| Author | Message | ||
     Brianoleary |
Or, "Brian O'Leary". I grew up with the punctuation, and I have become rather fond of it. My wife, Liz McCarthy, and I have lived in South Orange since 1987, buying at the then peak of the market ... and hoping ever since  We have three children in district schools (one each at the high school, middle school and elementary levels). I joined MOL in the course of the recent campaign for the Board of Education, and I have stayed on it to add what I can on educational topics. I stray from time to time into other areas, and if I think I can be helpful or witty, I post there as well. | ||
| Wendy |
Hi, Brian! My husband and I also bought in 1987, at the height of the market. :-( I thank you very much for joining this community and having the patience to dispel many inaccuracies presumed or stated in the education threads as well as providing some cogent ideas and suggestions. I also think your witty contributions work as well. Still waiting for the answer to my question about why my laughing icon meant alot coming from me, BTW. Again, thank you for your contributions to MOL, and, more importantly, to our schools. Wendy Lauter | ||
| Brianoleary |
Thanks, Wendy. Sorry the delay in answering your question. I had learned from reading the threads around MOL that Wendy and Wendylauter were one and the same, and I know you as a committed, serious-minded supporter of our schools. So I kept trying to come up with a clever way of saying that you're not a cheap laugh It's not very often that I get a laugh out of Robert Penn Warren and Dr. Seuss. | ||
| Wendy |
Oh but I am a cheap laugh. ;-). And a cheap date, said my then husband to be the first time he took me to a driving range in 1978 or so (I'm a pretty good athlete but this was the first time trying my hand at golf.) He put the cheap label on me after I managed to swing at the first ball around seven times before I finally hit it! Thank you for the answer and the compliment, BTW. | ||
| Brianoleary |
When Liz and I started dating (also in 1978, while we were both in college), we used to go on long walks by the river. I think we must have done that a dozen times before I spent any money. Maybe time clouds all memories, but it certainly seemed that we spent a lot of time just talking before I ponied up for coffee. Seven swings on a single ball is actually a pretty good deal. Exercise for you, and the ball is still available. I took our (very) athletic sophomore to Crescent last fall and had a wonderful time watching him whiff. Of course, when he finally did connect, it went a mile, humbling me and reminding me to keep him in the dark about technique. | ||
| Wendy |
LOL. My (also very) athletic then only 9 year old son came golfing with us on vacation last summer. He often outdrove me (and wants me to tell anyone who will listen that he parred a par-five hole that day as well.) I was quite torn between two conflicting emotions: extreme pride and extreme competiveness. My only excuse is that I was playing with his clubs when I really needed ladies, petite. | ||
| Brianoleary |
Darn urchins, making you play with the wrong equipment. And the right clubs make all the difference. No doubt it was one of those short par 5s that anyone could get lucky on. I think that those resort courses are too kid-friendly. They need to build more water carries, wetlands and alligator moats. Especially alligator moats. Actually, nine days ago I played a course in Myrtle Beach that was about half water and wetland carries. Do you have any golf balls I can borrow? I seem to be all out. | ||
| Hankzona |
Brian, Best club in my bag on a Myrtle Beach trip was the telescopic ball retriever. | ||
| Brianoleary |
My wife's cousin (who is nice enough to invite me along on his semi-annual golf excursions) bought that "top-of-the-line" contraption ($26 at Martin's) while we were in MB. What with the drought and lower water levels, he was fishing out mudballs from 18 feet away. I dare not mention what this did to pace of play, except to remark that I did not participate or condone. On the other hand, I was able to finish the round with a few of the once-lost ones. | ||
| Brianoleary |
Since this is my own thread, I'll ask if anyone here plays golf at East Orange. I usually go out solo and either hoof it alone or link up with another single, twosome or (rarely) a threesome. Being somewhat short of golf balls, it's a good course for me | ||
| Wendy |
How much are the greens' fees, Brian? The three of us have played at the par three at Galloping Hills where kids over 7 can play. My husband gets his Essex County Rec. card renewed every year and maybe uses it twice playing at the Francis Byrne Golf Course. It's a great course but I haven't played it for many years. (Drug Fair always has inexpensive, but probably not that good for the purist, golf balls, BTW. ;-)) | ||
| Brianoleary |
Just walking on to East Orange is a rather hefty $30 (given the municipal nature of the course), but I got tired of waiting for time to open up at Francis Byrne. The nice thing about EOGC is that on many weekdays you can just walk out, although now that I've said it, I've probably ruined it | ||
| Wendy |
Did you know that you can reserve time at Francis Byrne by phone up to about a week in advance? | ||
| Brianoleary |
lol.. Now my organizational weaknesses are showing. I think I used up my lifetime supply of planning skills when the Board revised the policy manual circa 1999 (through 2001). I also am phone challenged. In our house, someone else has to call for pizza. Please don't let this get around. | ||
| Wendy |
And you're still working in finance matters on the board. Oh no!!!!!! Seriously, if you can post on line, you can make reservations. Private line me and I'll walk you through, step by baby step. | ||
| Brianoleary |
I am sure this reservation thing is more manageable than I make it out to be, but you have to admit, this little bout of self-revelation (and deprecation) got you to laugh. BTW, you'll be relieved to know that the only role I have on the BOE right now is as a member of the policy committee. For NJSBA, I am on the association's school finance committee through the end of this month, after which I may be reappointed unless they find out about my inability to order pizza on the phone. | ||
| Brianoleary |
For all of those out there hoping that I get a phone tutorial (I think there was a thread to that effect last year, no?), I am reporting Private Line difficulties ("password not verified") that I will chase down and wrestle to the ground when the moment is right. | ||
| Brianoleary |
I've sent that e-mail soliciting Private Line help. This is the state of affairs for me these days... asking for help so that I can ask for help | ||
| Wendy |
Brian, you can also ask one of your other family members to dial the phone for you. I'm listed. Just give me warning so I can find the paper that gives the instructions on it. Organization is not my forte (and they let me be PTA co-president, wouldja believe)? (Actually, it was highly contested, no other fool was willing to step up that year. ;-) | ||
| Brian O'Leary Citizen Username: Brianoleary Post Number: 356 Registered: 3-2002 |
At this date, I remain Private Line un-enabled. Dave has a few other things to worry about, and that's okay with me Having recently been upgraded from "apprentice" (slash young Padawan) to "guru", I'm feeling good about trying my luck and actually using the telephone to reserve golf time. Of course, the last time I told any golf stories here, I was threatened with a tax increase, but ... so be it. |
