November meeting re-cap and minutes

The November meeting was modestly attended - in particular we missed our regular Sargent at Arms as well as our Hospitality Chair - our waitress, Deb, specifically inquired after the "cookie lady" so just so you know, Rosemarie, you are a little bit famous now.

The meeting was brief but effective and, in keeping with the previously noted trend, uncontentious. 

Matters of note:

Dana only has 2 people signed up for the Education weekend. There's going to be an introductory masterkey class and an in-depth safe certification prep class - but only if we get participants. The registration forms are on the website (click the tab above for the Learning Curve).

Mike Sullivan may organize another prison tour at Oak Park Heights. There's no date yet as interest is still being guaged so if you think you would like to attend let us know (for now you can drop a line to mnaloa(at)gmail).  This is a rare opportunity to see detention hardware in the field and learn about the job of a locksmith at a supermax prison facility.  In the past the tour has been conducted on a Saturday and pre-registration is required (you must supply your name, birthdate and drivers license number).

The education presentation was very good, as usual, with Mark Lundblad delivering quite a lot of information very efficiently - summarized below the break.

Reminder! Meeting this Wednesday, November 6, 6 pm, O'Gara's Bar & Grill, St Paul, MN

*Particulars*

Come to the meeting!  Stay for the education!  Mark Lundblad is doing a slide show presentation on antique lock tools (and will probably have a few actual items on hand).  It's going to be great!

Friday, November 1 Door Knob of the Day

The whole wide world awaits you.

There's that thing with door knobs that if you stare up at one long enough, it will open.  Dogs and cats know it - it's really their only recourse if there is no pet-flap - they must be furry little Yuri Gellars, willing the knob to turn, turn, turn until it does! Never mind there always seems to be a person attached to one side or the other when this happens - we should count our blessings that they leave the spoons alone.

There are no dogs or cats in this house - but there are 2 little boys.  They figured out door knobs as soon as they could reach them, but haven't got the keyed deadbolt yet - so this particular door knob is still the recipient of a certain daily dividend of longing gazes.

It's good to get down in front of a door knob now and then to recall that time in our lives when this was an obstacle that was nigh insurmountable*.

On the floor in front of a door knob is also a really great place to review - what's out there?

Grass, rocks, bugs, dirt, adventure, sun, sky, weather, traffic, swingsets, lawn mowers, sheep, lawn darts, danger, dog poop, bocce, holes, thorns, parties, skateboards, bonfires, rain, trees, lakes, Slow Construction Zones, steep hills, ragweed, flora, fauna, fowl, wind, wastewater treatment faclilities, bus stops, rainbows, shopping malls, oceans, airplanes, elephants, ducks, puddles, sidewalks, ditches, ball fields, fences, butterflies, florists, cemetaries, drug stores, potholes, potheads, train tracks, thickets, rabbits, valets, schools, hi-rises, underground bunkers, ice rinks, manhole covers, nematodes, sunsets, corn fields, waterfalls, speed traps, alpine slides, neonatal intensive care units, pigeons, sewers, stars, escalators, hot dog vendors, squirrels, strange smells, lightning, shrubberies, post boxes, curbs, herons, moss, bakeries, libraries, continents, antilock brakes, street lamps, manatees, rugby pitches, precipitous drops, roses, circuses, planets, geese, gravel, tulips, stop lights, happly little trees, cess pools, parking lots, operas, laundromats, toll booths, hammocks, mountains.

Sometimes, sitting on the floor looking up at the door knob is a really great place to be.



*Before we became locksmiths, hah!