Well, Joyce and I just got back yesterday from 11 days in Orlando...that last one unplanned due to the "Blizzard of '09" that messed up air travel on the East Coast Saturday. We did the usual Disney, SeaWorld and Universal stuff, but the first day we arrived we drove down to meet Rick (RickF) and his wife Jan at their home in Vero Beach.

Left to right are Rick, Jan, Joyce and myself (sporting a new, unintentional crew cut!):




Rick is the first Axiomite I've had the pleasure to meet, but hopefully not the last. I guess that's dependant upon whether he's figured out that I took $10 from his wallet while he left it on the table after we all enjoyed a bottle of ummmm, ummmm, good mustard!

Seriously, Rick (and Jan!) are as great as you would expect after reading the posts here. They have a beautiful, beautiful home and are among the most welcoming, easygoing people I've ever met. We went out to the restaurant pictured above for some lunch and went back to their house after for some more talk and some listening. If was my first time hearing M80s and, combined with their EP600, was simply awesome!

Unfortunately, Joyce and I had been up since 3am the previous night and had a two-hour ride back through an unfamiliar area to get to our hotel in Orlando, so the time spent together wasn't nearly as long as I would have liked. They're just plain 'ole good folks, and I could have talked for hours more!

Anyway, I'm still exhausted from the trip, and haven't caught up here, but that will have to be tomorrow or the next day. I DID want to post this, though, as I know I always enjoy reading about other Axiomites getting together.

I still think we all need some sort of get together en masse!

Nice to see ya got to meet Rick and Jan. The wife and I had the pleasure to meet them a couple years back. You're right Mark, they are two wonderful people.

What a nice looking bunch. Looks like you are all having a nice time there.

Hmmm, how does one manage an unintentional crew cut, Mark?

Glad you guys got a chance to spend some time together. De-virtualizing Axiom friendships as always a good time.:)

So when's the east coast meetup?

Wonderful! I'm very jealous! The absence of beer on that table gives me the creeps, though.

Looking forward to meeting many more Axiom friends, including your ilk. I think I've met 12 of you now, but I might be missing somebody.

Very cool, you guys! Sounds like it was a wonderful get together.

Mark, so. . . are you gonna share the story about your unintentional crew cut?

Tom, there was beer, I just don't remember if the photo was before or after!

The Unintentional Crew Cut (great name for a band, btw):

A month or so ago I got my hair cut a little shorter and got rid of the part. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to it, but I was beginning to like it and wanted it trimmed before vacation. I go to the same barber, we talk about how I got it cut different that last time and that I just wanted a trim to neaten it up. Well, evidently, he didn't remember because he put a comb attachment/clipper guard/whatever you call it on his hair clipper and swiped it down the side of my head to get started. I immediately knew it was much shorter than the other cut he gave me, but it was also immediately apparent that there was no going back, so I never said anything and just let him keep going.

That my friends, is the exciting story of The Unintentional Crew Cut. Telling the story to your children on Christmas Eve will likely become tradition in your family through the years, so feel free to bookmark this post to reference.

It's very gratifying to see that photo. Always good to see Axiomites getting together. Of course, that photo is also frustrating cuz you're all in short sleeves, sitting by the ocean, with lots of sun around. Currently, short sleeves, ocean and sun are not part of my world.

You dudes look like you've been pumping some iron.

Steaks have a lot of iron.

LOL! Mark, I've been in that kinda situation before where you know the haircut has taken a dramatic turn. Yeah, you can get mad and all that stuff, but it ain't gonna help the hair grow back quicker!

My current haircut isn't one of my better ones.

Nice spectacles.

At least it's low maintenance?

When I get my haircut shorter than 2", it goes "BOING"!!


Err....What I mean is, my hair sticks up.

I leave that one for Peter

Then it would be a Peter joke, right?

Oh yeah, don't know how I missed this thread until now. Thanks for sharing, Mark, and let us know when you've arranged the east coast meet up!

I found the Farmer's home to be entirely much too close to a beautiful sandy beach for my tastes. Ya, right…. You suck Richard.

The photo had to have been after the beer Mark ... remember the glasses were brought *full*?

It was a great pleasure for Jan and I to meet both Mark and Joyce, two of the friendliest and warm people anybody could ever meet and hopefully in due time some of you folks here will have the opportunity to do so. We really enjoyed the visit Mark and you both are more than welcome to our home anytime. Mark I want to thank you for taking the time away from your vacation to make the drive over, that was quite a gesture!

Everybody I've met from here on the boards has been truly wonderful people ... even Mike! It would really be cool to be able to do an Axiomite gathering of some sorts one day.

How about Jan 30, 2010, my house, I can always use some help moving into the new place

Sounds great Jay, would I have to bring my sweatshirt? I do have a jacket if you think I'll need to bring that also.

No jackets necessary it is 7F outside right now, T-shirt weather

Have the trees changed colour in Calgary yet, Jay?

That's it, the wife and I are heading down to Vero Beach.

Wid, you and the wife gonna tag along?

We'll pick you up.

Yes, everything is lovely shade of white

I'll be ready, just don't expect me to drive. I hate driving.

Ok, I'll drive or you'll have to meet us at O'hare and we'll fly the rest of the way.

How about if Axiom has a 30th anniversary party next year, we all show up?

I like the sound of that!

::ding...dong::

Ian(opens door): "Yes?"

Peter: "Hi...uh, Ian? I'm Peter."

Ian: "Peter?"

Peter: "From the forum....uh, I'm, I mean, we're here for the 30th anniversary of Axiom party!"

Ian: "Party? 'we'?"(opens door some more and sees Mark, Randy, 2 Ricks, JohnK, Jay, Fred, Cam, JP......)

Bbigwyrrs: " WaRe Kan i park my RIGG? iz the frunt lawn OK?"

Ian probably has nightmares about that...

We all have nightmares about Peter showing up at our door. . .

I have come to suck ... your bottles dry.

:::runs away!!:::






:::trips over Mark:::

A terrifying threat indeed, Peter, against which my crucifix would furnish no protection. You'd simply make the sign of the cross with one hand while continuing to guzzle with the other.

::wishing Sean wasn't faster than me, but realizing I should have known that it will likely be the case because he's younger and thinner than me. Yet my legs are in great shape if I do say so myself, especially after all that walking at Disney. I mean, come on, after all those blisters, you'd think that maybe I could outrun Sean to get away from Peter...but who knows. Maybe Sean has been walking or running to the point of where he's had blisters too. There's really no way of me knowing, and there's still that younger and thinner thing. Crap. He just ran past me. I guess I should have been running and not over-thinking it::

Well, it's not that I'm faster, it's just that those Mickey Mouse ears your wearing aren't that aerodynamic.

Yeah - I'm thinkin' it was mostly 12 ounce curls! Lots of them.

I've met several Axiom folks over the years and ALWAYS find them to be nice people. Well, OK, there WAS the time I had a few beers with Pete.....

I'm surprised that there aren't more Axiom GTGs (get-togethers) involving 15, 20, 30 people at some one's house. I've been to several of those types of things and they are always enjoyable.

OK - GTG at Mark's in May. 5/16, starts at 11 AM. Everyone is invited.

I'll be a little late, but I'll be there.

I knew there was a reason I drink left-handed!