Bean Counters
Posted at 6:00 AM on January 11, 2010
by Dale Connelly
(31 Comments)
Last Thursday and Friday, Team Heartlander made a spontaneous and valiant attempt to break the record for comments left on a single entry of Trial Balloon.
Nobody knew what the record was, but why should anyone let a detail like that derail the pursuit of their dreams? Sometimes it's important to strive, even if you don't know why you're striving or what you're up against. ESPECIALLY if you don't know what you're up against.
Some casual research shines a light on the situation.
Here are all the Trial Balloon entries that have received more than 60 comments. As you can see, the recent record setting attempts place 2nd and 4th on the all-time list.
Way to go champs!
You can click on any of the lines below to see the actual entry.
Love Storm - 84 Comments, December 11, 2008
Reality Intrudes - 81 comments, January 8, 2010
You're Special! - 80 comments, April 17, 2009
Goats from Space, Part 2 - 77 comments, January 7, 2010
It's Your Funeral - 76 comments, February 25, 2009
Mechanical Nomenclature - 69 comments, January 7, 2009
Your Very Own Book - 63 comments, May 13, 2009
Postal Pandemonium - 62 comments, December 15, 2008
The Saturday Night Annex - 60 comments, January 9, 2009
In fairness, it's important to note that the champion of comment-getting entry, "Love Storm", was posted on the day The Morning Show had it's final broadcast, so those 84 messages were inspired by an historic event and in some cases, ignited by anguish. And they came from 84 different people, as far as I can tell.
By contrast, the comments that made up our record setting attempts last week were inspired by a wacky idea, fed by creativity, sustained by a snow day in part of the region, and came from about twenty people (and a handful of goats). There's nothing wrong with that, but it is a different animal, so to speak.
I think it's wonderful that the conversation went on for so long last Thursday and Friday. There's no reason why it shouldn't every day, so please feel free to check back any time and contribute whatever you think will be of interest to the group. My entry each weekday is merely a starting point. I would like Trial Balloon to be a place where people who enjoy Radio Heartland can rub elbows, trade stories, offer ideas, instruct one another on how to make goat cheese and choose Hollywood stars to depict them in a movie. You have already made it all that and much more through your cheerful creativity and dependable decency.
Thanks also for the welcoming tone you take with people when they feel moved to post a comment for the first time. One thing we don't want is for this to seem like a private club.
So again, kudos on the attempt last week. It reminded me of the time my high school one mile relay team set a school record that stood for ... oh ... about as long as it took for me to get out the door and on with my adult life. I should have taken a picture of the track trophy case while my name was still up there. Oh well.
Have you ever set an official record for anything? UNofficial?
Comments (31)
no records, official or un - but i bet there are plenty out there in the blog community! i'm not a runner, but i remember my dear friend having "personal" records - best times she tried to beat. and the Birkie is coming up - bet there are personal bests for that also.
good morning, All!
Good Morning All,
I think Barb in Blackhoof might have the record for posting first on this blog. I'm sure she has been the first to post many, many times. So, Barb, I think you are number 1 as an "ice breaker".
I feel that I am about to break a record for shoveling snow this winter. Everyone seems to have snow blowers, but I don't. I have two drive ways to keep clear. However, my nieghbor can't resist helping me out with his snow blower, so I probably will have trouble getting this record.
Aw, Dale, you actually did the research for us! Thank you very much. Even it we didn’t quite hit the one-day record, we certainly set a two-day record for total number of posts. Also clear: winter (especially January) makes us more talkative. Or blogative?
Happy Monday, all!
Nary of record here, Not one.
Dale, can you post the email for the question you had about the HD radio listeners-maybe the question too? I was half listening, not really in the room, but it sounded sort of official.
Thanks everyone for last week-reminded me so much of a former workplace and a former co-worker who recently died of cancer, so has been much in my mind of late-she is one of those who introduced me to this kind of music (and what I mean by that, I leave to each of you, you know what I mean). I'm still working being able to count the 18 wheels on a big rig in Roman Numerals because of her.
Kris, love blogative.
Good Morning RH,
Don't know how to prove it, but I'm sure I broke my own records for interacting with a keyboard and giggling at a computer screen. It was so much fun checking back and reading the new posts. I'm still grinning over the picture of goats wearing suspenders Catherine planted in my head.
Catcha later on the flip flip.
No record setting for me. Like Barb's friend, I have PRs (personal records). Running is great that way... even if you can't be an elite runner, you can still work on your personal records for the various events. In fact, I got a new PR for the 10K at the Polar Dash on January 1st. It won't be appearing in any book of records, but I'm happy just the same.
Have a great Monday, all!
We live a ways out, so I try to get a lot done on each trip running errands: dropping off books at the library, mail at the post office; getting gas, groceries, and that sort of thing.I don't count going to 5 different stores looking for that thing I can't find. My personal record for the number of stops/tasks in one "errand run" is 9.
Greetings! I can't think of any records I've set, except to echo Donna in how much time I spent interacting on computer last week not getting anything done.
Although when I was quite young, I was able to put away huge amounts of food and stay skinny. Not so anymore ...
I remember many sunny afternoons with the kids in the neighborhood during my younger years seeing who could break the block record for things like jumping rope, picking up jacks, number of hopscotch games won, etc. I don't recall if I ever set any of those records (probably because they were broken the next day by someone else). It was fun trying though.
Happy Monday all.
If it has not been played recently Neil Young's song "Prairie Wind" would sound nice.
Catherine,
I was wondering if anyone is listening on an HD radio they received as a gift recently. Nothing official or too urgent.
But feel free to write to me directly with that information or anything else at this address:
dale@radioheartland.org
dale if you could send out an email to my friends and family maybe we could make it possible. would love one . this computer is a sorry stereo/
my record breaking achievemnet occured with co workers form the mann france avenue drive in in 1973. we had a get together and a spontaneous marshmellow eating contest ensued. the object was to stuff the large marshmellows into your mouth non stop and compact them as you went so the number was quite high. there were not a huge number of participants because the quantity of bags of large marshmellows at any given location is determined by the campfire plans rather than the possible competitions. the hard part was swallowing when i was stuffed as fully as i could stand. that was part of the deal, you had to swallow it too without digging them out.
great memory to start the week out with, thanks dale
whenever i think of clyde from now on i will think of the bobble eyed jack elam doll.
thanks for the fun couple of days on the goats in space project. i believe that peter jackson is our man. i just saw that he is the guy behind lovely bones coming out next week. that should be a powerful story. the book was depressingly intriquing. i think space goats may be just what he needs as a follow up.
donna get on it.
I thought of another wind song-Child of the wind by Bruce Cockburn. I never really set any records-official or unofficial.
Good morning all.....
no records broken here.....
I just got this "windy" joke in an e-mail and thought I'd share.
Three retirees, each with a hearing loss, were playing golf one fine March day. One remarked to the other, 'Windy,isn't it?' 'No,' the second man replied,'it's Thursday.' and the third man chimed in,'So am I. Let's have a beer.'
The only records I have are made of vinyl and have a long, circular groove on each side. I also have some 8-tracks (and two 8-track players even!) but those hardly count as records.
Actually, that "private club" thought intrigued me. Not that I'm suggesting we engage any kind of exclusivity, rather that it'd be an opportunity for cool stuff. I mean, wouldn't a 'Radio Heartland Secret Decoder Ring' be cool? How about a 'Radio Heartland Magic 8-Ball' with a customized 20-answer icosahedral die inside with answers suitable for RH'ers? Which answers would be on the 'Radio Heartland Sphere of K.N.O.W.ledge?'
Husband comments that he breaks a record every day by getting up and being one day older than the day before. I know there was something, will post again later if I think of it.
Off topic: Just in case anyone is dying to know where marshmallows originally came from or what they're made of :
http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/question128.htm
(Catherine - I too as oldest child have a thing about informing everyone...)
Ooh, thanks for Cast Your Fate to the Wind, Dale! Haven't heard that in decades.
oh, Kate....
that'd be funny if it weren't so close to true for me :-)
another wind song, Dale, if you haven't already played it
Robin and Linda Williams' "Devil is a Mighty Wind"
just loved the Swallow song. thanks.
Good morning RH'ers! The only record I may have a claim to is one involvong a hula-hoop. When h-h's were new in the Seattle area, there was a city wide competition organized. Kids in various age groups had to qualify at a local grovery store ( this is where the 'record' was set), and then moved to the final h-h games held in downtown Seattle, I believe. I was five and somehow quaified for the final commpetition. What I remember is : large groups watching, and lots of crowding at the area of the games; lots of kids competeing (all the girls wore dresses, of course), and men in suits acting as judges. Each judge had a game they oversaw, staying in the area of their 'course'. I made it to maybe the second level of the competiton, and because of the crowding around the competiton sites, one of the judges backed into my h-h as I was competeing, I was given another chance to do the course, but didn't advance. I think there was a certificate of participation given to each child. So much for setting records!
Dale, Barb's suggestion brings to mind the song from the movie A Mighty Wind. Did that one make it to the show Sat night?
In college I held the record among my dining associates for bringing the most cups of coffee back to the table at one time - nine. For all I know, the record still stands. And there was another involving Boston cream pie, but I'm hazy on the details.
And I once borrowed skis from someone who held the world record for fastest speed ever achieved going down a mountain and staying upright (109 mph), so I have a record once removed.
Would love to have an HD radio but I'm not close enough. Sigh. Does anyone know about wifi radios? Just stumbled on them looking for something else. I have wifi at home. Could I pick up RH on it?
Records: in HS my friends used to count my sneezes in a row; many time I was well up into the 20's. Once over 30, as I recall. Right now I am working on the longest continuous headache; somewhere around 10 years now. I think those two are connected.
I love the RH 8-Ball. I would like to make suggestions, but the headache is too storng right now to come up with anything. Must be some RH songs that have answers in them.
Off-topic: I am about to purchase a few CDs from Redhouse Records (as well as make a montly sustaining member pledge in the name of RH, now that we finally got free of some good-sized medical bills). My question is, which John Gorka album is his best?
Clyde....you just reminded me I had this saved from the other day I forgot to post it.
But sorry, I don't know about the John Gorka.
Hey Clyde,
I just wanted to jump in on the suggestions for Cd’s to buy. I would recommend Eliza Gilkyson, she’s an amazing singer/songwriter on Red House Records. I would also recommend you check out their website if you haven’t already. I think you’ll find lots of great music you’ll want to pick up but if you’re anything like me and $$ is an issue it will be hard to choose what to get first!
Kate: Thanks. Redhouse has a couple of sampler disks. I am going to buy one with about 60 songs in the set. Going to get Peter Mayer's Million Year Mind (not at Redhouse). But I need a Bill Staines and a john Gorka. Then next month I am going to seek out some the things people have suggested here.
Don, I stand in awe of your coffee-bearing skills-the Boston Cream Pie intrigues me from the sheer potential for disaster.
TGitH, are there really 20 answers in an 8-ball? I would not have guessed, but now I know (and I have just GOT to know these things)
son and heir wants me to post that he and his cousin went for the "most balloons stuck to a human body by static electricity" record, which according to Guiness is 25-they only got to 3 and blame Grandmas' house for not being dry and staticky enough.
clyde
the john gorka album that was the first one was wonderful. this was prior to red house but i'll bet it is still available. the later albums are great too but there is something about early guys like that. dylan, wainwright III, von rink that you gotta love. the first gorka will not disappoint. i love the new jersey song. where the girls have big hair.
kate. i love that one. just sent it out on an "old guy" birthday card last week form a cartd at target.
don how fast did the skis go with you on them.
barbara your husband breaking wind every day doesn't cout when he gets out of bed. we all do that.
good day rh folk
tim:
Do you mean Gorka's Ablum "I Know" 1987? It is on Redhouse and it is the one I am planning to buy unless I get good other info.
Ha,tim - you're really not far off!
Teri in Zimmerman - I'm in awe - I could never get a h-h to stay up on me! My sister, of course, was a champ...
We're off to see Men Who Watch Goats! at the cheapie theater. Will report back.
clyde thats the one. my personal favorite. he was on the morning show at that time and his challange to himself was to write a song a month. i wonder if he still does that?
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