Taking to the Streets and the Pitch

I've been continuing my political canvassing work lately. It's going well, and things are picking up with the election just under one month away. Should be real interesting.
On 21 Sept., I ran the IPMS Gateway meeting, which had a wrap up of the Invitational held 10 days before. We had three people at our meeting for the first time, and it appears all three decided to join our club. Great to hear!
A weekend of contrasts followed this meeting. Friday night the 24th, I was in the audience at Forest Park Community College for the forum of 3rd Congressional District candidates. I and others lent our support to incumbent Russ Carnahan, while others supported opponent Ed Martin. At least it was rather peaceful.
The next night, I went to a party on the terrace of Pointe 400, the former Pet building in downtown St. Louis. It was a nice time, and I got in some dancing until the rains came, when we had to move the party indoors. A couple asked me early on to hang with them, and I did, even to a brief after party at a west St. Louis nightspot. I felt hung over from the alcolol (plus some congestion in my sinus area), but otherwise got home OK. A feww hours later, I was refereeing soccer at St. Louis U. High. My three games included a middle on an under-14 boys' Midwest Regional League match. They went well.
I hosted the IPMS Gateway business meeting on Tue., 28 September, where we planned the October meeting and discussed other club business. The Invitational was discussed at some length with suggestions offered to improve on it, successful as it was.
Friday night, I went to the Mehlville High Homecoming football game, for the first half. (The Panthers were losing big at that point.) When I got home, I had a message about two brief editorials for a new magazine that needed an edit right away. I got those done within 15 minutes and send them back. Looking forward to this new magazine that comes out later this month.
Sunday morning, I took the annual soccer referee fitness test at Parkway Northeast Middle School. I passed all three components: covered about 2100 meters in the 12-minute run; ran the 50-meter dash in about 7 seconds; and, ran the 200-meter dash in about 37 seconds. A bit sore afterward, but satisfied to get this done and to be one step closer to recertification for another year.
That's it for now. Off to canvass again tonight. Later.

A Successful Show, and Other Recent Happenings

One week ago, IPMS Gateway held its Invitational in Eureka. It was a success. I don't have attendance figures, but it seems it was about 25 to 33 percent higher than a year ago. Contest entries were approximately 180, about 30 more than a year ago. There were 43 vendor tables sold, when 40 was the original limit, and the vendors reported good business. Overall, a successful show and I was very happy and proud to be involved in it, ranging from helping set up the night before to helping tear down right after the show. We'll be back at Hitter's Choice Cages in Eureka on 10 September 2011 (09/10/11) -- save the date!'
I had a busy Sunday afternoon -- four soccer games I officiated, with two middles. Three of these games were under 14s (two boys, and a girls to end the session), plus a under 16 girls game next to last. They generally went well, although I did git a major blister on my one little toe, which continues to bother me as I write this. Hopefully, it won't be a big bother tomorrow, when I officiate two games.
I did some canvassing this past week (Monday and Wednesday nights, and Saturday mid-days) for Charlie Dooley's reelection campaign. It's been going well. I also worked a Dooley phone bank for two hours Thursday night. I'm cautiously optimistic about Dooley's chances in November.
Back to modeling: I have been working on an Italian ship model for Tuesday's IPMS Gateway meeting. The model contest features an "Anything Italian" special category, and I hope to get this ship done by then.
That's it for now. Later.

Inside and Waiting for the Show to Start

Last week I found out I did not get the editing job I interviewed for last month. They decided to go with someone else they felt had more of what they were looking for. In the meantime, I've got my resume out for at least three other positions, and hope to hear back soon on those.
Been doing some canvassing and phone banking for Charlie Dooley's County Executive campaign. It's going well. The income from the canvassing has been most appreciated, and the experience of reaching out to voters on behalf of Dooley is most interesting. Just under 8 weeks before Election Day.
Fall youth soccer season got underway late last month. I had some games played on artificial turf in the afternoon sun and humidity. It felt like 100 degrees F on the field. The games went well, though, and I was OK, apart from a blister on my foot during the first set of games. The foot's better now, though.
The IPMS Gateway to the West Invitational is tomorrow in Eureka. Can't wait for it. I've gotten the show mentioned on several local community calendar web sites, and a few international scale modeling web sites, plus delivered some show flyers to some area hobby shops. It would be a good show. I have a model I plan to finish today in time for the contest at tomorrow's show. Not the greatest, but at least it's something.
Last Monday, I marched in the Labor Day Parade through downtown St. Louis. I was with some fellow Robin Carnahan supporters in the parade, which ran just over half an hour. I haven't been in a parade for over 20 years, and it was neat to do.
I'm inside now, staying out of the light rain this morning. Take care. Later.

Fingers Crossed

In the past two weeks, I tried to stay inside as much as possible, due to the high heat in St. Louis lately. Temperatures regularly topped 90 degrees F, with heat indices reaching 110 degrees F. It's cooled down lately.
I had an interview on Thu., 5 Aug. with a book and magazine publisher for an editor position there. It went well and I hope to hear back within the next two weeks to see if I am a finalist for this job, and would have an interview with the president/publisher of the firm. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Meanwhile, I started a temporary part-time job on Sun., 8 Aug. as a paid political canvasser for a local candidate. I'll be out two weeknights and one weekend day going door-to-door talking with likely voters and promoting the candidate. It's quite a big of leg work (no pun intended), and not easy when it's real hot and muggy out, but I like this work. Plus, I'll get a bit of money out of this to help me carry on until I land with a full time job.
Fall soccer season is starting soon, and I'll have games to work this Sunday. I worked the men's league last Sunday and those games were fine.
IPMS Gateway meeting is tonight, and I'll be running that. Our Invitational contest and swap meet is just under one month away (Sat., 11 September). Looking forward to it. I got our show mentioned on a few local community calendar web sites and a couple of scale modeling sites as well.
Take care & talk to you soon.

Good Signs

Some recent events have been good ones for me. On the weekend of 23-25 July, I had dinner and happy hour with the Stress Free Fridays crowd at Copia Urban Winery on Washington Ave. in downtown St. Louis, and lunch the next day with the Livin' Life to the Fullest MeetUp Group at Growlers Pub in Sunset Hills. Both were good experiences and I highly recommend both venues.
I did some political phone banking recently, in advance of tomorrow's primary election and looking ahead to the general election in November. Last Tuesday, 27 July, I ran the IPMS Gateway business meeting, which Doug Barton hosted at his house in Forestell, Missouri. This meeting went very well and some important club business was discussed.
Thursday, I interviewed for a part-time political canvassing job in St. Louis County. When I got back from that interview in Clayton, I received an e-mail about a full time job I had applied for the day before. The e-mail said the HR agency acting for the client I applied for wanted to do a phone interview with me, which I did the next morning. It was a success and I have a second interview in person with that client this Thursday morning. Wish me luck!
Thursday night, I went downtown to see Chuck Berry perform in Kiener Plaza. I had to leave the show early, to rest up before the phone interview, but my car had overheating problems. I limped into a gas station and called AAA Emergency Road Service, which came and towed my car to a servicing place. The next morning, that servicing place called me to say the car needed repairs to the radiator fan and related items, which I told them to do. It was ready later that morning, but it set me back a few hundred dollars. Ouch! However, it had to be done.
Saturday morning, I picked up my models from the IPMS Gateway display this past month at the Jefferson County Library branch in High Ridge, and delivered them to our display this month at the St. Louis County Library's Prairie Commons Branch in Hazelwood. Looks like we'll have another nice display to promote our hobby, our club, and our upcoming Invitational.
Yesterday morning and early afternoon, I officiated two men's soccer games at DeSoto Park in St. Louis. The games went fine -- they were both one-sided in the scores, but not too much trouble among the players.
That's it for now. Later.

Heated Up

Last Saturday, I started with some political canvassing in the morning. It was for a couple of Democratic candidates in south St. Louis. Got that done within two hours. That afternoon, I was in St. Charles to referee matches in the SLYSA College Showcase, a series of friendlies involving boys and girls teams. I worked three matched with under-19 girls teams, in the high heat and humidity. (The heat index topped 100 degrees F.) As we were working the second games of the day for these teams, we shortened the matches to 40 minute halves and had two water breaks per half (about 1/3 and 2/3 through the half), yet some players were slow by the end of the match. I had a hard time making it through the second half of the third and final match of my set, but the match ended up fine and SLYSA was most appreciative to the referees for our efforts that day.
Ran the IPMS Gateway meeting last night, which featured our annual Slamfest. Members interested in this (myself and seven others) had two hours to assemble and finish a model, which was then judged by the meeting attendees in a "beauty contest." I got mine done -- the kit snapped together, and then I painted it. It didn't win any of the top three awards (gift certificates to a hobby shop), but it was OK with me.
Earlier in the day, I send notices of the IPMS Gateway Invitational coming up on 11 September in Eureka to local community calendar web sites. Several of them have it up now, and others should in the coming days. I also sent a release on the Invitational to a community newsmagazine serving Eureka and its vicinity, and hopefully they will run it in the issue prior to the Invitational.
I'm off to do some volunteer work tonight. Later.

Into the Dog Days

The FIFA World Cup ended yesterday, with Spain's 1-nil win over the Netherlands in the Final. I was at O.B. Clark's in Brentwood at the St. Louis United FC Watch Party. A fun time, even if the match wasn't such fun. At least the better side won, and I like that.
I got back on the pitch -- albeit a small-sided one -- on Sun., 27 June at Gordon Moore Park in Alton, Illinois. I refereed several games in a 3v3 tournament. They were mostly youth teams, with one adult co-ed match. These were short games -- 12-minute halves -- so we worked them in every 30 minutes. It was different, but no major hitches.
The next day, our monthly soccer referee clinic discussed recent World Cup refereeing controversies. This year's tournament provided plenty of discussion material for us referees. I'm back on the pitch this Saturday afternoon, working a college showcase tournament in St. Charles. Need to hit the road(work) for that one.
The 4th of July found me on the Gateway Arch grounds as a volunteer for Fair Saint Louis. I started out in the K-Zone children's area, supervising some activities (ring toss games, hands-on with musical instruments, coloring with crayons), then moved to beverage services that afternoon. I finished the fair helping staff the information booth. I finally left the grounds just over an hour after the fair ended, then finally hit the road home some time after that (what with the traffic in all). Tiring, but satisfying to be helping out at such an event.
I went to a pair of Straight Up Hook Up Meetup events late last month, which were nice. I'm keeping an eye on my wallet, with money being a bit tight at the moment.
Last Tuesday (6 July), I ran the IPMS St. Louis meeting, which included membership renewals and officer elections. I was retained as president for another year, by acclaimation, and ditto for the rest of the officers. I must be doing something right.
Last Saturday afternoon, I did some canvassing for two Democratic candidates: Robin Carnahan for U.S. Senate and Charlie Dooley for St. Louis County Executive. I walked a block in Affton, and there I ran into a friend from college I had not seen in years, Mike Vogt. He's a Missouri State Representative who's having to leave this year due to term limits, so Mike's out campaigning for the canidate he wants to succeed him. Small world.
Anyway, take care & talk to you soon.