Revisiting My NC Bucket List

In May of 2012 I wrote a blog post about how much I miss the great state of North Carolina, and included with it a Bucket List of things I wanted to do and people I wanted to see when I was finally able to return to my native land. As many of you know I was back in NC in August after my wife's father passed away, but didn't get a chance to check off too many of the items on the list. October 8-13 I will be driving up by myself with the intent of scratching as many of these itches as possible. As I was thinking about this last night it seemed like a good time to revisit my list and see what's changed. So here is my original NC Bucket List. The notes in red indicate changes in what can and needs to be done on this trip. So many people to see...still. Here we go:

1. Quaker Lake Camp-  There have been so many changes made to the old place since I last saw it in 2006 and I can't wait to see how it looks. My former youth Heather Beggs Varner still runs the place, and she is among the many people connected to camp that I would love to see again. Very high on that list are very old friends like Neal & Susie Thomas, Susan McBane Tuggle, Terry & Leigh Ann Venable, Jay Osborne, Laura Wheeler and Terri Johnson Harris. There are also literally hundreds of former campers and staff I would love to run into...  May just be a drive thru visit, but I do hope to go!
2. That Old Gang of Mine-  So many of the people I grew up with, and spent untold hours with in high school, college and beyond, are still in NC. Denise, Donna, Tammy & Chuck, Lisa & Dan, Beth & Bob, Carl & Diane, Mark & Liz, Mark & Martha, Alan, Tim and so many more are often in my thoughts and prayers. Now I just need them in the same room.  And I suppose Steve & Kathy could come from Ohio too- I hate to be a friend hog!  :)  I will make it so!!!
3. Ghassan's, Bojangles and Stamey's-  The best steak and cheese sandwich (that's right, you heard me Philadelphia!), the best spicy chicken biscuit and the some of the best barbecue (or "pulled pork" for those of you who don't speak the NC lingo) can all be found in Greensboro, and I intend to eat my way around the city upon my return! Did Bojangles in August; the other 2 are still high on my list!
4. Springfield Friends Meeting- We have been away way too long. I can't wait to get back to my "one particular harbor" and see so many people I love. Some of you I talk to regularly and can't wait to see. Others I miss so much. And of course there would be a great party and reunion at the Pizza Inn in High Point! The Pizza Inn party is happening Saturday the 11th at noon. Anyone and everyone are welcome!
5. The Reep Twins-  Two of my favorite Kissimmee youth, Teresa Reep Tysinger and Cyndi Reep Browning, now live with their families in NC.  I would love to visit them both, but I may have to hurry. I don't know how much longer both of them will be there...  Sadly I am indeed too late for this one. Cyndi now lives in Alabama and Teresa in Texas, so those are adventures still to come!
6. The Roller Derby Queen- One of my former minions at Springfield, Laurie Rees, is now involved in roller derby down in the Wilmington, NC area. This falls under the category of  "I did NOT see that coming!" Seeing Laurie flying around the ring doing damage ranks very high on the list of things I need to see...and soon!  I believe I am too late once again. Laurie may have "retired" from the rink. Dang it!
7. The Dean Dome-  There is nothing...NOTHING!...like UNC basketball.  I grew up loving players like Charlie Scott, George Karl, Bobby Jones and Dudley Bradley, and I still love my Heels today. I need to see another game in the greatest venue in college basketball, named after Dean Smith, one of the top 5 coaches ever. I am not even picky about who I see them play. As long as it's Dook... Wrong time of year. My dream was NOT to see UNC play football!
8. David Bills- He was the pastoral minister at New Garden Friends Meeting when I started attending in 1972. He still is (to the best of my knowledge). He (and many others at NGFM) had such an impact on my life, and I really want to take him to lunch and thank him. He can choose from Ghassan's, Bojangles or Stamey's...   :)  I would also love to see any of my now over the age of 40 former youth from my days as youth leader at New Garden. Just so many people to catch up with...  David finally retired so catching up with him will be much trickier. Would still LOVE to see some of those New Garden folks!
9. The Blue Ridge Mountains-  There are many lovely things about living in Florida.  But I do miss the mountains, especially in the autumn when the leaves change. I miss the cool breezes and the amazing scenery. I miss the picnics and hikes on the Blue Ridge Parkway. And even though we'd have to sneak across the Virginia state line to do it, I'd love to pay one more visit to the Levering's apple orchard. Oh yeah. I'm going  to be there in October. #WIN
10. Calabash-  Since Myrtle Beach is in South Carolina (and trust me, there is a HUGE difference!), I would want to head to my favorite little coastal village in NC, Calabash.  It is basically a town made up of seafood restaurants. It is the kind of good old fashioned, bad-for-you, fried and battered seafood that is hard to find in Florida. And with LOTS of hush puppies!!!  I may spend a week there, eating in a different place every night!  Checked this one off in August. Doesn't mean it can't happen again!

So there's my list- with a few revisions. NC, I will see you soon. And if you want to hang out, give me a shout (813-919-3755) and get on the schedule. We'll get something to eat.  :)

Because of Jesus,

30/30: A Table For 10

Today's 30/30 Vision Blog Challenge prompt is a classic- 10 people, living or dead, that I would like to have dinner with today. This is a time honored question, and I will attempt to do it justice. I have chosen to include only people I have never actually met. And I have to remember, it's not just about who I would like to spend time with, but how they would interact together. We do NOT want a repeat of the Griswold family Christmas dinner! Marilyn and Will would be there, of course, but they don't take up any of the invitations. There are just so many choices...but here we go!

1. Jesus - An obvious choice I know, but I would love to sit and talk with my LORD and savior for a couple of hours and see what we know that is truth and what are the things we just think we know. It would be amazing. Plus, if we ever run out of wine...he's our man!
2. John Lennon - He could talk about the Beatles, the rotten state of music today, the 60s peace movement, explain the deal with Yoko, clear up the Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds/LSD debate and make peace with Jesus about who was really more popular in 1966.
3. Gilda Radner - Maybe my favorite all-time SNL cast member and from all reports one of the sweetest, funniest women who ever lived. So many things I'd love to ask her, but it would be worth the invite just to hear her do a little Emily Litella or Roseanne Roseannadanna. 
4. David Letterman - He could ask all the right questions and keep the conversation flowing. And also, just because. He's Dave!
5. Jennifer Aniston - Do I really have to explain this one? It is my dinner party after all. And if she turns down the invite her chair could be filled by my very first celebrity crush, Olivia Newton-John. :)
6. Gandhi - I'd love to pick his brain about our current world and how we do more to work for peace, both in relationships and in world politics. He and Jesus could talk about their frustration over the behavior of modern Christians. And I think he and Lennon might break into Give Peace a Chance...
7. Neil Patrick Harris - NPH could delight us with stories of Broadway, Doogie Howser and my current favorite TV show all time, How I Met Your Mother! Plus if things got slow the dude can really sing and dance!
8. Brian Wilson - The musical genius behind the Beach Boys is someone I have always wanted to spend time with. So many stories, so many people he met along the way. And the music. I have so many questions about the music. I think Brian is still a vegetarian, so we'd have to plan the menu accordingly. But I'm certain he would accompany Lennon and Gandhi on the piano. I feel a celebrity jam session coming on.
9. Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr. - Another person I know would who have such interesting thoughts on the state of our world today, particularly in the area of race relations and non-violence. Plus I could sit and talk about the 60s for hours. And can you imagine a forum on pacifism with him, Jesus, Gandhi and Lennon? Wow...
10. Bill & Hillary Clinton - OK, so I cheated and invited 11. You aren't really surprised, are you? I am not a fan of politicians in general, but President Clinton is the only politician in recent history who actually makes me WANT to listen to what he has to say- a brilliant speaker who offers real insight into the world. Plus he could play saxophone in the jam session. Hillary is so unique. She's a woman of great power and prestige who has also survived so many trials and tribulations in her life. I want the both of them because I think they offer an unique perspective on the dynamics of not only world current events, but also on relationships. They may understand "for better or for worse" better than any couple alive.

So that's my list. George Fox, the original Quaker, would have made the list but he would have just made everyone else uncomfortable. A very intense fellow and prone to 2 hour sermons. I would have loved to invite Bill Murray, but from what I hear he would have never sent in his RSVP. Steve Martin would also be high on my list because he is such a Renaissance man, but his banjo playing might drown out the conversation. One weird choice I seriously considered? Eva Braun. What was it like being married to Hitler? But I'm happy with my list. Everyone's is different. I'd love to hear yours.

And the menu? I would leave that up to my good friend Teresa Reep Tysinger. She's a great chef, knows how to vary a menu and keep it healthy, and would make certain there was something amazing for dessert. Plus if I had NPH to dinner and didn't invite her I'd be a dead man! So that's the deal. Let's eat!!!

My College Football Bucket List

I love watching college football on Saturday afternoons and I always have.  When I lived in North Carolina, I got see games at Duke, Wake Forest, UNC, NC State and Appalachian State.  For 2 seasons I was the official scoreboard operator for the might Guilford College Quakers.  But like any fan, there are certain games and certain stadiums I have always wanted to see in person.  Watching the Florida/Tennessee game last night reminded me of some of those places.  So today I share my ever-changing College Football Bucket List (in no particular order) with you.  Let me know when you get us tickets!  

1. Neyland Stadium at the University of Tennessee- I am not a Volunteers fan, but I do love this venue.  It's on the river, and people can arrive by boat. There are over 100,000 people in the stadium, which is an ocean of orange.  Rocky Top is played ever few minutes.  We almost moved to Tennessee when I was in high school, and going to a game in Knoxville was the only part I was sorry to miss out on. 
2. Texas/Oklahoma in Dallas-  I grew up loving the Oklahoma Sooners and their wide open wishbone offense. I was actually in Dallas for the NYWC in 1982 the weekend after the Red River Rivalry and hated the bad timing.  Played in a stadium split down the middle by fans of both teams, with the Texas State Fair going on just outside the Cotton Bowl for all those years, this was a game I always wanted to see. And to see the Sooner Schooner make an appearance would be just totally awesome!!!
3. Death Valley at LSU- We almost moved to a church in Baton Rouge in 2001, and Bengal Tiger games would have been one of the real draws. But only at night. The atmosphere there seems just amazing at night.
4. Auburn/Alabama in The Iron Bowl-  It always seemed like these 2 played amazing games on a neutral field every year, and I love watching. As long as Alabama lost...
5. Florida/Georgia- I have been to a SEC game at The Swamp in Gainesville, and I have seen a SEC game Between the Hedges in Athens.  Both were awesome experiences.  But I have never been to Jacksonville to see these 2 play each other in The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.  And that needs to change!
6. Notre Dame Stadium- Another place so full of tradition and stories, and I just want to see it all once.  Plus, I need to see Touchdown Jesus before I die!
7. Ohio State/Michigan-  The Big Game.  I would need to see this once twice, once at each team's home.  Strange part is, I can't stand either team.  But I love the rivalry and history of this game.
8. USC- I would love to see Southern Cal play UCLA or Oregon at the incredibly historic Los Angeles Coliseum. But I would go just for their fight song.  I do love that fight song. 
9. Clemson-  Another version of Death Valley. To see the Clemson players enter the stadium, touch the rock and take the field would be quite the sight.  Plus I love orange. I just can't help myself.  This one gets bonus point if I can see them beat Miami or Maryland.
10. THE USC- That would be the University of South Carolina.  On Saturdays the over 100,000 people in Williams-Brice Stadium makes it one of the largest cities in SC.  The place rocks.  And Steve Spurrier is the coach, so anything can happen.  I actually like Spurrier.  No accounting for taste, huh?

So there is my current list.  Let me know what I missed, or if you have been and found any of my choices to be overrated...

My North Carolina Bucket List

I have been thinking a lot lately about how much I miss the great state of North Carolina. I lived in NC from birth until age 34 (with one 18 month exception) and I still consider it my home state. There are so many reasons it has been on my mind.  I am reminded of it when I talk to friends who still live there and when I sneak peeks at Marilyn's Facebook.  I am reminded of it when I watch my beloved Tar Heels beat Dook.  I am reminded of it every time I sit down to work on this blog and the memories come flooding back.  They are so many people I miss.  There are so many things I want to see and so much food I want to eat.  I need to get some of this out of my system, so today I will share with you 10 things I look forward to seeing when I finally get to return home to the Old North State.  I don't know how many people there want to see me, but I sure want to see all of them...

1. Quaker Lake Camp-  There have been so many changes made to the old place since I last saw it in 2006 and I can't wait to see how it looks.  My former youth Heather Beggs Varner still runs the place, and she is among the many people connected to camp that I would love to see again.  Very high on that list are very old friends like Neal & Susie Thomas, Susan McBane Tuggle, Terry & Leigh Ann Venable, Jay Osborne, Laura Wheeler and Terri Johnson Harris.  There are also literally hundreds of former campers and staff I would love to run into...
2. That Old Gang of Mine-  So many of the people I grew up with, and spent untold hours with in high school, college and beyond, are still in NC.  Denise, Donna, Tammy & Chuck, Lisa & Dan, Beth & Bob, Carl & Diane, Mark & Liz, Mark & Martha, Alan, Tim and so many more are often in my thoughts and prayers.  Now I just need them in the same room.  And I suppose Steve & Kathy could come from Ohio too- I hate to be a friend hog!  :)
3. Ghassan's, Bojangles and Stamey's-  The best steak and cheese sandwich (that's right, you heard me Philadelphia!), the best spicy chicken biscuit and the best barbecue (or "pulled pork" for those of you who don't speak the NC lingo) can all be found in Greensboro, and I intend to eat my way around the city upon my return!
4. Springfield Friends Meeting- We have been away way too long.  I can't wait to get back to my "one particular harbor" and see so many people I love. Some of you I talk to regularly and can't wait to see. Others I miss so much.  And of course there would be a great party and reunion at the Pizza Inn in High Point!
5. The Reep Twins-  Two of my favorite Kissimmee youth, Teresa Reep Tysinger and Cyndi Reep Browning, now live with their families in NC.  I would love to visit them both, but I may have to hurry. I don't know how much longer both of them will be there...
6. The Roller Derby Queen- One of my former minions at Springfield, Laurie Rees, is now involved in roller derby down in the Wilmington, NC area.  This falls under the category of  "I did NOT see that coming!"  Seeing Laurie flying around the ring doing damage ranks very high on the list of things I need to see...and soon!  
7. The Dean Dome-  There is nothing...NOTHING!...like UNC basketball.  I grew up loving players like Charlie Scott, George Karl, Bobby Jones and Dudley Bradley, and I still love my Heels today.  I need to see another game in the greatest venue in college basketball, named after Dean Smith, one of the top 5 coaches ever.  I am not even picky about who I see them play.  As long as it's Dook...
8. David Bills- He was the pastoral minister at New Garden Friends Meeting when I started attending in 1972.  He still is (to the best of my knowledge).  He (and many others at NGFM) had such an impact on my life, and I really want to take him to lunch and thank him.  He can choose from Ghassan's, Bojangles or Stamey's...   :)  I would also love to see any of my now over 40 former youth from my days as youth leader at New Garden.  Just so many people to catch up with...
9. The Blue RidgeMountains-  There are many lovely things about living in Florida.  But I do miss the mountains, especially in the autumn when the leaves change.  I miss the cool breezes and the amazing scenery.  I miss the picnics and hikes on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  And even though we'd have to sneak across the Virginia state line to do it, I'd love to pay one more visit to the Levering's apple orchard.
10. Calabash-  Since Myrtle Beach is in South Carolina (and trust me, there is a HUGE difference!), I would want to head to my favorite little coastal village in NC, Calabash.  It is basically a town made up of seafood restaurants.  It is the kind of good old fashioned, bad-for-you, fried and battered seafood that is hard to find in Florida. And with LOTS of hush puppies!!!   I may spend a week there, eating in a different place every night!

So there's my list.  NC, I hope to see you soon.  And dang am I hungry....

Because of Jesus,