When I started writing and editing professionally in New York back in 1982, I never had just one writing or editing job. Although I almost always maintained a full-time position while I did freelance sports, entertainment and business writing, I spent a lot at time at home, behind one of the earliest personal computers available. I’m sure you’ve heard of Epson printers? My first “PC,” purchased in 1984, was a $7,000 Epson computer that was obsolete from Day One, and no longer being made just two years later). I wrote everything from feature film treatments to freelance computer software articles at that time.
So, to go with my overpriced, worthless computer, I had to have a chair I would be comfortable sitting in for long periods of time. To that end, I went to a local office furniture store in Manhattan and found the Krueger Vertebra office chair for, I believe, $199, which was a little pricey in ‘84, but I knew I had found my chair. It was described in the company’s literature as, “Elegant, yet remarkably comfortable. Immediately responsive to each subtle shift of the occupant’s position. Throughout Europe and America, the Vertebra chair has been proven to be the premier seating solution for good posture and optimum productivity.”
And it worked. No matter how many hours I spent in my Vertebra chair, my butt was always happy and my back never hurt.
So, when I moved to Florida in the summer of 1993 and took over an eleven-month-old news publication in February of 1994, my chair, of course, came with me. And somehow, the already-old gal still kept my back and my butt happy and never let me down, although in the nearly 20 years since then, she had taken a serious beating, especially during our stressful deadline weekends.
Although the seating area of the chair was still in perfect, albeit somewhat worn out, condition (everyone else who ever sat in it said, “This is awesome on my back, but how come it doesn’t seem to fit the contours of my butt?”), the wheels took the brunt of everything.
The first wheel broke in the early 2000s, but although I could still wheel around on three, the integrity of the base was compromised and other wheels started to break or give out, too. Despite my efforts to have mechanic-types (I don’t fix anything) attach an entire set of new wheels to the base, the chair wasn’t designed with detachable wheels, so the husband of one of our former art directors, whose worked as a wood craftsman for a maker of religious artifacts, attached wood blocks in place of the two (at that time) missing wheels.
So much for wheeling around, although I still tried — often with really, really noisy results. That is, until one of the wood blocks fell off a couple of years ago. I’d still sit in my chair on deadline, but I really had to stay stationary — and everyone here in our office begged me to get rid of…her.
Well, that day finally came two weeks ago, as we began disposing of/donating a few large, broken or obsolete computers and printers (no Epsons, though) that had been taking up too much space in our production area. I loaded up the old gal on the back of sales rep Taylor Gardner’s truck and quickly closed the door behind me so I couldn’t change my mind before he drove off.
So, I did find a chair I like…at Staples…and my but and back are at least somewhat happy again.
But, even so, after 30 years…I miss her.
Val Hosts Another Successful Fisher House Golf Classic!
Congratulations to my dear friend Valerie Casey and her outstanding committee of volunteers on yet another hugely successful Fisher House Golf Classic, which was held for the first time at Pebble Creek Golf Club on October 25.
Val once again had a full field of 144 golfers and had a few additional folks on standby to play in this year’s golf classic to benefit the Fisher House located on the campus of the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., south of Fletcher Ave. And, although she hadn’t worked out the final total she raised this year, Val hopes to match last year’s $25,000 raised through not only the tournament itself, but also the live and silent auction at the post-tourney Awards Ceremony. In the now-seven years she has been working to benefit this outstanding residence — where the families of the injured soldiers in the VA Hospital receive room and board at no charge — Val says she and her team have been able to donate more than $150,000 directly to the Fisher House.
So, although I didn’t play in the tournament, I was on hand for the Awards Ceremony and the delicious BBQ banquet provided by the “Meat Monkeys” from St. James United Methodist Church. Also donated for dinner was tasty pasta from the New Tampa Romano’s Macaroni Grill.
But, the highlights for me were getting to meet — and thank — just about all of the 18 Purple Heart recipients on hand and getting to again talk to Fisher House Foundation Trustee, New Tampa resident and Ret. U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Martin Steele, who actually sought me out to thank me for all I do not only for Val’s golf tournament, but for the New Tampa community.
This guy served 35 years in the Marines, including tours during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield, and now is one of the top brass nationally at the residences serving the family of injured service men and women…and he’s thanking ME?
No, Gen. Steele…thank you!
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