Category: History

Weekend Kickoff Mini-Thoughts

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date October 10, 2019

Let’s try this again – a rapid-fire session of thoughts on my mind right this minute:

It’s been awhile since I last did this.
In fact it’s been since Thursday August 01ST 2019.
I’m not sure that some of you “get this” feature.
If you’ve been following my blogs for the past 12 years then you “get this”.
For those that don’t “get this” no worries – just follow along.
Last night was our last sunset at 7 PM or after here until next March.
It’s getting darker earlier, and I like that.
In a little over 3 weeks we return to Standard Time.
I prefer Standard Time over Daylight Saving Time.
I wish we stayed on Standard Time all year long.
Most people don’t know what Daylight Saving Time is.
Pretty soon we’ll start getting cooler here in South Florida.
By “cooler” I mean the 60s in the morning instead of the 70s.
We’re still a good month away from feeling some 50s.
Our 5-month rainy season is almost over.
It’s been a below average rainy season.
I enjoy our 7-month dry season from October to May.
I hope to begin my dry season weekend fitness walks soon.
I hope to do much better than I did last dry season.
It’s Columbus Day Weekend here in the U.S.
I adore 3-day holiday weekends.
Maybe I’ll go for a walk in the park this Saturday morning.
I mostly plan to continue writing my next sermon this weekend.
It’s on God’s “Kindness & Love”.
I have another sermon that I’m working on titled “Ways & Memes”.
I’ll be stepping completely out of my comfort zone for that one.
There’s a few movies that I hope to see on HBO On Demand this weekend.
One of them is that World War 1 movie, “They Shall Not Grow Old”.
I’m really looking forward to a quiet and productive weekend at home.
Tomorrow on the blog my RETRO series continues with 15 years ago.
My new blog posts go LIVE at 3 AM U.S. East Coast time aside from Sunday.
I blog 4 times per weekend on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays.
I don’t blog on Saturdays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
If I were to add a 5TH day of blogging then I’d add Tuesdays.
But I have no plans to do that anytime soon.
Programming Alert: The 50TH GMA Dove Awards are coming soon.
The show occurs LIVE in Nashville next Tuesday October 15TH.
It airs on TBN the following Sunday October 20TH at 8 PM EDT.
I’ll be live-tweeting during the entire telecast !
Join me that night on Twitter @ChrisMDay as I talk God’s music.
The next morning I’ll reveal my brand new Top 10 music chart.
Well those are my rapid-fire one-line thoughts for now.
Enjoy your weekend and this 10TH day of the 10TH month.

1980s Career Food Health History Life Military Travel

I’m coming up on the 34TH Anniversary of my graduation from USAF BMT. That stands for United States Air Force Basic Military Training. I was stationed at Lackland AFB in San Antonio Texas from June 13TH 1985 (early in the morning – like right after Midnight) to July 29TH 1985 (at dawn). It was the roughest and toughest 46 days / 6½ weeks of my life at that point. (I had just turned 18.)

On July 29TH 1985 (a Monday) I boarded a plane (with others) from San Antonio Texas to Champaign County Illinois. I got food poisoning on the plane. That was when full hot meals were still served on airplanes. After landing we were transported from the airport to Chanute Air Force Base (near Rantoul Illinois). Everyone else was taken to their respective squadrons for in-processing. I was taken to the Base Hospital where I spent a couple of days and nights recuperating.

On the 3RD day I rose again – out of my hospital bed fully recovered, and I was released to my squadron. I moved-in to my dormitory room – my home for the next 3 months. School started soon for me. I would soon learn how to be an Aircraft Maintenance Systems Analyst (think “Statistician”). I was in a class of 4.

Today – 34 years later – I am an Analyst / Statistician, and I work for the United States Air Force.

Animals Career Driving History Life Military Music Radio Travel

My Top 5 Hits RETRO – 2004

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date July 12, 2019

Every Friday night I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 10, 15, 20, or 30 years ago this weekend (rotating each week).

It’s the 2ND Friday of the month, so I go back 15 years ago. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday July 11TH 2004:

“Ocean Avenue” – Yellowcard
“Meant To Live” – Switchfoot
“The Reason” – Hoobastank
“Hey Mama” – The Black Eyed Peas
“Pieces Of Me” – Ashlee Simpson

15 years ago this weekend seems so long ago. I had recently flipped away from electronic dance music and returned to my roots in calmer pop music. I actually don’t remember much about 2004, and I really choose to not remember much about that year. It was a forgettable year. I wasn’t happy at work, and I wasn’t particularly happy at home either. I came home to my cat every afternoon, and he adored me. He was my best friend at the time. I still miss him over 12 years after his passing. #Boots

It’s interesting what I discover when I review old E-Mails. 15 years ago TODAY – the 12TH of July of 2004 (a Monday) I drove about 650 miles from a hotel very near Walt Disney World (like a mile away) to a suburb south of New Orleans. I was TDY (military term = temporary duty) at NAS JRB New Orleans during that week. According to my extensive records I filled-up with gas twice that day during my drive westward, and I paid $1.959 and $1.919 per gallon for gas.

It’s halftime my friends. I’ll be back on Sunday afternoon and Monday night with two more blog posts for this weekend. Enjoy your Saturday. Thanks for going RETRO with me !

Tags 2004

History Music Radio

My Top 5 Hits RETRO – 1967

Post author By Chris M. Day
Post date May 31, 2019

Every Friday night I post the Top 5 of one of my classic hit music charts based on personal preference and influenced by radio airplay from either 10, 20, or 30 years ago this weekend (rotating each week).

This week it’s a special. My birthday is coming up next Wednesday, and the festivities have already begun ! I’ll be 52, and so this week I look back at the Top 5 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 when I was born. Here it is – for the week ending Sunday June 04TH 1967:

“Respect” – Aretha Franklin
“Groovin'” – The Young Rascals
“I Got Rhythm” – The Happenings
“Release Me (And Let Me Love Again)” – Engelbert Humperdinck
“Creeque Alley” – The Mamas & The Papas

Birth ID

As I was entering the world these were the biggest hits on AM pop radio stations from coast to coast. I know 3 of the 5 hits above (from Aretha Franklin, The Young Rascals, and Engelbert Humperdinck. My Grandmom was a huge fan of Engelbert, and she had most of her 33s and 45s. Kids, Teens, & Millennials – 33s were what we called “albums” (multiple songs), and 45s were the “singles” of the day. We went to the local record store to buy our music on vinyl, and we played them on “record players”. #GoodTimes

Starting next Friday night it’s a slight format change for “My Top 5 Hits RETRO”. Every month (starting with June) I’ll be following this rotation:

1ST Friday = 2009 = 10 years ago this weekend
2ND Friday = 2004 = 15 years ago this weekend
3RD Friday = 1999 = 20 years ago this weekend
4TH Friday = 1989 = 30 years ago this weekend

For those months with a 5TH Friday (such as today) I’ll be doing a special.

It’s halftime my friends. I’ll be back on Sunday afternoon and Monday night with 2 more blog posts for this weekend. Until then – enjoy your Saturday. Make great memories that will last a lifetime !

Tags 1967