jvatts's blog

HOBO Old School

jvatts — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 20:45:31 -0400

Two quick ideas, before I start drinking.

1. The addition of, "HOBO Old School" to the web page.
This would consist of old pics, stories, road trips,sports from everyone pre HOBO.

2. HOBOWL Challenge. This event is months away, yet I have an idea I don't want to lose within that time.
The way teams are picked now, random people play on random teams..theres no real story to the game. This Year I have a solution. I will assemble a team of HOBO who never played HS football to take on those who have. The addition of a story line to the game will make it more exciting and watchable.
Thoughts?
Have a good weekend all!
J

Twas the night before Christmas

jvatts — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 20:41:00 -0500

On Christmas eve at bootcamp my CC woke us all up right before midnight. What he said I still carry with me today. He spoke quietly in the dark, "Tonight is the first in many where you will be alone, away from home, family, and those who you love. The war on terrorism is just starting, and other service men and women lay tonight in a far away land. Everyone scarafices, even me away from my family here with you."
He read the following and I couldn't help but think of the people I knew over seas and in this country away from home.
Normally on Christmas eve I read this to the new guys at work, tonight I want to share it with all of you.
Hope you take a minute with me,to think/thank those away from home and over seas tonight.

Twas the night before Christmas,
He lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of
Plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney
With presents to give,
And to see just who
In this home did live.
I looked all about,
A strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents,
Not even a tree.
No stocking by mantle,
Just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures
Of far distant lands.
With medals and badges,
Awards of all kinds,
A sober thought
Came through my mind.
For this house was different,
It was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a soldier,
Once I could see clearly.
The soldier lay sleeping,
Silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor
In this one bedroom home.
The face was so gentle,
The room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured
A United States soldier.
Was this the hero
Of whom i'd just read?
Curled up on a poncho,
The floor for a bed?
I realized the families
That I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these soldiers
Who were willing to fight.
Soon round the world,
The children would play,
And grownups would celebrate
A bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom
Each month of the year,
Because of the soldiers,
Like the one lying here.
I couldn't help wonder
How many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas eve
In a land far from home.
The very thought
Brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees
And started to cry.
The soldier awakened
And I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don't cry,
This life is my choice;
I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more,
My life is my God,
My country, my corps."
The soldier rolled over
And drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it,
I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours,
So silent and still
And we both shivered
From the cold night's chill.
I didn't want to leave
On that cold, dark, night,
This guardian of honor
So willing to fight.
Then the soldier rolled over,
With a voice soft and pure,
Whispered, "carry on Santa,
It's Christmas day, all is secure."
One look at my watch,
And I knew he was right.
"Merry Christmas my friend,
And to all a good night."

This just in....

jvatts — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:23:55 -0400

I will be making it home!
Sound off if you will be in attendance!
Vatto

HOBO ASSEMBLE!

jvatts — Tue, 29 May 2007 20:21:11 -0400

For all interested there will be a 4th of July conference call Saturday afternoon. I'm making this call and working Saturday, so it will be ops pending (So please remain flexible).
I'll be posting a plan B in case I can't get away from my watch,along with a better idea of a time. I would like to see how many ppl want in, so post up!
Vatto

The Return

jvatts — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 20:37:35 -0500

I apologize for my recent absence. I've been really busy, mostly drunk, and to a degree crazy as of late. Adding to it, my computer is totally FUBAR.I hope there is still interest in the upcoming fitness challenge.

I'll get to the real point of this, my latest scheme. Awhile back there was talk of a HOBO trip to Vegas. This is a good idea, yet I think the Vegas trip is trendy and lacks innovation. Hobo has never followed the beaten
path, and I don't think we should start now.

This is what I propose,
http://www.beertown.org/events/gabf/index.htm

I don't think you can get a more Hobo trip than this.
Friends of mine from work are already talking about this trip.
Lets hear some feed back!
Vatts

Fitness Challenge

jvatts — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 21:48:03 -0500

I'm going to make this short and sweet.
Enough hobos have shown interest to pull this off. If you haven't heard, from Feb 7th to Jun 27th, hobos will be getting in shape.

*Check-in info(Weight/height/waist/hips/neck/thighs/Bi/wrist) and 3 personal fitness goals are due 15jan07.

*I will be putting $30 into a kitty for the Hobo who makes the most impressive strides, I hope others will join me.

Other than weight/body fat/inches lost, what else can we judge on?
vatto

Vatto's View

jvatts — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:45:41 -0400

Screw grammatical errors, and expect run on sentences, because The Viz is about to make a post!

Finally Vatto has come back to the Hobo webpage!

First off I want to send thanks to Gmac and Molls for giving me some written love on the Hobo video. Its good to know the work and product was appreciated.
Some of the pics are so old, it makes you realize how far back this goes. It may not have been called Hobo when Tim, EJ, Luke and I were playing roller hockey at Washington school. The word hobo wasn't even spoken on any of the road trips to Western not even Toronto. It took four guys to put a name to this phenomenon, in turn bringing this all together.
Thanks guys.

Next I wanna speak briefly on our boy Chrissy Jones . For those of you who don't know, in about a month from now our mysterious cohort will be leaving for Cape May New Jersey. Where he will be attending Coast Guard boot camp.(www.uscg.mil/hq/capemay/recruittraining.htm) That being said, I want to be the first to say this. (from me and on behalf of all hobos) I'm looking forward to serving with a person who's been a great Hobo and friend my whole life. You will be a credit to my service and everything we stand for. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress and what things you will accomplish. I have nothing but faith and confidence in you. Starting at boot camp and looking forward to possibly becoming an officer. I will have served with better Costies than you Jonesy, but not many. Make the hobos proud Jimmy.I hope anyone that can will see off Jonesy right. So in very Coast Guard like fashion I want to wish you fair winds and following seas.

Speaking of work, to all that couldn't get ahold of me this weekend, I was stuck at work for forty plus hours in three days and had this case. http://www.d9publicaffairs.com/go/doc/443/135054/
Needless to say my boy Mike D and all of us were pretty spent. I have this coming weekend off so I'll catch up with you all.

Finally, the Mustache contest is only forty three days away. When Originally heard Gmac had been growing a beard for months I was angered, I had the understanding that there was going to be 30 day growing limit.

On day six of growing, my mustache came under fire for the first time. It was at this point I felt ashamed, not of the mustache, but the reason I was growing it. I was growing to win, and thats not why we do this Its not about growing a mustache to win, its about being man enough to grow a mustache. I'm not talking about a man as in amount of plumage, thicknicity, color, length....ect. I mean man enough to take the scrutiny that comes with being someone under thirty growing a gross mustache. I was growing a mustache for all the wrong reasons, I'd rather know this than win. So I call all mustachers to grow with me, take the evil looks, the laughs at your staches expense.

Keep in mind come Nov. we will make them the minority! Think of past great staches growers, Brownie, Luke, Tim, Gmac, and my personal favorite T.O.

I'll have three to four non-hobo members growing and taking part back home, plus three people here in the Sault growing. I know Gmac, Bob, Show and myself will be home with mustaches, but will there be anyone else? Will Hobo be shown up by a non-hobo member? Its been along time since Skank (My new nickname) and Shank went head to head...we need to do better. I have a new slogan for this..."Grow it, show up and show it."
Hobos=Key
The Viz