When my four siblings and I were pictured in the Dayton Daily News in 1987 as one of the first families in the area to embark upon the adventure of home education, I had no idea that the choices my parents had made would have such a major impact on my life.

Looking back on what just seemed “normal” to me at the time, I can say that learning at home opened up a whole new world or creative adventures and friendships with my brothers and sisters that have lasted my lifetime.

When I entered 6^th grade at Troy Christian, and then on to Tipp City High school…I was prepared both academically and emotionally to tackle those tricky years.My junior and senior year of high school I attended Sinclair Community College through the PSEO program, and then went onto earn my BS at Middle Tennessee State University, earning straight A’s throughout my entire journey.

I had some wonderful experiences in every level of my education, and I always just figured I would probably do the same kind of thing with my kids when they reach the school-aged years.However, as my oldest son reached the age for Kindergarten…I felt completely overwhelmed when looking into all the curriculum and choices before me regarding his education.

Unlike when my parents ventured into the unknown territory of educating at home…now there is an overwhelming amount of resources available to those who choose to teach their kids at home.I found myself stressing out about what math program to use…which history curriculum is best, etc.The more I researched and looked into everything available to me, the more I questioned if I could really do this, and the more I realized that even though I experienced the whole spectrum of education options and was able to spit back the info on the tests to get A’s…I didn’t retain a lot of the information I learned.

I feel ignorant when things happen in other countries and I have to Google it to find out where it is.Why do I have to think so hard to do a simple addition or multiplication problem in my head?If my life depended on it, I couldn’t tell you most significant dates in my own country’s history, let alone the world.When I read old documents like the Declaration of Independence, I struggle to understand the meaning, as if it is a foreign language!I’m a fast learner.I generally consider myself smart…but I feel incredibly stupid sometimes.

I wanted more for my kids.Something is failing in many forms of our current education system, and it has nothing to do with whether a child is homeschooled, privately schooled, or publicly schooled.As a culture, we seem to be getting dumber…and that just shouldn’t happen.

So, when I came across this thing called “Classical” education….something resonated in me.“Classical” refers to time-tested, something that has worked for hundreds of years….something based on the basics of humanity and human development….not just the “flavor of the month”.Why we ever came away from this style of education, I can’t figure out, but it is no wonder that the Classical Education movement is growing so quickly among homeschoolers and private institutions.

In a nutshell….here is the basics of what Classical Education is.It is based on how we learn in different stages.It is broken down into 3 stages, often referred to as the “Trivium”:The Grammar Stage, The Dialectic Stage, and the Rheteric Stage.If you are thinking of it in terms of our technical age, the 3 stages correlate with Input, Processing, and Output.Whole books are written on this concept and putting it into practice, so I’m not going to attempt to expand a whole lot on this, but this is an easy concept to see without looking to deep.

Anyone who has kids between the ages of 0-12 understand that they are little sponges.They have the ability to memorize and retain a TON of information and they are constantly learning and taking in new facts.This is the knowledge stage, the input stage, the “Grammar” stage.(grammar referring to facts, data, etc).This is the age where it makes sense to pack them full of useful information.Not necessarily information they understand or is useful to them at the time, but just taking advantage of the fact that they can memorize and retain quickly at this age.This is when you can learn all the history dates, times tables, world geography, etc, and it just becomes part of who you are and what you know.

As they enter the middle school years, that is when they are no longer satisfied with just the “who, what, when, and where,”, they want to know the “how and why”.And they don’t just want to be told, they want to discover it for themselves.In fact, if you tell them the answers, they will not take your word for it anymore!This is the Dialectic Stage, or the processing, or understanding stage….whatever you choose to call it.

“What appears to be a tendency in students to argue, or even to talk back, is really a desire to systematize their thoughts and to achieve understanding of the facts they have accumulated in the grammar years.Instead of squelching the desire to argue, the classical model complements their natural tendencies by teaching them formal logic and debate so that students learn to reason and argue clearly, respectfully, and persuasively.” (Jennifer Courtney, Classical Conversations catalog)

Can an elementary child learn the how’s and why’s?Of course they can to some degree.But taking too much time to try to use reason and logic with a younger child is not a good use of their strengths and the time devoted to their education. They will be much more capable of this when they are older, and much less capable of memorization and retention.

The last stage of a Classical education is the Rheteric stage (the Output…the Wisdom).It’s this stage that you find missing the most in our educational system…even through college.This is where a student truly masters a subject.They not only know have a firm grasp on the facts and an understanding of their applications, but they can now use this information to impact society.This is the poetic and creative stage, the eloquent, inspirational and persuasive stage where you are applying the skills you have learned to make something meaningful or to say something insightful.You have potential to reach this stage in your later high school years, but we rarely see this kind of mastery of knowledge even after 4 years of college.

Like I said, whole books have been written on the classical model of education and implementation, etc, so I will not even attempt to do that, but in order to explain my reasons for deciding to keep my kids at home…I needed to explain the basics of it.

Before, my main reasons for homeschooling were to be able to spend more time with my kids in their formidable years, free their time up a bit to be able to pursue their interests, and help create that childhood bond that I experienced with my siblings.Those are still part of the reason I am continuing on in this journey, but now that I have come across the classical model of education, I am finding that another reason I am committing to homeschool (maybe even through high school! Ahhhh!), is because I believe it will provide them with a better education.

I believe they will be more equipped to tackle any subject, to learn any new skill they may need in their future. I believe that as they enter junior high age, they will have this huge base of knowledge from which to start to really understand and navigate our world.And I am believing that as they grow into that last stage of learning, they will have the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to be able to positively effect and impact our world and our culture.

With all of these wonderful reasons I have for wanting to educate my kids at home…I am not the great adventurer my parents were.I don’t want to, and have no intention of doing this alone.I want a community!I need support!And I found this all in the group called Classical Conversations, who I have been a part of this past year in Springfield.After my experience there, I know I want this for the Tipp City area.

Classical Conversations provides the programs and community that is needed to support an excellent classical education at home.

Column News

In the three years since I started this column, my focus has grown more toward observing what’s going on around me, and less on reporting on what’s coming up in Tipp City. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been trying out a new column style, focusing more on single topics and humorous incidents in my life. I’ve talked about not having to mow the lawn this summer, the new iPhone, a writer’s conference I attended, and Downton Abby. The column’s been all over the place … but then, so has my life!

Well, starting soon, I’m spinning off a column! It’s like when “Grey’s Anatomy” begat “Private Practice.” One column, called “What to Do in Tippecanoe,” will highlight upcoming local events here in Tipp. My current column, focused on the humor and randomness of day-to-day life, will get a new name but remain right here on the opinion page.
Big question: I need a new title for the column. Any ideas?

Goodbye, Old Friend

Here at the house, we’re getting ready to say goodbye to an old, dear friend. He’s been sitting on our kitchen counter lo these many years, providing faithful service day after day. But lately, he hasn’t been doing so well.

I’m talking about our coffee maker.

This Senseo looks like it was designed by Iron Man. And, by the way, this is not my kitchen. My kitchen is not this calm - or tidy.

As you probably know, I’m a writer, and my wife runs her own editing and writing company, both from our home, so coffee and caffeine pretty much power everything that happens around here. I’m sipping a cup of coffee now, as I write this, but I’m also sad. Lately, the coffee just doesn’t taste as good as it used to, and it’s been harder and harder to find supplies.
Why? Well, because we have a Senseo single-cup coffee maker, similar to the K-Cup makers that have gotten popular over the last two years. We’ve had this Senseo for seven years—it was one of the first single-cup coffee makers on the market. I bought it at Target, along with several boxes of the “pods” that are inserted into the machine to make coffee, and we’ve been in love with it ever since.

But the brand never really took off, and last year I noticed that Target stopped carrying the Senseo coffee maker. They dropped it to make room for more Keurig brewers, and at the same time cut back on the Senseo pods they carried.  I’m sure there are folks out there that like the Keurig, but those don’t provide that heady, cappuccino-style froth on top of the coffee that Samantha and I both prefer. We got a K-cup maker last year and tried it out, and it just wasn’t as good. The coffee was excellent, but without the froth on top, it just wasn’t the same.

So last year, Target stopped carrying the maker. And now, with their recent update, the Target in Huber Heights has stopped carrying the pods altogether. And Food Town and Kroger and Wal-Mart don’t carry them either.

I know what you’re thinking—“oh, what a whiner. Boo boo boo.” It’s true—it doesn’t really matter what kind of coffee I drink. But when your day revolves around sitting at a computer and pounding out words by the score, you need a little fuel, and a steaming mug of coffee from my Senseo always keeps me on course. But right now, I don’t have time to write any more—I have to get on Amazon and order more coffee pods before they stop carrying them too.

Around Town

• We’re having a blast over at the Get Social Radio show—we broadcast live on the Internet every Friday at noon. Tune in—this past week was mostly about the Tipp City Council, but we also covered other local news and weather. It’s like a real show! You can listen live or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. We’re actively looking for guests if you have something you want to cover! Check us out at www.getsocialradio.com.

Check In With Me

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk?” Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com to contact me, or email me at greg@gregenslen.com. And don’t worry—I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City, Ohio by Greg Enslen

Tippecanoe Farmer’s Market Needs Help

The Market Committee got together last week and started the process of distributing the 2012 Application Packets, so drop me a line if you want one.  And we REALLY need volunteers as a couple of our folks dropped off the committee this year—if you have some free time and can help out, please let me know.  I guarantee you’ll have a blast!

The 2012 Market is scheduled to begin in June and run through September on Saturday mornings in downtown Tipp City. We’ll feature fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and other items from a great group of vendors. See you at the Market!

It’s hard to believe, but our happy group has already started meeting about this year’s Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market.  Going into our sixth season (can you believe it?), we’re gearing up to distribute Application Packets to our past vendors and anyone new interested in setting up and selling foods or other items at our Market.  I’ll have more news as it becomes available, but for now you can check out the website at www.tippecanoefarmersmarket.com, which lists all of last year’s vendors, along with the 2011 Application and the rules for being part of the Market.  I don’t think the application will change much, but wait until we post the 2012 one before your fill it out and submit it.  No need to do things twice!

If you know anyone interested in vending, or are interested yourself, please contact me and we’ll get you on the list for an application.  We’re also looking for volunteers, especially to help us set up and break down the Market each week. Interested in helping out? Want to meet some new people and get involved in the community? We could use you!

Troy McDonalds to Be Torn Down

Not sure if anyone else saw this, but the McDonalds in Troy near the highway (it’s just off the exit where you get off to go to Wal-Mart and the other stores) is being torn down at the end of the month!

On March 31, the restaurant will be closed so that it can be razed and rebuilt, with reopening projected for late June, according to Ken Roosa, operations director of The Scott Family McDonald’s, the restaurant’s franchisee.

The new restaurant will reportedly sport a double-lane drive-through and an updated, contemporary dining area.  They hope to have the new restaurant ready to open in late June, but a press release stated that the precise opening date is dependent on weather and other variables. The Piqua-based Scott Family McDonald’s operates 14 restaurants in Piqua, Sidney, Greenville, Troy, Tipp City, Huber Heights and Fairborn.

Mayor Drops the Puck at Gems Game

I didn’t see this happen, but I read about it on Tipp News Daily, a great news website run by my friend Mike McDermott:

“Mayor Dee Gillis dropped the ceremonial puck on Sunday afternoon during Tipp City Community Night at the Dayton Gems. Several members of the team and staff jokingly requested Mayor Gillis to drop the puck during every game next season as in this foray, the Dayton Gems scored more points (9-1) than any game of the season this year. Photographer Andrea Nay was at the game to capture the action on the ice.”

The Get Social Show is Back!

The Get Social! Radio Show is back on the air again after taking almost a whole year off.  Mike McDermott and I took some time off to pursue our other myriad interests– I wrote a couple of books, and Mike ran for and won a City Council seat—but we’re back on the air on Fridays at noon now, airing live on our website.

Mike McDermott and I host the weekly radio show, where we cover a variety of Tipp City-related topics, including local guests, funny stories and commentary (at least we hope it’s funny), and a round-up of local events and activities.

Check out the website at www.getsocialradio.com – it’s got a calendar for information on upcoming shows and guests, along with the Listen Live option that broadcasts the show directly to your computer when we’re on the air.

Check In With Me

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk?” Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and drop me a line using the “Contact Me” page. And don’t worry—I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City, Ohio by Greg Enslen

Farewell, Sgt. Mauro

Every week, the first thing I do when I pick up the Tippecanoe Gazette is flip to the Police Blotter and read the lengthy and excellent article written by Sgt. Mauro.  I enjoy reading about what’s going on in Tipp City and what challenges the local police force is facing on a daily basis to keep us safe and sound here in Tipp.

I’m glad that Sgt. Mauro is staying on to continue writing the column—I don’t know what I’d do without his wit and banter about some of the crazy situations and hi-jinks that happen around town.  And when tragedy strikes, such as the tragic death last week of the woman out north of town, it’s good to hear from the police how things transpired.

I was concerned to read about the youth who threatened the High School Principal last week, making “threatening moves” and telling people that he was interested in harming him.  But as I went on and read more of the article, I understood a crucial fact about small towns and small-town police forces—they knew who this kid was, and held dealt with him on multiple occasions, and for some reason that made me feel safer and more confident that the situation would be handled expertly and rationally.  I read about incidents happening in other cities and towns and I have to think that a history between this kid and our local law enforcement is a good thing—it could serve to calm nerves and keep the situation from getting out of hand.

It also helps that the police know this kid and it sounds like they have been working with the kid and his family over the past few years.

Skate Park Needs Update?

Do we need to update the skate park ramps in Kyle Park? Tipp City resident skateboard guru Cody Rowlands was in front of the Parks Board last week looking for support in his quest to get the Kyle Park skate area upgraded or updated.  I personally never see any skateboarders on that equipment—usually it’s just little kids playing on it and sliding around.  And I personally find the equipment a little “sharp and rusty” for my kids—on the rare occasions they play on it, I watch them carefully.  I’m not sure how old the equipment is or what needs to be done about it, but I’m happy to hear kids and youth engaging with the City folks to get their voice heard.  Go Cody!

Tippecanoe Farmer’s Market Needs Help

The Market Committee got together last week and started the process of distributing the 2012 Application Packets, so drop me a line if you want one.  And we REALLY need volunteers as a couple of our folks dropped off the committee this year—if you have some free time and can help out, please let me know.  I guarantee you’ll have a blast!

It’s hard to believe, but our happy group has already started meeting about this year’s Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market.  Going into our sixth season (can you believe it?), we’re gearing up to distribute Application Packets to our past vendors and anyone new interested in setting up and selling foods or other items at our Market.  I’ll have more news as it becomes available, but for now you can check out the website at www.tippecanoefarmersmarket.com, which lists all of last year’s vendors, along with the 2011 Application and the rules for being part of the Market.  I don’t think the application will change much, but wait until we post the 2012 one before your fill it out and submit it.  No need to do things twice!

If you know anyone interested in vending, or are interested yourself, please contact me and we’ll get you on the list for an application.  We’re also looking for volunteers, especially to help us set up and break down the Market each week. Interested in helping out? Want to meet some new people and get involved in the community? We could use you!

The 2012 Market is scheduled to begin in June and run through September on Saturday mornings in downtown Tipp City. We’ll feature fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and other items from a great group of vendors. See you at the Market!

The Get Social Show is Back!

The Get Social! Radio Show is back on the air again after taking almost a whole year off.  Mike McDermott and I took some time off to pursue our other myriad interests– I wrote a couple of books, and Mike ran for and won a City Council seat—but we’re back on the air on Fridays at noon now, airing live on our website.

Mike McDermott and I host the weekly radio show, where we cover a variety of Tipp City-related topics, including local guests, funny stories and commentary (at least we hope it’s funny), and a round-up of local events and activities.

Check out the website at www.getsocialradio.com – it’s got a calendar for information on upcoming shows and guests, along with the Listen Live option that broadcasts the show directly to your computer when we’re on the air.

We’re also gearing up for more guests and are looking for folks from local businesses and groups to come on the show. Interested in being a guest? Use the “Contact Me” page at my website (see below) and let us know what you’d like to cover and we’ll try to get you booked.

Check In With Me

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk?” Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and drop me a line using the “Contact Me” page. And don’t worry—I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City, Ohio by Greg Enslen

Tippecanoe Farmer’s Market Planning Underway!

It’s hard to believe, but our happy group has already started meeting about this year’s Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market.  Going into our sixth season (can you believe it?), we’re gearing up to distribute Application Packets to our past vendors and anyone new interested in setting up and selling foods or other items at our Market.  I’ll have more news as it becomes available, but for now you can check out the website at www.tippecanoefarmersmarket.com, which lists all of last year’s vendors, along with the 2011 Application and the rules for being part of the Market.  I don’t think the application will change much, but wait until we post the 2012 one before your fill it out and submit it.  No need to do things twice!

If you know anyone interested in vending, or are interested yourself, please contact me and we’ll get you on the list for an application.  We’re also looking for volunteers, especially to help us set up and break down the Market each week. Interested in helping out? Want to meet some new people and get involved in the community? We could use you!

Last year we significantly reduced the cost of selling at the Market—now there’s a flat fee to “join the Market,” and we eliminated the weekly percentage.  Once you join, you can sell as often as you want – hopefully every week! The 2012 Market is scheduled to begin in June and run through September on Saturday mornings in downtown Tipp City. We’ll feature fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and other items from a great group of vendors. See you at the Market!

Quarter Auction This Sunday

The great folks at Main Street Preschool are holding their second annual Quarter Auction This Sunday from 2 pm to 4 pm to support ongoing school needs.

Admission tickets are available now for only $2 at the preschool office and at the door on Sunday. The information I have says that along with your admission ticket you’ll get an bidding paddle, which you will to use to “bid” on items you never dreamed of for a quarter or few.  Bring your friends and your quarters!

Vendors will include Pampered Chef, Longaberger Baskets, Scentsy, Tastefully Simple, Thirty-One Gifts, Treat of the Town, Tupperware, Massage Therapy, Mary Kay, Premier Jewelry, and Thirty-One Gifts.

The Tipp City United Methodist Church is located at the corner of Main & 3rd Streets in beautiful downtown Tipp City.  Doors will open at 1:30 pm, and the auction will run from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. If you have questions, please call the Main Street Preschool at 669-4707.

The Get Social Show is Back!

The Get Social! Radio Show is back on the air again after taking almost a whole year off.  Mike McDermott and I took some time off to pursue our other myriad interests– I wrote a couple of books, and Mike ran for and won a City Council seat—but we’re back on the air on Fridays at noon now, airing live on our website.

Mike McDermott and I host the weekly radio show, where we cover a variety of Tipp City-related topics, including local guests, funny stories and commentary (at least we hope it’s funny), and a round-up of local events and activities.

Check out the website at www.getsocialradio.com – it’s got a calendar for information on upcoming shows and guests, along with the Listen Live option that broadcasts the show directly to your computer when we’re on the air.

We’re also gearing up for more guests and are looking for folks from local businesses and groups to come on the show. Interested in being a guest? Use the “Contact Me” page at my website (see below) and let us know what you’d like to cover and we’ll try to get you booked.

Check In With Me

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk?” Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and drop me a line using the “Contact Me” page. And don’t worry—I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City, Ohio by Greg Enslen

Tipp City Area Community Foundations    

The Distribution Committee of the Tipp Area Community Foundations held their quarterly meeting in December and awarded over $24,000 in grants to six different local and area organizations. Since 1943, the Foundation has been awarding grants to local and area organizations.

Groups that received grants last quarter included:

• the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, in support of their efforts to bring music into Tipp City schools, including classroom lessons and concerts;
• Tipp Monroe Community Services, in support of their Band Instruments Program, which provides instruments for students who  might otherwise not be able to afford to play’;
• Tipp City Area Arts Council, in support of their program to bring more music to the downtown with their Canal Music Festival; and
• We Care Arts, which funds two separate programs for students with disabilities “with the goal of alleviating the isolation and boredom that some of these students feel.”

Other groups that received smaller grants included Bethel Local Schools, the Indian Creek 4-H Club, Miami County Recovery Council, and Tipp City Exempted Village Schools.

Thanks to the foundation, its board members, and its donors for continuing to make such a positive and important contribution to our community.

Tipp City TV

Every wish you could watch TV shows dedicated to Tipp City, or enjoy old episodes of the Get Social Show?  At TippCityTV.com, I’ve created what is essentially a 24-hour TV station dedicated to Tipp City. I uploaded a smattering of Tipp City videos and other segments.  I’ve also included some old movies and TV shows, and added pages for up-to-date news and weather.

Speaking of TV

There is some really good TV coming back in mid-January, including a few shows that I’m very excited about:

• 30 Rock (January 12) – Back for season six, Liz Lemon has a secret.  She’s relaxed and happy, so naturally everyone on the set of the fictional “Girlie Show with Tracy Jordan” is worried about her.  Hey, it’s New York – happy is just unnatural, right? Oh, and Jenna signs up to judge an American-Idol style show.  Sign me up.
• Undercover Boss (January 15) – I love this show, if only to see CEOs of major corporations picking lettuce or trying to learn how to drive forklifts.  A classic fish-out-of-water exercise.
• Justified (January 17) – you do not want to be a criminal around U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens.  He thinks he’s a cowboy, but he also thinks he’s personally in charge of making the world a better place, so criminals and deadbeats and anyone he doesn’t like would be best served by moving to another state.  Returning to his home town after serving for years in other parts of the country, Raylan has reconnected with family and friends but found an interesting foil in childhood friend .  And last year’s stunning cliffhanger, with a long moment where Raylan shared a drink with a criminal and we waited to find out which glass had been poisoned, highlighted the amazing writing on this show.  If you like good writing—I’m talking to you, Breaking Bad/Sopranos/Deadwood fans—you will love this show and end up going back and ordering all of the old episodes from NetFlix.
• Royal Pains (January 18) – this show about a concierge doctor and his practice in the sunny Hamptons is the perfect anti-dote for cold weather.  Hank Lawson and his brother Evan run the kind of doctor’s practice that used to be common—he makes housecalls! Of course, his clients can afford it, but Hank still manages to run into some crazy diagnoses.  Check out the show for the gorgeous locations shots and stay for the characters, especially Divia, Hank’s physician assistant.
• American Idol (January 18) – Last year was interesting, with Simon gone and two new faces in Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler joining Randy Jackson in the “let’s find a star” juggernaut show.  This is the 11^th season, so it will be interesting to see if they can keep the audience that tuned in last year, expecting a train wreck, only to find a panel of judges that jelled surprisingly fast.  Now if they could only find an actual American Idol – it’s been a long time since they found an outstanding singer.  And isn’t that what the show is supposed to be about?
• Smash (February 6) – starring Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston and American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee, this tune-filled drama explores the harried launch of a Broadway show and the players involved, each fighting for a moment in the spotlight.  I don’t usually enjoy musicals but this looks good—I love behind-the-scenes shows.
• The River (February 7) – ABC is taking a crack at the horror/suspense crowd with this thriller about a famous explorer who goes missing in the Amazon.  His wife and son set out with a documentary crew to find the explorer, but everything is not as it seems along the dark river.  It’s supposed to be scary and suspenseful, which I like, as opposed to gory and bloody (I’m talking to you, Walking Dead – come on!), which I do not like.  Check out the trailer on ABC.com and get some sleep now…while you still can.

Ginghamsburg Church Hosts Family Flick

The folks out at Ginghamsburg Church are hosting a Family Flick Night on January 20, when they’ll be presenting the family animated movie “Rio.” Admission is free, but they ask that you help support their New Path Food Pantry by bringing along a canned food item as a donation for each person in your group.

If you have questions, please see the church website at www.ginghamsburg.org or call Kelly Flora at 667-1069, extension 260.

Check In With Me

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk?” Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and drop me a line using the “Contact Me” page. And don’t worry—I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City, Ohio by Greg Enslen

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas was great at the Enslens—we had Sam’s aunt and uncle in from New York City and enjoyed several days of decadent meals, gift exchanges, and just hanging out. I was the happy recipient of both a copy of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and a sweet blue lava lamp for my office. Sam got books and one of those make-your-own charm bracelets they carry at Hapinstance. Xander got Hex Bugs, and Anna and Katie got Zoobles, so all was right with the world.

New Year’s was a blast as we partied at my friend Diana’s house to celebrate the New Year. I made chili, which seemed to be a big hit, and we all hung out and played with kids and swapped stories while we waited for the big ball to drop. Thanks to our gracious hosts for having us over—it was a privilege, counting down the New Year with you.

We also made a conscious decision this year to put the Christmas decorations up early and leave them up late, so the tree and all of our Santas and pine trees are still out and about. I’m not in any hurry to pack away all our decorations just yet—it seems that the Christmas season comes and goes so fast already. Why hurry it along?

Sam decided this year that her business, Dragonfly Editorial, would give a donation to a worthwhile charity in lieu of gifts to staff and clients. They donated to Mira’s Movement, a nonprofit that supports families of children who have been diagnosed with cancer.

Two years ago, our good friends Chris and Christine Brouwer lost their four-year-old daughter Mira to pediatric ependymoma, a form of cancer that arises in the central nervous system. They created Mira’s Movement to help other families facing the same crisis. If you’d like to learn more about this organization or make a donation yourself, visit www.mirasmovement.org.

Resolutions

Anyone have any good resolutions so far this year? I know most people are going to go with the standard ones, like “lose some weight” or “promote world peace.” I’m shooting a little lower this year: I want to go for more walks and finish reading all the books on my bedside table. And I’d like to write and publish at least two books.

Display Gardens Filled with Roses?

Last year, Garden’s Alive/Springhill Nurseries bought a California company named Weeks Roses. Weeks is a wholesale grower of roses and has been doing so in their Wasco, California, location since 1938. “In addition to their rose lines, Weeks also offers a premium selection of edible fruit and ornamental trees,” their catalog says.

Why do I mention an acquisition that took place last May? Well, I don’t know if anyone will remember me mentioning last fall that Springhill had removed their massive test gardens that stretched along South Hyatt. I was seriously bummed to see them ripping out all those plants, shrubs, and trees.

Well, I have it on good authority that the space was cleared to make room for a Weeks Roses test garden. That’s right, soon there could be a massive rose garden planted along Hyatt Street featuring tens of thousands of roses. Wow.

Tipp City TV

Every wish you could watch TV shows dedicated to Tipp City, or enjoy old episodes of the Get Social Show, which starred me and my friend and City Councilman Mike McDermott? Well, over the Christmas break, I was trying to figure out how to upload our Get Social videos to the Internet where everyone could enjoy them. Unfortunately, YouTube limits their uploads to 15-minute segments, so I was going to have to chop up all of the shows into smaller pieces, making for a lot more work.

I finally found a solution that lets me upload entire episodes and, even better, puts the shows and other videos in rotation on a website that anyone can access. At TippCityTV.com, I’ve created what is essentially a 24-hour TV station dedicated to Tipp City.

In addition to old Get Social episodes, I also uploaded a smattering of Tipp City videos, including Matt Spangler’s narrated Opera House tour, the Tipp City Resume video created by the city in 2004 to encourage businesses to relocate here, Bucher’s Beat appearances at Winter’s Gatherings past, and a story that Fox 45 ran on the opening of the Big Robot Game Café.

I’m looking for more videos and for suggestion—what would you like to see on the channel? I’m also hoping people will send me videos or upload them and let me know about it.

In addition to the 24-hour channel, all of the clips and shows are available in a Video Library on the same page. If you’re hankering to hear Mike and I talk about the time Touchdown Jesus caught fire and burned down, just go to “Get Social Episodes,” find the right show, and hit “Play.” It will replace the live station with your selection—and go back to the live channel when it’s finished.

Ginghamsburg Church Hosts Family Flick

The folks out at Ginghamsburg Church are hosting a Family Flick Night on January 20, when they’ll be presenting the family animated movie “Rio.” Admission is free, but they ask that you help support their New Path Food Pantry by bringing along a canned food item as a donation for each person in your group.

And they’re inviting everyone to show up in the PJs! “Bring a blanket, pillow and your camera, as this promises to be a night you’ll never forget!” They will also be selling pizza at a nominal cost. If you have questions, please see the church website at www.ginghamsburg.org or call Kelly Flora at 667-1069, extension 260.

Check In With Me

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk?” Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and drop me a line using the “Contact Me” page. And don’t worry—I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

From Greg Enslen.com:
A Winter’s Yuletide Gathering in Tipp

This past weekend, shopkeepers and shoppers alike celebrated the Winter’s Yuletide Gathering in downtown Tipp City. Hundreds of shoppers came out to visit the multitude of shops and restaurants offering specials, discounts, and holiday-themed treats and surprises. I have to say, parking around my house was a mess on both Saturday and Sunday, and that’s always a good sign! The weather was great, and it was nice to see the downtown full of shoppers, carolers, and volunteers.

And a tip of the hat to the Downtown Tipp City Partnership for keeping this tradition alive—two years ago, the event was in danger of being canceled, but the DTCP and merchants stepped in with only two weeks’ notice and salvaged the event. I have to say, it’s been a success!

Why are Tipp Stores Closed on Sundays?

Something that drives me crazy about downtown Tipp City is the fact that so few shops are open on Sundays—often, I’ll be walking downtown on Sundays and it looks like a ghost town. I understand that being closed two days a week is a necessity for family-run shops, but I still feel that shopkeepers are missing out on a golden opportunity.

Of course, I have a horrible track record on this topic—I ran the Big Robot Game Café for almost three years, and we were open on Sundays for most of that time, but we were targeting students, so it made sense to be open when school was not in session. That being said, my shop was one of the few open on Sundays, which always confused me. Lots of people are downtown on Sundays to attend one of the three or four downtown churches or to enjoy breakfast at Sam and Ethel’s or a nice lunch at Harrison’s. Doesn’t it make sense that church-goers or diners might be strolling around the downtown and pop into a shop or two while they’re here? Of course, my business failed, so I’m probably not the best source for advice on this topic.

That’s what happened to Sam last week—she was shopping in Urban Ava last Sunday and heard the woman in front of her ask the shop employee “Why aren’t any of the other shops open on Sundays?” The employee replied that “I’m not sure,” to which the shopper answered “I think the Hotel Gallery is the only other place. It’s such a cute town; I don’t know why they don’t take advantage of it.”

There you have it—out of town shoppers wanting to spend money but having only a few shops to visit.

NaNoWriMo Update

Here’s another quick update on my NaNoWriMo writing competition—it’s been a pretty rough week around the Enslen house, but I’ve tried to soldier through and “stay on target,” as Wedge Antilles would say. Its 14 days into the month and my word count is up to 24,465 words, or approximately 1,725 words a day. I’m on page 61. If you check out my website, there’s a cute little picture on the front page that shows my progress—sadly, I have a couple red and orange days where I didn’t manage to write the daily minimum word goal of 1,667 words a day.

I’ve heard from a couple of people about NaNoWriMo, including Jim, a regular reader, who wanted to know if there were any tricks to writing that many words per day. I have three answers for you, Jim:

Ø First, I think that the NaNoWriMo folks specifically set a high daily word count because they are trying to emphasize just getting words down on paper. The only way you can write that many words in one day is to set your “inner critic” aside and just get down a very rough first draft.

Ø Second, I may have a bit of advantage this time around because the book I’m writing is one I’ve been thinking about for a long time—much of the plot has been rattling around inside my brain for a while now.

Ø Third, I do have to say that I don’t think most professional novelists write this many words a day. I think they write a smaller amount, and focus more on getting them “right” the first time.

If you’d like to follow along with my progress (or cajole me on days when I miss my target), check out my website at www.gregenslen.com or catch me on Facebook. And wish me luck!

Early Thanksgiving on the Get Social Show

This week on the Get Social Show, Tipp’s only live TV show, Bill Johnson from Bob Evans showed off their Family Thanksgiving Feast, a massive spread of food available for purchase if you’re just not in the mood to cook a Thanksgiving spread—or if you suddenly find the house full of guests! The Enslen household also took advantage of a donation service whereby you can purchase one of these holiday feasts and donate it to a needy family—and Bob Evans handles everything. You even get your own little gift basket brought to your door as a thank-you!

Recent guests on the show have been Bill Beagle, recently elected State Senator for Ohio’s 5^th district, Mike Woody, folks from the Tipp Arts Council, Doggone Pet Rescue, the Midnight Shadows Paranormal Society, and the Tipp Farmers’ Market.

If you’re interested in watching the show film live, drop by the KIT-TV studio on Thursday night just before 7pm—we’re off the next two weeks but will be back in the studio on December 2. For more information, check out our website at www.getsocialradio.com.

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and use the “Contact Me” page to let me know what you’re thinking. And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Nom...nom...nom!

Election Results

I’m excited to say that my friend Bill Beagle, running against incumbent Fred Strahorn, won in his bid to become the next State Senator from Ohio’s 5th district. It’s neat, thinking about someone from Tipp City sitting up there in Columbus, working on state-wide issues. I was watching the returns and, early on, it didn’t look like it was going well for Bill. On TippNews Daily, Bill said “I knew that the first results were going to not swing our way, but over time we saw some more positive results for the evening. We expected a close race, we knew that we would have to wait until every vote was counted, but we knew that our hard work was going to pay off.”

Very cool. I just hope he has time to get back into my fantasy football league—then I’ll REALLY be rubbing elbows with famous people!

Tippecanoe Christmas in Village

Planning for the Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village team has been in full swing for several months–led by Heather Bailey, the group has volunteered to focus on making the historic tour of homes event another beautiful day in downtown Tipp City. Each person is leading specific details of the event including homeowner relations, tickets, entertainment, and flair. “We are excited to continue preserving this long standing Tipp City tradition,” says Ms. Bailey. “This event is very important to our community.” The 2010 Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village home tour will be on held on Saturday, December 4 from 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. Those attending will see 10 beautifully decorated homes full of holiday spirit and elegant style.
Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village is presented by the Downtown Tipp City Partnership and Tipp Monroe Community Services. Thank you to Re/Max Professionals and Willowtree Inn for their gracious support. For more information on Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village, please visit www.visittippcity.org/citv or call Tipp Monroe Community Services at 937.667.8631.

Downtown Partnership Seeks Ideas and Input

The Downtown Tipp City Partnership, a group of business owners, government officials, and residents interested in promoting our downtown, will be holding their regular monthly meeting next Tuesday morning, November 16, at 9 am at the Tipp Monroe Community Services building. The DTCP is looking for input and suggestions as they put together a series of events for the winter and spring months in Tipp City. If you have ideas or just want to get involved in a great organization that sponsors programs such as the Tippecanoe Canal Jumpers, Tippecanoe HarvestFest, and the Facade Improvement Program, please drop by. We love guests!

Thanksgiving on the Get Social Show

Next week on the Get Social Show, Tipp’s only live TV show, Bill Johnson from Bob Evans will be showing off their Family Thanksgiving Feast, a massive spread of food available for purchase if you’re just not in the mood to cook a Thanksgiving spread—or if you suddenly find the house full of guests!
This past week, Bill featured the new Bob Evans line of Big Farm Burgers, and there was enough food to feed us AND the studio audience! Recent guests on the show have been Bill Beagle, recently elected State Senator for Ohio’s 5th district, along with Mike Woody and folks from the Tipp Arts Council, Doggone Pet Rescue, the Midnight Shadows Paranormal Society and the Tipp Farmers’ Market.
If you’re interested in watching the show film LIVE, drop by the KIT-TV studio on Thursday night just before 7pm. We broadcast live on KIT-TV, Channel 5 on Time Warner Cable, so tune in and watch! After next week’s LIVE show, we’ll be off for two weeks but KIT-TV will show repeats. For more information on the Get Social! Show, check out our website at www.getsocialradio.com.

NaNoWriMo Update

Last week I wrote about my participation this year in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a writing competition that runs for the month of November each year. The goal is simple – write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. In addition to this column, I’ve written two books (I published one in 2003 and have another one coming out soon) and have several others in various stages of completion, but it’s always difficult to carve time out of a busy day to write. The folks at NaNoWriMo have a saying to get people to write–it’s all about quantity, not quality, during the month of November. Writers are encouraged to write as much as they can, good or bad, and save the editing for another time.
I’m four days in and I’m proud to say that I’ve hit the word goal (approximately 1,667 words a day, or about four pages) every day on work on my third book. If I can stay on target, by the end of November I’ll have something that approximates a VERY rough draft of a 200-page book about a physicist who, if he can complete construction on his machine, may be able to prevent 9-11 from ever happening and, at the same time, save his family.
As for needing the house silent, I’m working on that—having a deadline, and a very public one at that, focuses the mind. If you’d like to follow along with my progress (or cajole me for missing a day or two, which I’m sure will happen eventually), check out my personal website at www.gregenslen.com or catch me on Facebook. And wish me luck!

Tipp’s Bermuda Triangle?

Anyone hear anything about this item yet, which I mentioned a few weeks ago? Things are disappearing in an area of Tipp City and mysterious forces are at work, but so far no airplanes or boats have gone missing – it seems there’s been a rash of car burglaries in Tipp City! During daytime hours, vehicles are being broken into in the area of the Shroeder Temnis Center, the gymnastics facility and Menard’s parking lots. My wife was playing a match last Thursday at 1pm and her opponent’s car was broken into during the game – talk about bad luck!

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Visit my website at www.gregenslen.com and use the “Contact Me” page to let me know what you’re thinking. And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Army Strong on Get Social!

Mike and Greg welcomed United States Army recruiter Sergeant Robert Dodge to the set of the Get Social Show today to chat about Army recruiting and the “other” side of life in Iraq (Sgt. Dodge served two tours of duty in Iraq in forward reconnaissance)

Sgt. Dodge shared that the most memorable part of serving in Iraq was observing the stark difference in the country from when he arrived (early on in the conflict) to when he left. Initially the Iraqi people were afraid that we (the US) were going to change their way of life, stop them from practicing their religion, etc. When they saw that we were just there to keep the peace, repair the damage and restore order they welcomed our participation.

Listen in to the whole show for our 40 minute interview of Sgt. Dodge or catch the replay on KIT-TV Channel 5 Thursday at 9PM, Saturday at Noon or Monday at Noon.