Birds, Planes and a Super Man

by William Jackson on 2006-04-27

Although I didnʼt know it, in the summer of 1999 I began writing forthis website. I had set up my very first email address not long beforethen, and I was a bored high school student between semesters. I thoughtDave Barry had the best job in the world: write something funny once aweek. So I invented a weekly column called Turtleʼs Thoughts andemailed funny little essays I wrote to most of my extended family — theones with email addresses, anyway.

As part of the joke, I included a mock “legal disclaimer” at the end ofeach email. I would change and add to the disclaimer each week. Forexample,

Any person wishing to reproduce this article must have a dang goodreason and must say, “Pretty please with a cherry on top!”

After a few weeks, I began to employ inappropriate comments and insultsin the name of humor. I didnʼt think much before I wrote and I didnʼtunderstand what good humor was. Thankfully, a kind reader stepped in andtaught me some things about appropriate humor, writing, life and myself.

My grandfather wrote me, and without criticism showed me where I hadgone wrong. He suggested that instead of shunning responsibility with alegal disclaimer, I make my motivations clear with a mission statement.

My grandfather was a man that always lived with a purpose. In everythinghe did he worked towards a worthy goal. He raised an amazing, lovingfamily; researched lifetimes worth of genealogy; saved countless livesin the service of his country; and had the time to teach an importantlesson to me, one of his 43 grandchildren.

In memory of Calvin W. Jackson
8 Jan 1925 ~ 27 Apr 2006