HAPPY 30th Susan!!!!

Happy Birthday Susan!!!!!

My cousin Susan turns 30 years old today, so we at I’m just sayin… would like to wish her a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! I have been slammed at work and home, so I haven’t had a chance to come up with 30 things about Susan (and about the day, month, year she was born)… but I will share a few things (and if we get to 30, so be it).

* She is the only first-cousin I have who is a girl.

* She went to Clemson to become a teacher (guess she couldn’t get into Winthrop).

* Susan is a teacher (funny how that worked out).

* She was a cheerleading coach (not sure if she still is).

* I don’t want to start anything here… but I wish I could post her baby picture and my cousin Louis’ baby picture. Don’t get me wrong, they’re both in good shape now… but Louis in his baby picture looks like he’s in a POW camp and Susan in her baby picture looks like Jabba the Hutt. Like I said, they look normal now… but it’s funny to see their baby pictures.

* As a child, Susan was what we like to call “bossy”.

* I think she is a math teacher… so unlike Sonny these past few years, Susan has had to earn her paycheck.

* The IBM PC was introduced on the day Susan was born. It ran on MS-DOS, had 16 kb of RAM and had a base price of $1,565.

* A short time before Susan was born (August 1), MTV went on the air with the video “Video Killed the Radio Star”. I guess now you could say crappy TV shows killed the music video on MTV.

* Also on August 1, 1981… Abu Daoud (the PLO terrorist who oversaw the ’72 massacre of Israeli athletes was shot 5 times at close range while sitting in a coffee shop in Warsaw. This reminds me of an old Chinese proverb: “Don’t f*** with the Jews”.

* On August 2, 1981… Frederick Mellinger, owner of Frederick’s of Hollywood, introduced thong underwear to the US. Someone buy that man a beer.

* On August 3, 1981… US Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North became a staffer on the National Security Council.

* On August 5, 1981… President Reagan ordered the firing of 11,359 American air-traffic controllers who had ignored his 11:00am deadline for returning to work. That reminds me of a Russian proverb: “Don’t f*** with Reagan”.

* On August 6, 1981… France did away with the state radio monopoly in France and permitted privately owned stations for the first time. Within two months, 400 new stations were on the air talking about how much it sucks to be in France. :)

* August 8, 1981… Roger Federer was born.

* August 11, 1981… The first AIDS fundraiser took place in NY City.

* Some people who share a birthday with Susan: George Hamilton, Mark Knopfler (singer-songwriter/guitarist of Dire Straits), Roy Hay (the other guy in the Culture Club), Sir Mix-a-Lot, Pete Sampras, Plaxico Burress,

* She is the second child in her family to make it to 30.

* My Aunt Yvonne just has one baby left under 30.

* I wonder if that makes her feel old?

* Maybe just a little?

Sorry, Susan… I couldn’t get to 30 things. I’ll try to do better when you turn 40.

Hey, did you hear about the fight that took place during the Regionals of the American Legion Baseball Tournament? This took place in Sumter between a team from NC and a team from GA. If you don’t want to watch, here is a brief breakdown of what happened. Batter hits ball. Runner scores. Throw comes home. Second runner scores. Catcher gets ball. Catcher fires ball at the back of the second runner (who by this time is off camera). GAME ON! Every kid on the field who has ever wanted to be involved in a baseball fight runs to the area behind home plate. You can’t really see a lot of the fight, but it’s still fun to watch.




I’ll be at the Hootie and The Blowfish concert tomorrow night with a great group of friends, so don’t expect any posts this weekend. Maybe I’ll give a recap of the concert early next week.


Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private Joseph A. Cable (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions from October 1876 to January 1877 at Cedar Creek, etc., Montana. His citation reads:

Gallantry in engagements.

Private First Class William Robert Caddy (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on March 3, 1945 in the Volcano Islands. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a rifleman with Company 1, 3d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the seizure of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 3 March 1945. Consistently aggressive, Pfc. Caddy boldly defied shattering Japanese machinegun and small arms fire to move forward with his platoon leader and another marine during the determined advance of his company through an isolated sector and, gaining the comparative safety of a shell hole, took temporary cover with his comrades. Immediately pinned down by deadly sniper fire from a well-concealed position, he made several unsuccessful attempts to again move forward and then, joined by his platoon leader, engaged the enemy in a fierce exchange of hand grenades until a Japanese grenade fell beyond reach in the shell hole. Fearlessly disregarding all personal danger, Pfc. Caddy instantly dived on the deadly missile, absorbing the exploding charge in his own body and protecting the others from serious injury. Stouthearted and indomitable, he unhesitatingly yielded his own life that his fellow marines might carry on the relentless battle against a fanatic enemy. His dauntless courage and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Caddy and upon the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his comrades.

Corporal Abel G. Cadwallader (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions during the Civil War at Hatchers Run and Dabneys Mills, Virginia. His citation reads:

Gallantly planted the colors on the enemy's works in advance of the arrival of his regiment.