U.S. Senator Ted Stevens to be missed

10. August 2010 by John Smelcer.

Former Alaskan U. S. Senator Ted Stevens died in a plane crash in Alaska. “Uncle Ted” to Alaskans, was elected in 1968, and was the longest serving Republican senator in US history. At one time, he was Senate Pro Tempe, third in line to the presidency. He was always a friend to Alaska and to John Smelcer. As a high school senior, Sen. Stevens nominated John for a cadet appointment at West Point. When that did not materialize, he helped John win a four-year Army ROTC scholarship. In the mid-to-late 1990s, Stevens helped John secure grants for his research in Alaska Native languages and cultures and tried to help him obtain funds to build a museum. In 2006, Sen. Stevens generously provided a back cover blurb for John’s The Day That Cries Forever. He will be missed.

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(Almost) Killed in Cleveland!

30. June 2010 by John Smelcer.

In true Easy Rider fashion, I took a motorcycle trip across America. I was going from New York to visit the Rosebud gang in Madison, Wisconsin. All-in-all, a 2,000 mile trip. While going through downtown Cleveland on I-86, one of the busiest interstates in the nation, my oil plug suddenly fell out, spilling three quarts of hot oil all over my rear tire. The bike went out of control, fish-tailing across all four lanes. I thought I was going to die. All I could do was to keep from flipping the bike and being run over by the rush of semis on my ass. I shot off the freeway and across the grass along the road before wrecking. I spent the next several hours tracking down a plug, oil, degreaser, and enough paper towels to clean the tire. If there’s any consolation, an old, retired Black man named Dwight, who lived a block away helped me, staying with me for hours, and driving me around looking for parts. He wouldn’t accept a dime. Sometimes people amaze me.

Here’s a picture of my motorcycle and a covered bridge in northern Ohio.

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Didn’t wear out our blue suede shoes …

2. June 2010 by John Smelcer.

Over spring break, I joined two friends and we drove down to Tupelo, Mississippi–the birth place of Elvis Presley–in the longest-motorhome-on-earth. What a trip! The house is really small. Such humble beginnings. The other photo is of me sitting in the booth where as a teenager Elvis sometimes sat at Johnny’s Diner.

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Recent appearance

8. February 2010 by John Smelcer.

John recently gave a reading from The Binghamton Poems at River Read Books in Binghamton, NY.

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To be missed.

18. December 2009 by John Smelcer.

On Friday, December 4, 2009, Binghamton University Professor Emeritus, Dr. Richard Antoun, was killed by a graduate student. As a fellow anthropologist, Dick and I were co-authoring an article on comparative religion. Dr. Antoun was a kind and generous man. He will be missed.

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Need I write more …

30. November 2009 by John Smelcer.

John at Loch Ness

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Cheers!

30. November 2009 by John Smelcer.

I went to Scotland during the Thanksgiving Break. Spent five days in Edinburgh during the rainiest season in recorded history! I even got to go up north to Loch Ness, where I had my Thanksgiving dinner of macaroni and cheese with french fries. Here’s two photos of me: one at the top of the Royal Mile just outside Edinburgh Castle; the other is inside the world’s greatest collection of Scotch whisky!

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… in the nation's capitol

22. August 2009 by John Smelcer.

“I went to Washington DC during mid August to visit one of my closest friends. Never been there before. It was really cool! Actually, it was in the 90s every day! My favorite museum: the National Museum of the Holocaust. I wept often. Overwhelming! Powerful!”

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I'm a father-in-law!

5. August 2009 by John Smelcer.

This summer my daughter, Zara Smelcer, got married to her long-time boyfriend, Damion Minchaca, a soldier in the National Guard. I’m a father-in-law! Zara’s a senior at the University of Alaska Anchorage.

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Waiting for the sun to come up

13. June 2009 by John Smelcer.

Went wild turkey hunting with John Clark, getting up at 4 a.m., sitting in the woods drinking coffee and waiting for the sun to come up. A lot of fun. John got a nice Tom.

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Blogroll

Archive for the Personal Highlights Category

U.S. Senator Ted Stevens to be missed

(Almost) Killed in Cleveland!

Didn’t wear out our blue suede shoes …

Recent appearance

To be missed.

Need I write more …

Cheers!

… in the nation's capitol

I'm a father-in-law!

Waiting for the sun to come up