revised: Aug. 12, 2023
This is the first page of our family hobbies.
Thanks for being here.
|
Please Drop a note to our E-Mail
Nick & Joan
graybeaver@outlook.com |
Scouting Patch Collecting Computers Sea Shells Toastmasters Military Service
This is an information page that I have built for my Web site.
Thanks for being here.
I have completed all of the adult training that I can obtain, including Scoutmaster's Fundamentals, Leadership Training, and two Woodbadge courses. I have held just about every district position, such as Roundtable chairman, Activities chairman, Unit Commissioner, FOS Assistant chairman, and also Order of the Arrow Chapter Advisor.
I have been active with Scouts for 64 years. I just earned my 60 year pin in October 2014 and feel as though I have been around for a very long time. I have had the privilege of makeing presentations for scouters and scouts within the Boy Scouts of America. I have been an active member of the Order of the Arrow since 1978, completing my Brotherhood in 1979, and Vigil in 1988. My Vigil name is "Wipunxit Ktemaque," which means "GRAY BEAVER" in the Lenape Indian translation. I have my own domain name listed with some additional information at "GRAY BEAVER."
As you can conclude, I think Scouting is one of the most important programs for young men today.
I've said enough on this subject.
This section covers my patch collecting interest. Through out the years I have collected Scout Patches and have a small collection.
This is our old CSP, the "TENNESSEE VALLEY COUNCIL".
This is our old 1998 NOAC lodge patch from the Kaskanampo Lodge # 310.
This is my current lodge patch from the Coosa Lodge # 50.
This section is about computer's, one of my major
hobbies. It was also my job (Computer System Engineer).
I'm now retired, so I have time to play with things like this,(and Scouts and other things).
I have several computer systems put togather in a network for our home system.
( See "My Corner" ).
My interest in computers began in 1958 while in school in Atlanta, GA.
I have worked in this field for many years as a Computer Systems Engineer, with a major interest in hardware systems.
I can remember the first computer I ever saw. It occupied 76 racks of vacuum tubes, a large room requiring 17 tons of air conditioning,
and operated with 77 instructions. We HAVE come a long way.
I designed computer systems (for both NASA and DoD) for 30 years.
I have had a variety of home computers from Sinclair, TI-9900, Atari XL800, Mac Plus, but now I
have a GATEWAY P6-500. I can run Windows 3.11; Windows 95; Windows 98; with Office 97; Windows 2000; and
Windows XP Pro and have access to my wife's system, which is a P4H -2.4 GHz running Windows XP Pro.
My systems are a 2.8 GHz DELL computer and a DELL laptop, both running Windows XP Pro.
For my birthday last year my wife gave me a HP 1100 Mini laptop running Windows XP PRO. I love Her.
Several months ago my son-in-law made me a special High speed computer. It's a 3.8 GH quad processor and with a 600 GB hard drive.This system is running Windows 7.
It is a VERY FAST SYSTEM and I love it.
You can't beat this combination. All systems are on a LAN using a Fiber modem, so the throughput is great.
I've built several databases, primarily for my Boy Scout interest.
As you can conclude, I like computers and as you have gathered, this is my first effort to do any
programming in over 46 years. I'm getting better at it, but still learning.
This section details my interest in sea shells.
Our interest in sea shells began in 1981 on the island of "KWAJALEIN" in the Marshall Islands.
My wife and I collected live shells for our aquariam while working on Kwajalein. It was always interesting to watch the life forms as they moved around our Salt water tank.
We have been active with a local shell club for about 29 years now. Its name is the "North Alabama Shell Club."
It consists of a group of people who are very interested in all types of shells. Some in this group have very extensive collections, while others (like us) are just amateurs.
We all share a common interest in shells in a general term.
Currently my wife is the Treasurer of the club and is doing a GREAT job.
We have several displays set for the local libraries this year.
One of the reasons I'm interested in sea shells, is that the mussel shell is the totem for my previous Scout OA Lodge (Kaskanampo # 310).
The Kaskanampo Lodge # 310 has a Floater Mussel shell on its lodge patch.
My interest in Toastmasters began in 1981 on the island of "KWAJALEIN" in the Marshall Islands.
I have completed the awards for the CTM manual many times, the ATM (3) three times, the ATM BRONZE (3) three times,
the ATM SILVER (3) three times, the ATM GOLD (3) three times, and the Competent Leader (2) twice.
I have completed the highest award in the Toastmasters program of Distinguished Toasmaster ( DTM ).
Now that I have accomplished that, I'm starting all over again.
I have been active with Toastmasters for 36 years.
I have made presentations that were work related as well as projects related to the Boy Scouts of America and other organizations.
I've competed several times in area contests and have taken home a few trophies for my efforts.
As you can conclude, I like to present and also to compete with some of the best speakers in this area.
Toastmaster positions as of 6-2008.Positions held within clubs: Title Date Club # AVP 8/1983 1687 AVP 4/1987 4562 Sergeant At Arms 1/1988 4562 VP Pub Relation 1/1992 4562 VP Membership 1/1992 6157 President 7/1992 6157 VP Education 8/1992 4562 VP Education 2/1994 6157 VP Education 8/1994 4562 VP Membership 8/1994 6157 Treasurer 9/1999 9783 Treasurer 6/2002 6221 Area 2 Governor District A 6/2007 - 6/2008 Additional Special Activities: Title Date Club # Record # Speechcraft 5/1990 6157 #21052 Youth Leadership 6/1990 6157 #17950 S/L - Listening 9/1990 6157 #5451 Speechcraft 9/1990 6157 #21721 Speechcraft 9/1990 6157 #21722 Speechcraft 9/1990 6157 #21723 Speechcraft 9/1990 6157 #21724 Youth Leadership 12/1990 4562 #18685 Youth Leadership 12/1990 4562 #18686 Ideas 6/1993 6157 #2107 Flexibility 6/1993 6157 #3114 Selecting/Topic 1/2000 9783 na Preparation/practice 1/2000 6221 na Keeping The Commitment 1/2000 9783 na
This is the page that tells you what is "wrong" with me.
I'M ONE OF THOSE.
They say, "There are two kinds of people in this world: MARINES, and those that wish they were!"
They also say, " You can always tell a MARINE, you just can't tell him MUCH."
Now that you have gotten this far in my web pages, I hope you've gotten to know a little about me.
I'm GUNG-HO about a lot of things and really try to "Do My Best" at all of the projects I tackle.
My service was with the 2nd Combat Service Group, 2nd division, Camp Lejeune, NC. This was at the end of the "Korean Conflict,"
but I did not see any battle action. I worked as a Communications Maintainance Repairman on radio and 4th-level electronic repair.
It was a great job. I worked hard and obtained three advanced electronic schools out of it.
That's one reason I'm in the "computer field" of work. I found I like electronics.
Upon completing my three-year hitch ( 3 years active & 5 in the reserve ), I went to school on the GI Bill as a Korean Vet. I majored in Electronics and worked with
vacuum tubes to transistors. I'm still fascinated with this field of work.
I guess that is enough about me. If you're a Marine, drop me a line. We are still "One Of A Kind."
Thanks for being here.
Nick & Joan
graybeaver@outlook.com
This page has been accessed
FastCounter by bCentral
times since 3 June 1998.