Still a Kid at Heart

If you are in St. Louis, or even if you are not, you need to get to the City Museum in downtown St. Louis. You may get a few less odd looks if you take a kid or two with you, but believe me, it is not mandatory. There is much fun to be had, even if you are a non-married, non-father at the ripe-young age of 37.

The only real consequences of being this old and climbing around like I am 30 years younger is that A) I don't fit in the small places that the kids can climb through and B) my knees seem to bruise up much faster than I recall earlier in my life.

So what is the City Museum? Great question. It is an interactive jungle-gym experience with tunnels, old cars and planes, bridges, slides and about anything else you could imagine...all stuck inside a huge warehouse in downtown St. Louis where some rooms look like large animals (lizards, whales, dragons) and others are just old pieces of machinery. There is even a large wheel that makes you look/feel like a hamster.



So the reason for this blog is just to remind you all of this hidden gem in downtown. When you get the chance wrangle up some kids and head down for a day. But don't be afraid to explore some yourself. Be ready for sore knees and maybe a little dizziness from the 7 story spiral slide. If you don't have the kids, don't worry - it didn't stop Justin, Misty or I from having a great time for a few hours - forgetting that we were on the other side of 30.



Serge
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Transparent Humans?

Here's an excerpt from an article I read today. I thought it was pretty interesting to see how different communication is today. This transparency is what is linking people together. In other means of conversation you reserve your transparency for those closest to you...now it is there for everyone to read. The human race just got a little more...human

The old paradigm in communication was that people generally revealed very little of their fears and doubts. They tried to present the image of themselves to other people as completely confident and knowledgeable. The goal was to make sure that you appeared like you were always in complete control. But this is shifting, in part, because of social media. The paradigm is now no longer to try to appear perfect, but to be more transparent with your thoughts and feelings, to reveal your humanness.

We now have queens acknowledging that they get nervous at times when speaking, CEOs being more honest and at times using blogs to express reservations over past decisions, and people openly sharing personal views on social issues. Of course, what we decide to reveal and when to reveal it can be delicate, and there will always likely be items we wish to keep private. However, rather than working to hide our thoughts and feelings, social media is helping to create greater personal transparency.

Is this good or bad? Is this the downfall of human kind? Just like rock and roll was 50 or so years ago?

Full article: http://mashable.com/2009/10/16/social-media-changing-lives/
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Phus Vs.

Phus Vs.

Similar to this summer’s hit show Shaq Vs. the Phus Brothers have taken on several opponents throughout life, this weekend was just the latest episode.

Back in the late 80’s the Phus Brothers were formed and took on Kirkwood High School. Arguable you could say that the Phus Brothers won that battle as all five members Ephus, Ruphus, Striphus, Breakphus and Memphus graduated from KHS and scattered for their college careers. A bond was formed while at KHS that is revisited from time to time.

Typically a quorum from that group get together for the annual Turkey Day Football game between Kirkwood High School and Webster Groves High School. While 2 of the Phus Brothers live out of town, it has been awhile since all members were back together for that Thanksgiving tradition.

Two and a half years ago, Mitch (aka Memphus) had his bachelor party in Las Vegas. Though not billed as so, this weekend in the desert could have been called Phus Vs. Vegas. While the Phus Brothers put up a valiant fight in sin city, it is not fair to say that we won. Nobody beats Vegas. No matter if you think you did or not, you don’t win.

The latest installment of Phus Vs. just wrapped up this past weekend. Phus vs. Kansas City. In this battle the Phus Brothers took on KC BBQ (several times and places), NASCAR (more on that in a minute), KC Power & Light District and make-shift beds.

One good thing about the Phus Brothers is that they always work as a team. Usually like a team from the 80’s; reverting back to tendancies, stories and behaviors reminiscent of the old high school days. When a team comes together like this it is hard to lose. The real loser this week was the KC air quality. The methane gas increased considerably over the two days/nights. It will take a few days of leaving the windows open in the car and house to bring back some semblance of regular air quality. This group does not need much to have a good time. Constant ribbing and laughter are trademarks of the Phus Brothers. A diverse group has only grown more so over the years, but that diversity does not stand in the way of a unique brotherhood. A banker, an architect, a lawyer, an online communications guy (we honestly can't figure out what Ruphus (Coon) does and a marketer put aside the real world for a few short days and hearken back to a time when things were less stressful and having fun was hallmark.

So the impetus of the trip was to go to a NASCAR race. None of us had gone, but Ephus (aka Gee) was Jonsin' to go to one, so we found a way to make it happen. The race in KC was chosen and we combed our contacts for tickets. Striphus (Rake/me) was able to not only get us seats, but also access to the hospitality tent of A/B. With free seats, free food and free beer on the agenda we set off for the Kansas Motor Speedway. The race was unlike anything else. Anything else but other races really. But this time there were NASCAR fans in attendance, so that makes everything different. Flags flying high above cars in the parking lots showing off loyalty to a particular driver, or country or side of the civil war. We opted for a wayfinder of a different sort, Gee punched in the location of the car into his GPS so that we could find our way through the maze of pickups.

Our seats were close to the start/finish line and right above a couple of ol' gals who were as fired up about the race as anyone in attendance. They were Tony Stewart (#14) fans and pointed at him every time he sped by (we were in row 62), but they felt like they were part of the team and they definitely were part of the experience.

After about 40 laps (30 minutes) we were through with the seats and off to the land of free food and beer. The rest of the race was watched from the side of the track, much close to the action than row 62, but miles away from die-hard NASCAR fans. The race continued, and continued, and continued with little excitement. No wrecks, a few lead changes, but nothing that had to be seen. Finally with 30 laps to go NASCAR threw out the caution flag to clear debris from the track. If you ask any of us, it was a staged way to reset the race and make it somewhat close. It didn't work. #14 took the lead and did not relinquish it and very anticlimactically won the race.

All in all it was a great experience. If we were to see NASCAR, this was the way to see it. The people there were incredibly friendly and passionate. Much like we are of baseball. Another great Phus trip. This one definitely more low-key than the trips of years gone by, but now that the group has a combined 7 kids and much less tread on the proverbial tires I still call the weekend a success for the Phus Brothers. We are all still standing, still friends and still ready for the next event. Let's just make this one happen a little quicker than 30 months.

_Striphus
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