Off the Editor’s Spike by Darryl Wilkinson
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Off the Editor’s Spike by Darryl Wilkinson
Happy birthday, Jim Wycoff. Gallatin’s police chief’s tenure here turned one year old this week. His is in a position that seldom draws compliments. Complaints come with the job. But we appreciate the stability Chief Wycoff has brought to what was a beleaguered department and hope you realize the benefits of that, too.
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Although the movie production “Ride With The Devil” which revived old Pattonsburg and the area for a brief while is old news, the intrigue with the process continues. Do you know about the Missouri Movie Scouts?
This group of volunteers are trained to look for potential movie locations throughout the Show-Me State. The Missouri Film Commission just completed a series of workshops in 22 Missouri towns. Two of the training sessions were held in nearby Trenton and Maryville.
State officials keep pointing to the estimated $21 million injected into our economy when “Ride With The Devil” was produced Pattonsburg, even though most of that segment of the film was edited out in the final release. That’s what prompted the state to initiate a full-service office devoted to saving film makers time, effort and money in arranging a shoot. The film staff’s efforts are now extended by another 163 trained pairs of eyes whenever film makers search for specific locations.
If you’re interested in learning more, you might visit with area residents Tim Brown, Russell Joiner, Richard Ashenfelter, Evelyn Goodrich Trickel, Beatris Diaz, Linda Kennebeck, Kerry Sampson or Wendell Lenhart. They went through the training workshop. Producers often have a tight deadline for finding locations. Now, whenever a request hits the Missouri Film Office, their requests are immediately forwarded to scouts like these across our state.
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I wonder how many people packing cell phones really have a serious use for them. If email is any indication about our changing communication systems, much of what’s being shared is mindless chatter. Or jokes.
One thing good about the presidential dilemma is that we’ve been treated to an abundance of truly funny, clean jokes. This morning’s email, for instance, brought a black and white photograph from the TV favorite Andy Griffith Show. Gomer and Barney are standing there grinning in one frame; Gore’s face on Gomer’s body and Leiberman’s face on Barney’s body are featured in the next frame. The message written underneath is simple: “See any resemblance?”
Hardly a day goes by when someone from somewhere fails to share an email joke with our staff. And that’s good. A good laugh is the best lubricant for oiling the machinery of human relations — especially when you’re able to laugh at yourself.
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My dad is the hardest person to get in our family’s Christmas drawing. As I was growing up, I remember thinking how dad seldom asked for anything — and seldom seemed more pleased with getting anything than when he received (what is now the family tradition) a can of fresh, roasted peanuts.
Do you have someone like that on your Christmas list? Try sharing this poem. Put it in your own handwriting to help show how much you sincerely care. It’s intended to provide a little comfort on those difficult days. It’s entitled, “I Wish For You…
Smiles when sadness intrudes,
Rainbows to follow the clouds,
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Gentle hugs when spirits sag,
Friendships to brighten your being,
Beauty for your eyes to see,
Confidence for when you doubt,
Faith so that you can believe,
Courage to know yourself,
Patience to accept the truth,
And love to complete your life.”