which was always well received by family and friends especially those that we hadn’t seen in a while. This was in lieu of a card and was usually mailed sometime between Hanukkah and Christmas each year. The last time that we pulled one of these together was in December of 2012… it has been some time since we took part in this tradition and we are determined this year to once again send out a family newsletter albeit a little later than in the past.

When we decided that we were going to restart this tradition the question that we had to answer was whether we would return to the format that we used before or would we take the opportunity to pack in three years of updates into a single, long, mailer. There certainly wasn’t a shortage of content from the previous twelve months and most people to whom we would be sending the newsletter read this blog on a regular basis. However, even given those two things we decided to go ahead and offer quick updates in a variety of categories encompassing the past three years but focusing primarily on this past year.

We had actually planned on getting this out last month but time has not been kind to us over the past several weeks which has left this project on the back burner. To be honest, this is primarily my fault as much of the content I will be pulling from and condensing from this blog. My wife has already created the template and written the sections that would simply be inappropriate for me to write so now the onus is completely on me. Thankfully, we have both been able to update our address books so that part is taken care of as well.

I know that many of you are looking at this as yet another project on the inexhaustible list of items but this is an important part of our own tradition and what we want to have marking each year as a family. Plus, for me it is the summary that everyone seems to ask for understandably not wanting to sift through the hundreds of posts from the previous year. This is our opportunity to look back on, reflect, and report to those we care about what life has been like for us the previous year. And, down the road, in addition to being a simple addition to the family history files, it will be a great reminder for us all of the things that we both enjoyed and survived in 2015.

Time To Party: Part II

In an interesting twist this year, I once again attended two holiday parties but, unlike previous years, neither one was a family gathering. Last Saturday, after a draining day at the lodge blood drive, I stopped over at the neighbor’s house for a wonderful gathering. It was a great opportunity to meet most of the people who live around us especially since I haven’t had the time to walk up and down the street to properly introduce myself. It was a great night.

This past Monday was the second party of the season. This time it was the annual work party but, once again, it was a little different than previous years. Our first holiday together, in 2013, we all went bowling at a place around the corner on Street Road. Last year, having previously held a large one year anniversary party a couple of months prior, we toned things down a bit and simply went out to dinner across the street. This year, the bar was clearly raised as we got a balcony box for a Flyers game at the Wells Fargo Center.

I really didn't know what to expect heading into the building as, despite growing up in the area, I had never been to a hockey game. Baseball yes, hockey no. The gathering itself was very nice as the noise in the arena wasn’t too loud so that we could still have conversations without having to yell at one another. We spent a good part of the evening talking about work (of course) but also some of our other interests. It is really nice to get out of the office and continue to get to know one another a little better even though we have the same banter during the work day. Meeting outside of the office is just a different time.

The game on the other hand is not the game I remember watching when I was younger. In addition to the plentiful penalties, the sport is severely slowed by constant ice maintenance every five minutes which, in itself, took five minutes to clear the shavings. This drew out 20 minute periods into 45 minute marathons. This on top of the fact that the hard-nosed sport that I recall from years past is dead. Hockey without fights is like NASCAR without crashes. I am actually surprised that no one tripped on their skirt going up and down the rink.

By the time nine o’clock came around the third period was just beginning and the Flyers scored to tie the game within a minute of the puck being dropped (they ended up defeating the Blues 4-3). For a couple of us with longer drives home, it was the perfect opportunity to call it a night. And with our signed pucks in hand (everyone in the box got one), we made our way through the maze and finally out to the parking lot where there was no traffic to be found. 60 minutes later and I was home for the night, ready for bed, and not looking forward to the early morning alarm.

Not The Numbers We Were Expecting

When I pulled into the parking lot next to the lodge this morning it was difficult to find a spot. The unusually warm December day had everyone out early trying to take advantage of the weather while they finished up their holiday shopping. While there were plenty of people walking up and down the streets and the roads were packed with cars, I knew it would be difficult drawing foot traffic into the lodge of our year end blood drive. Of course, this is also why we had originally planned on holding the drive in October.

When I walked through the doors it was a bit odd as the temperature outside was warmer than the main hall where the tables were being set up. That was a separate issue which we resolved as the day went on. Even though we got a slightly later start in setting up than we expected, by the time the first donor walked through the door everything was in place and there was no delay in getting things going.

The first hour or so was busy. We had a good flow of people coming through the door and I was excited to see so many people taking the time during this busy season to give something of themselves to help others. Before I knew it, I was the next person laying on the table with a long tube dangling from my arm. While I have given blood many times before, this was the first time that I was doing the double red donation. Turns out that they really like my blood type and everything seemed to check out beforehand so why not. In the end, it really didn’t feel any different from a regular donation just a slightly longer time relaxing on the table.

By the time lunch rolled around the steady flow was down to a sputtering trickle and the total numbers for the day were not looking very good especially when factoring in the three or four people that were deemed ineligible to donate. When all was said and done and the tables were being broken down and hauled back out to the truck I was disappointed to say the least. It turns out that we had every possible scenario work against us from weather and holidays to ineligibility and other unavoidable occurrences preventing people from donating. However, while the numbers were not what we wanted, I know that we made a small difference and help those in need and that is really what matters at the end of the day.

Closing Out The Year

The checks are on the way. 

There are always conversations after the stated meeting that get cut short when someone happens to look at their watch. Those discussions are usually followed up on the following week when we all converge on the lodge for fellowship. This week that was definitely the case as there were numerous tasks that needed to be completed and ideas followed up on after the meeting. But, unlike those meeting nights, these weeks in-between are much more relaxed and, because we’re not trying to do 15 things at once, we are usually able to knock out a number of things on our respective lists.

There is still a back and forth among many of the brothers about moving spaces around the lodge, cleaning up and cleaning out certain areas, and other things related to the building usually come up over the course of conversation. This has been a relatively reliable pattern for the first half of the off nights. And while those mini meetings did take place this week, that was not the primary reason for setting aside the time and driving to the lodge last night.

With schedules already hectic and time running short this month, it was time to sit down with both the outgoing Treasurer and Worshipful Master to take care of the final checks for the year. Some were new, some were rewritten for one reason or another, but all of them had to be completed last night. This included the checks that I was looking forward to signing… those to the residents of the Masonic Villages. I tend to take a little extra time in inscribing my name on those checks as they serve, in part, as a means to let our somewhat distant brothers (and widows) know that we are thinking about them and that we are always here to help.

For as much as we have been focusing on the present and the future throughout the past year, we need to remember the past and those who put in the time and sweat to make our lodge what it is today. After all, without their efforts, there is no guarantee that we would still have a lodge to meet in every month. And that is what we need to take away from these meetings and informal fellowship nights… while things may not be perfect, they may not be exactly how we want them to be, they are still here because of the work of all the brothers before us. We are only the most recent in a long line of men who strived to make themselves and others better. And that is what we should strive to do every day as well.

Year Two Comes To An End

It was a surprisingly quick meeting this week and before I knew it my second year had come to an end. We were able to complete all of the final items as well as welcome the new officers who will be filling the chairs in the coming year. It was a night of short speeches and streamlined processes but all were given both the time and attention that they required and the respect that each brother deserved. It was a great night that focused on the great work that has yet to be done, the accomplishments that we have achieved, and the distance that our lodge has come over the past several years. It was a night that primed us all for a great year to come.

While much of the time I was either fulfilling my duties sitting at the desk or presenting at the podium, there were also other moments during the night when I was able to witness the brotherhood and commitment that we all have to one another from what I consider to be the best seat in the lodge. As I was anticipating, I watched my fellow brothers take their oaths of office and commit themselves to their fraternal family. These were men that were here before I was raised as well as one that I have known since the first time he joined us for dinner.

Each time I kept thinking back to the moment I took my oath in front of my brothers and with my uncle also in attendance. I was proud then and I am proud now having been reelected twice. This is hugely important to me as I am constantly cognizant of the small role I have in the history of this lodge and the masonic legacy that I am continuing to build upon in my family and leaving for my son. I am only the most recent mason on both sides of my family and I am going to go everything to ensure that I leave it better than when I first was raised.

It may have been just another meeting for some but it was obviously much more to me than just a meeting… the same could be said for many of the monthly meetings. This lodge, this fraternity is part of who I am, part of my legacy, and part of my family history. Of course, this is all still the beginning of what I hope to be a long masonic career. I am still a few months short of my third masonic birthday and there are still a lot of things that I hope to accomplish in the years to come. However, right now I continue to proudly serve my brothers as Secretary and I will do my best to earn this honor each and every day that I continue to serve.

Final Preparations

We are now in the final couple of days, hours really, before the final stated meeting of the year and, as always, there are a few things that I am scrambling to get done before tomorrow night. Mostly this consists of printing out a fresh pile of paperwork, doing some final revisions to the minutes, and making sure all the bills are organized and included in my monthly spreadsheet. It isn’t a time of trying to figure out what to do but rather a period of setting aside the time to do the things that need to be done every month.

Of course, there are always one or two new items every month and the preparations for this meeting are certainly no exception. With elections and installations taking place tomorrow night, I have to make sure that I have all of the corresponding paperwork and lists readily available. There are also a few extra meetings that I have to have on the side throughout the night that require some additional time and planning. And, finally, I need to make sure that the annual donation totals are ready to be calculated and the attendance numbers updated.

However, what might be the most important thing that I have to do personally is to prepare for another year in office. While I took my oath two years ago expecting to stay on as Secretary for a number of years, there never really is certainty when holding elected office. It has been a learning experience to say the least and while I have been far from perfect (really really far), so far the brethren have been supportive of the work that I have done at the lodge and knowing that I have their support is really what keeps me going.

I am also getting ready to hit the reset button after this meeting. Not because I want to forget anything or ignore what has happened but as a means to move forward without either thinking about any past issues of relying on the successes of the previous year. It is a new year with a new slate of officers. While many things remain the same, the masonic years must remain independent from one another for just that reason. What happened in the past, good and/or bad, should remain there. What we learned from those experiences, what to do and what not to do, are the only things that should impact the present and be part of the future.

Holiday Shopping

Because I haven’t had enough to do lately, I have also been looking around and taking care of some holiday shopping. In addition to the “Black Friday” and “Lightening Deals” that are found all over now, there have also been some moments over the past couple of months when better deals were found. And some of those discounts didn’t even require haggling like at Raymour and Flanigan. At this point, because we started so early, we are basically done our holiday shopping. We have either already ordered or picked up gifts or we know exactly what we are getting for some people.

Of course, that has only been half of the purchasing equation lately as many of our orders haven’t been for others but rather for things that we need around the house. Furniture obviously being the biggest of these expenses which would have cause a coronary had we not known the total beforehand and certain death had we not negotiated a decent discount. Most of the other exciting things have been replacements for what was obviously worn out and we had been putting off purchasing until now.

While there is a little more of a sense of immediacy in these orders, especially for our kitchen, I was still able to wait on a number of items and get really lucky on others. Most of the effort was actually in scanning through the Amazon “lightening deals” while keeping a slightly open mind as to brand and style. We managed to get a lot of the things we need for a significantly lower price than we were expecting to pay and, in most instances, the quality of the product was much better too.

With all of this said, there is a word of warning that I would like to share with you. While most of you are aware of this fact, the reality is that Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t always the best days to find deals. I spoke with one retailer who specifically said that those days might be the worst times of year to find deals as they already know people are going out to shop so they specifically offer a smaller discount compared to other holidays throughout the year (President’s Day was mentioned as an example). My response to this and my advice is simple… keep shopping around, track the prices of what you are looking to buy, and never be afraid to either price match with another retailer or haggle them down beyond the sale price.

We are all watching our pennies and, like taxes, why pay more than you absolutely have to… a good rule of thumb is to never accept a discount less than 40% during Black Friday sales. This is the generally accepted bar for a good deal. If you take your time, shop around, get to know some retailers and salespeople, and sometimes price match, you can get the best deal no matter what time of year no matter what you are buying. It really is that simple.