Way Before They Blogged - Derry Prenkert & Meagan Taylor

This is a short video from my high school graduation open house in 1990. Easily seen in the video are two people who author blogs that I link to: Derry Prenkert and Meagan Taylor. Derry and Meagan don't know each other and have probably never met, but here they are in the same video - way before they blogged. Who knows though, maybe they did meet at the open house and there was an early-teen romance kindling that I never new about. Yeah, probably not, they both look pretty bored in the video.

If you're from the Wa-Nee area, there are a number of other people in the video you may be able to identify.

Miles Biked Update: July 30, 2008

It's been a couple weeks since I updated the Gall family totals for miles biked in 2008. Kylee averaged 3.84 miles per day over the last two weeks. As of July 30:

Steve 408.4 miles
Kristi 303.1 miles
Kylee 230.5 miles
Kenna 225.2 miles

I've also taken up jogging the past few weeks. So far, I've been jogging exactly one mile. Today I had my best time yet; 8 minutes, 28 seconds. I've been wondering how good (or bad) my times are. Today I found the "Age Graded Calculator" at runnersworld.com. For a 37 year old male, 8:28 comes in with an age graded score of 43.3%. Definition:

Your age-graded score is the ratio of the approximate world-record time for your age and gender divided by your actual time.

Age-graded scores have been categorized into these broad achievement levels:
100% = Approximate World Record Level
Over 90% = World Class
Over 80% = National Class
Over 70% = Regional Class
Over 60% = Local Class

You know who I see almost every single time I jog and bike for exercise? Mark Ingle. He must think I run and bike all day long.

Way Before They Blogged - Makenna

We started journaling with Kylee and Makenna when they were two years old. Their entries were dictated to either or Kristi or I. I'm not sure if this early journaling experience helped inspire Makenna or not, but she has loved writing ever since she could begin to manipulate a pencil. I looked through some of Makenna's old journals today. The first entry I could find that is composed entirely in her own handwriting was when she was four years old. Here are Makenna's first three entries, which were done sort of way before she blogged.

Foster Parents

My sister Meagan and her husband Chris have two children and just became foster parents to two more. Meagan has a post that will tug at your heart here, regarding their foster parent experience and interaction with the birth mother.

Mentos in Diet Coke

This was our Sunday afternoon entertainment.

Way Before They Blogged - My Class Blog

Way before I blogged with my second grade class at Bremen, I started blogging with my second grade class at Eastlawn. The site, "Online Diary of Mr. Gall's Second Grade Class" went live with the first post on December 2, 1997. Twin Lakes took the site down earlier this year, but you can still read some of the posts on the Internet Archive.

Bloggers before there were blogs,
Mr. Gall's 1997-98 Class

Britany was one of the kids in my class that year. She is the girl on the right with the blue heart on her shirt. She was a wonderful girl to have in class and if you read over some of the posts from that school year, you will quickly notice what a terrific writer Britany was as a second grader.

We received a high school graduation open house invitation from Britany earlier this year. We couldn't make it to the open house, but when we took the kids to Indiana Beach a few week ago, we got to see Britany. She is doing well, cheerful as ever, working two jobs getting ready to go to college this fall with some nice academic scholarship money in tow.

Way Before They Blogged - Rob Henschen

Rob has been blogging for a couple years now. He sometimes writes about how uncoordinated he is. I'm not convinced though. Way before he blogged, in August 1983, The Nappanee Advance News reported that Rob was on the junior high division soccer team that "tied for the championship."

Click for the full size view.

Way Before They Blogged - Mark Slabaugh

I didn't think I was going to be able to come up with anything for Mark in this series, but I happened to spot this picture yesterday as I was searching for the picture of Kylee with the goat. This picture was taken in my backyard on the 4th of July in 2002. Mark is sitting in a lawn chair, seemingly enjoying the festivities. Mark didn't blog about this event; you know, it happened way before he blogged.

Click the picture for the full size version.

La Fogata Restaurant Review Revisions

I made four revisions/additions to my restaurant review of La Fogata.

Way Before They Blogged

I'm starting a new series today called "Way Before They Blogged." Here's the premise:

• Take the list of "Blogs I Read" found on the right side of this page.
• Post something about as many of these bloggers as I can from way before they began blogging.

I have some really good ones already lined up. Out of the 13 current "Blogs I Read" links, I already have something in mind for 11 of them. So, if you are linked over there, you could be making an appearance on my blog from "way before you blogged" real soon. Stay tuned!

Kylee started blogging when she was six. She was a one-year-old in this picture (one of my favorites,) taken way before she blogged on July 1, 2002.

Chapter Book Update

Kylee, Makenna and I decided that I had not actually read Ramona Quimby, Age 8 to them. So I am reading that now.

To follow up our reading of Holes, we watched the Holes movie last night. The movie follows the book very closely and I recommend both. It would definitely be better to read the book first though.

Elkhart County Fair Video

In honor of the Elkhart County Fair starting today, here is a video of Robbie Lightfoot asking random people Bible questions at the fair.

Miles Biked Update: July 16, 2008

I had to go to Bremen for a teacher training workshop this week. I've wanted to ride to Bremen for years, but never seemed to be able to work it into my schedule to try it. Leave it to summer to get the chance to try something new. Tuesday I did ride my bike to Bremen and back. It's an 8.7 mile ride from my house to the school. I averaged 12.0 miles per hour on the way and 10.9 miles per hour on the way home.

It was a great ride, especially in the morning on the way. I said hello to lots of our Amish "neighbors," heard horses crunching on grass, and saw things along the rode I would never be able to notice while driving.

Here's the miles biked update for each bike riding Gall so far in 2008.

Steve 315.4 miles
Kristi 231.6 miles
Kylee 176.7 miles
Kenna 181.9 miles

Also, Landen has probably ridden in his bike trailer around 150 miles this year.

These Kids Blog, Do You?

Tilly is a nine year old blogger. She's incredibly thoughtful and sometimes even blogs about topics usually reserved for the worries of grown ups.

David is is a ten year old blogger. His writing ability is startling. His blog includes some fiction, personal narratives and even some persuasive pieces. Here's an excerpt:

"Hotels. Why do we enjoy them so much? Personally, I love staying in hotels. And most people would agree. But why is staying at a hotel such a fun and enjoyable experience? I believe..."

At age seven, one of my friend's sons recently started a blog in which he is chronicling the adventures of the fictitious "Star School." From Chapter 1:

"The ball I threw at Jack blasts apart with a deafening boom and a flash of lightning yellow. I barely have time to see that before the ball Jack aimed at me does the same. After the explosions an eerie silence envelops the audience. I hear the crowd gasp and whisper in awe."

Little Miss Princess is a prolific nine year old blogger. She has been blogging since she was six. If you look back at her archives, you can sure see the growth in her writing. And she was pretty darn good as a six year old. An excerpt from when she was six:

"I went to a birthday party today at a karate place and i had the best time!!!!! now i want to take karate classes if my mama lets me. and then i will kick mama in the butt. hahaha not really!"

My second grade class web site includes a blog. The content is mostly derived from the students' journal entries. However, I do post an occasional entry there as well.

Landen's Broken Leg

Landen had an X-ray and doctor appointment this morning to get his broken leg checked out.

We found out today that he had broken his fibula all the way across, into two pieces. He broke it four weeks ago. With being on vacation, not being able to tell how hurt he was and the Fourth of July holiday, we didn't get any sort of treatment for his leg until about 1 week ago. His treatment ended up amounting to nothing more than an ACE bandage wrapped around his leg for a few days last week.

I did pray for Landen's leg to heal normally.

Today, Dr. Wally said that Landen has no restrictions and that his leg healed in perfect alignment.

2008 Election - How It's Looking - July 13, 2008

It has been a month since I first posted an election forecast based on Intrade's state-by-state election futures markets. Here is an update.

McCain: 227 electoral votes

Obama: 311 electoral votes

A candidate needs 270 electoral votes to win the election.

Since my initial post, Obama has gained five electoral votes, McCain has lost five. The change? Nevada, in which Obama now has the higher market value (48.5 to 47.0.)

McCain does get Indiana's 11 electoral votes in this calculation, although the market values for Indiana are closer than most states. Only Florida, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Virginia have tighter markets than Indiana.

Missouri: McCain 46.5, Obama 46.0
Nevada: Obama 48.5, McCain 47.0
Virginia: Obama 56.0, McCain 42.0
Florida: McCain 56.0, Obama 38.2
Montana: McCain 57.5, Obama 35.1
Indiana: McCain 64.8, Obama 34.0

If Nevada and Virginia are switched to McCain, Obama still comes out ahead in my electoral college forecast 293 to 245.

It will be interesting to see how the markets shift once the vice-presidential candidates are selected.

Here is the Intrade chart over the last 90 days for the republican nominee (McCain) to win Indiana.

Jamie Lynn Spears

Thanks to Rob for linking to this post by Walt Mueller. Rob accurately described that Walt's post "breaks down a picture of Jamie Lynn Spears and why it's relevant to the moral slippage of our culture today."

I think I've read Walt's post five times now today. His words (and some of the comments to the post) have had me pondering, and kind of stewing.

I just don't get the outrage over this magazine cover.

I honestly cannot quite understand what Walt thinks his readers should think about the cover; "How dare Jamie Lynn bear a baby out of wedlock and be happy."?

Like I said, I don't get it.

Here's what the picture makes me think:

• Jamie Lynn should be championed for bringing Maddie to term.
  
• Jamie Lynn should be respected for loving her new baby even though Maddie was not planned.
  
• Baby Maddie is precious and loved by God.
  
• That's awesome that they put this teen mom on the cover of a magazine who publicly chose to bring her baby to term.

The phrase "It's a baby, not a choice" is a common catch phrase in the pro-life movement. But now with this high profile teen-mom bringing her baby into the world, all we get is,

"How does God call us to live out His Kingdom priorities in the midst of the world depicted in this photo?"

In his post, Walt said, "I think this photo – more than any other I’ve seen in a long time – captures the essence and reality of today’s youth culture." I know there are far more teen pregnancies in the United States than our society as a whole would desire. However, concerning "today's youth culture," the teen pregnancy rate is close to a 30 year low. Also the abortion rate among teens fell from 43.5 per 1,000 in 1988 to 19.8 per 1,000 teens in 2004.

Maybe what Walt is referring to regarding today's youth culture is that teen pregnancy is less hidden in today's youth culture. If that's it, I don't get that either. Would this whole teen-pregnancy issue not be so bad if more pregnant teens just hid it??? (Especially famous ones?)

Perhaps being less-shunned has helped contribute to the halving of the aforementioned abortion rate.

There is a fantastic organization in Michiana called Hannah's House that is:

"believing in the sanctity of life and the innate value of each person, Hannah’s House is a maternity home that provides shelter, programming and staff support for the physical, emotional and spiritual well being of pregnant young women."

I notice that Hannah's House has photos on their web site that are not that different than the one of Jamie Lynn Spears on the cover of OK!. Should there be outrage?

Also, I think the most recent cover of OK! is only half of their cover picture story. Here's the rest from an earlier issue.

By the way, I don't know Walt Mueller. I mean no disrespect to Walt with this post, I'm just expressing how I see it and what I don't get.

Indiana Beach

How much did Kylee and Makenna enjoy the Cornball Express roller coaster at Indiana Beach on Wednesday? See for yourself.

Click the picture for the full size view.

My 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon

Derry did a post about his 6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon. It was interesting. (Although, I think I am a better degree link to Kevin now than his head nod from Shaq was.) Jamie's comment was interesting too.

Here's mine.

• My dad is Brent Gall.
• Brent Gall coached Michael Warren on a Pletcher Furniture basketball team.
• Michael Warren was in Miami Supercops with Jay Amor.
• Jay Amor was in Death Sentence with Kevin Bacon.

23 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

Tuesday, July 9'th 1985
Me & Mike rode the tandem out to Pizza Hut & when we got there our bikes were sitting behind Mc Donalds. It was pretty wierd. I am so sick of my cousin Rocki staying here. She has been here for 8 weeks, but she is going home in a week.

• I was 14 years old.
• Mike is Mike Engle.
• Mine and Mike's bikes had been stolen out of my front yard.
• I think my problem with Rocki was that I was jealous. She had always been my buddy, but that summer she was my sister's buddy.
  

Miles Biked Update: July 8, 2008

Since the last update 8 days ago:
Steve 62.0 miles
Kristi 37.8 miles
Kylee 29.5 miles
Kenna 32.8 miles

Bringing the 2008 biking totals to:
Steve 264.2 miles
Kristi 189.7 miles
Kylee 156.4 miles
Kenna 161.2 miles

23 Years Ago Today

From my 80s journal:

I had good food on the airplane (apple pancakes). We got home at about 7:45 P.M. Mike called me at about 8:30. We went to the park it was boring. So we came back to my house to work my computer. (I have an Apple IIC). I called Heather & her mom said she was at Lisa Stickleys. So I called Shelli (Mikes girldfriend) to get Lisa's number, she told me. So I clicked the hanger-upper real fast and when I put the phone to my ear. Heather was talking. She had called me inbetween clicks.

Then when Mike left he came back in & said "Our bikes aren't out there". We went to look for them but couldn't find them. Mike rode Jenny Pletchers bike home. She had left it hear. I don't know how I'll get around but I'll let you know.

• I had been in California at my dad's house.
• We "worked my computer."
• That was a weird phone thing.
• The tandem
• That was one GREAT summer, second only to the summer of 1986 in my life.

Chapter Books Read Aloud

I finished reading Holes by Louis Sachar to Kylee and Makenna this week. I hadn't read this book in quite a while and had forgotten how great it is. Both of the girls liked it too. Makenna wrote a brief review on her blog (before we had finished it.)

After we finished Holes, the girls and I worked on making a list of all the chapter books I have read to them. I think we came up with a pretty complete list. We may have forgotten a few and there is some dispute about whether or not I read Ramona Quimby, Age 8 or not. (We read a number of Cleary books and it's hard for me to remember because I read books to my class too.)

Here is the list of all the chapter books I have read aloud to the girls. (I started reading the girls chapter books when they were about four. They are seven now.)

• Shiloh by Phyliss Reynolds Naylor
• Holes by Louis Sachar
• Miss Holly is Too Jolly by Dan Gutman
• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
• The Secret Garden Frances Hodgson Burnett
• Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
• The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis
• Strange Happenings: Five Tales of Transformation by Avi
• Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
• Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
• Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
• Socks by Beverly Cleary
• Tale of Despereaux by Kate Dicamillo
• Ragweed by Avi
• Thank You Squanto by Peter and Connie Roop
• Turn on the Light Thomas Edison by Peter and Connie Roop
• Mr. Klutz in Nuts by Dan Gutman
• Mrs. Roopy is Loopy by Dan Gutman
• Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

Landen's Broken Fibula

We still don't have the "rocker boot" for Landen's broken leg. They didn't have his size. We are hoping he doesn't re-injure it because it really hasn't limited him. He just goes about his usually business, but limps while he's at it.

Searches for June

Here are some of the searches that brought people to this blog during the month of June.

• rockapella come on eileen
• kids resale wakarusa
• omron hbf-500 product review
• nappanee dairy queen opening
• la fogata nappanee
• geothermal heating and cooling
• reviews protege 5.0 computer
• how did mrs. america sheri rose shepherd meet her husband steve
• seniors 50 bible camp trip to yellowstone via bus
• utube truck odometer turn it off on 2005 chevy truck
• 3 piggy opera video
• kylee and makenna
• daily bible reading
• hisprincess on plenty of fish in washington

and my favorite:

• body fat scale accuracy for incredibly buff

Landen's Leg

The doctor called yesterday to let us know that Landen broke his fibula, a little above his right ankle.  He said it appeared to be healing normally, but that we should get Landen fitted for a rocker boot to help prevent it from being reinjured.

It's Landen's first broken bone.

Our Anniversary

Kristi and I got married 13 years ago today. Our wedding and reception were held at Wakarusa Missionary Church. The weather was beautiful; a similar day as today. I am so blessed to have such a terrific wife, I'm so thankful!

Here are the newlyweds, just ready to leave the church. July 1, 1995