Digital Print Ink - September 2019

SEPT 2019

40 YEARS AND COUNTING

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LESSONS FROM THE GRIDIRON E very Sunday in the fall growing up, my brothers and I would trek two miles to our neighbor’s house, where a big field would be waiting for our weekly Sunday gridiron battles. One year notable of these teachers was Mrs. Lee, my third and fifth grade teacher. I like to say I was lucky

What Football and School Taught Me About Being a Leader

enough to go to a small school and experience her teaching twice! Mrs. Lee was the one who taught me to say “excuse me” whenever I walk in front of someone, which I still do today. She was always preaching the “golden rule” — treat others the way you want to be treated — and to this day, I respect the way she taught our class. As students, we always wanted

for Christmas, my brothers and I were gifted helmets emblazoned with the St. Louis Cardinals logo, and we wore them every Sunday without fail. Our weekly games were just us and the brothers from that family. Even if everyone was older than me, I was always pretty confident in my athletic skill. I like to think I held my own! I continued playing football into high school, and as a 6-foot-2-inch, 150-pound teenager, I was delegated to playing the end on both the offense and the defense. However, I quit the team after my sophomore year to focus on basketball. I’ve always really regretted the decision to give up the sport I have loved since I was a little kid, but at the time, I knew the coach wasn’t taking the team in a direction I agreed with. The other players on the team were keen to be bullies. The coach was into encouraging this, presumably because he thought it would make us stronger and tougher on the field. It bothered me that my coach would talk about these events like they were common and necessary. I never felt a sense of team camaraderie, so I gave up on football.

Steve’s high school football team. Can you find him?

to make her happy, and when you have a classroom dynamic like that, growth and education can thrive.

My experiences with Mrs. Lee and my high school football coach have taught me many lessons in leadership and the value of consequences. Through my continued involvement with my church and Rotary International, I see the influence our actions have on people every day, and I strive to leave a positive impact on the people I interact with, whether they are my employees, our customers, my family, or strangers. Today, the most excitement I get out of football is rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs, but I’ll never forget what football afforded me, good and bad. Despite a lackluster high school coach, playing under those Friday night lights, burning my muscles

It was a far cry from the many teachers who always instilled confidence and respect in me. The most

during hot and humid summer workouts, and having fun with my older neighbors in their field on Sundays will always be some of my greatest memories.

“My experiences with Mrs. Lee and my high school football coach have taught me many lessons in leadership and the value of consequences.”

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The World’s Wackiest Homes

DESIGNED BY THEIR OWNERS

It doesn’t always take a master architect to create a breathtaking home. Some homeowners have shunned suburban domiciles and, with a little artistic vision and a lot of determination, built homes that capture their identities. Quirky, meticulously constructed, and always unique, here are a few of the world’s wackiest homes designed, and sometimes built, by their owners. FREEDOM COVE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA When someone says they live on the water, they probably don’t mean they actually live on the water. But for artists Wayne Adams and Catherine King, the statement is literal. Freedom Cove, their remote, magenta-green island home, floats in Clayoquot Sound near Vancouver Island. They started building it from old, interlocking steel docks in 1991, and now it includes 15 platforms, four greenhouses, a guest house, an art workshop, and more. BAT CASA, SAN MIGUEL, MEXICO

human vertebrae, skeletal hands act as towel hooks in the bathroom, and tendril-like fixtures surround the living room couch. Perhaps the most out-of-character addition to the house is a large mural of the bat symbol painted on the garage door, which is the origin of the property’s name. HOBBIT HOUSE, INVERNESS-SHIRE, SCOTLAND Surprisingly, Stuart Grant’s cozy forest cottage was not inspired by the hobbit holes of “Lord of the Rings.” In fact, Grant built it over 15 years before the first movie was released. Still, it’s hard not to imagine some magical creature taking up residence in this house, which appears to be an extension of the forest itself. Gnarled tree trunks frame a circular door, moss coats the roof, and ivy covers most of the walls, all belying a cozy interior fit for many a hobbit meal or dwarf song.

These homes may not be for everyone, but that’s kind of the point. Each of these homes was built by a specific resident, for a specific resident. Still, you can’t help but be impressed by the determination of their owners to make something truly one of a kind.

The best word to describe this home is probably “anatomical.” That’s certainly the aesthetic movie set designer and Bat Casa resident Steve Rood was going for. The staircase looks like

HOLY HUMOR

Church Signs That Will Bring a Smile to Your Face

Outside of every church, a permanent sign proudly features worship times and events. But some churches take advantage of this free space to get creative. As experts in sign creation, we love the humor these churches use, so check out some of our favorites. ‘Need a lifeguard? Ours walks on water!’ The most notable version of this sign was featured at Dayspring Community Church, and we can only imagine the many chuckles it elicited. For those who don’t quite understand the joke, it stems from a New Testament story in which Jesus could be seen by three of his disciples walking on water in the middle of a horrific storm when they were trapped on a boat. When Jesus entered the boat, the storm subsided. This story provides a metaphor for relying on faith during troublesome periods for many Christians, and Dayspring Community Church’s sign serves as a lighthearted reminder. ‘Whoever is praying for snow, please stop.’ While it may seem like weeks before we have to worry about shovels and slippery roads, this church sign still makes us laugh. We’ve seen it featured on many church signs, but the most well-known is from South End Baptist Church’s sign pleading for the snow to stop while mounds of snow piled up around it. We all remember winters like that, and

sometimes it can feel like the weather needs a little divine intervention. ‘What part of “Thou shall not” don’t you understand?’ This one’s for the parents. This church took the lighter approach to Christianity’s Ten Commandments, in which God outlines guidelines for living a Christian life,

by saying “Thou shall not …” We can only imagine how exasperated this humorous pastor or priest must have been, but we know every parent — and their kids — can relate to this phrase. At Digital Print Ink, we know quite a bit about signs. While we may not be the experts on your church’s permanent sign, we can help your religious organization create promotional posters and fliers that will “wow” passersby and snag everyone’s attention. Learn more and get started on your creation by calling 417.881.5309 or visit DigitalPrintInk.net.

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Welcome, New Clients! Friends of Hannah Kelly Hickory County Sheriff Murney Associates Realtors Polish Me Nails Second Baptist Church Willow Haven Nursing Home Wolford Insurance Group LLC

AN ‘APP’-TITUDE FOR ORGANIZATION Use Technology to Keep Your Family Organized This School Year

Classic Apple Crisp

Technology does a lot for families: It makes long-distance relatives feel closer and gives parents a handy way to stay in contact with their teens. But technology can do so much more than help you communicate; it can keep you stress- free during the hectic school year. Help your family stay organized and up to date with these three apps. ChoreMonster

What do you do when apples are in season but you don’t have time to make a pie? You opt for a crisp, of course.

No more wondering if your children actually swept the floor or folded the laundry like you asked! ChoreMonster makes assigning and tracking household chores easy. Parents can input chore tasks, deadlines, and allowances for the chores they want their children to complete. ChoreMonster will then send notifications to your child’s phone or tablet, reminding them about their

Ingredients

Filling: •

5 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped

chores. If they complete the chores and check them off, they are notified they earned the award their parents designated. It’s a win-win and a simple way to monitor your child’s tasks around the house. Cozi With athletic practices, school meetings, and regular errands, the school year can be a hectic maze of scheduling. Instead of worrying, try Cozi, which takes care of coordinating schedules and lists for you. You can sync your family’s calendars (and sort events with fun colors), track your grocery and chore list, and even make dinner easy with meal planning and recipe storage. Cozi is your family’s one-stop shop for coordination and easy days. Life360 As the parent of a new driver, your stress level is kicked up a notch. So, instead of worrying, take a deep breath and download Life360 to keep tabs on your teen. Life360 tracks the location of each member of your family’s inner circle, even nondrivers, on the app. Only members of the circle will receive updates on locations and events. Life360 will also monitor the speed drivers are going, notify inner circle members when others arrive at their location, and offers roadside repair requests for when the inevitable happens. So just relax, and let Life360 do the tracking for you.

• • • •

1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp lemon juice

Topping: •

3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• • • • •

1/4 tsp salt

6 tbsp chilled butter, cut into pieces 1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 F. 2. In a mixing bowl, mix all filling ingredients together. Transfer to individual serving ramekins. 3. In a different mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt for the topping. Mix in butter until it forms lumps roughly the size of a pea, then stir in pecans. Sprinkle topping over filling. 4. Bake for 35–40 minutes, let stand for 10 minutes, and serve.

Visit your app store for more great organization apps to keep you and your family sane this school year.

Inspired by Food Network

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Football Memories and Life Lessons

Crazy Homes Not Built by Architects Laugh a Little at These Hilarious Church Signs 3 Apps to Make the New School Year a Breeze Classic Apple Crisp

Celebrating Math and Puzzles

I nternational Sudoku Day brings puzzle and math lovers together to enjoy the perfect in-between! Specifically chosen on Sept. 9 by the World Puzzle Federation, this holiday is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the beloved 9x9 puzzle game. History of Sudoku One of the first mathematical puzzles was published in La France, a French newspaper, in 1895. However, the puzzle we now see in newspapers, sudoku books, and newsletters wasn’t invented until 1979 by Howard Garns. Originally published in Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games magazine, Garns named it “Number Place.” It was later given the name “sudoku” in 1984 when it was published in Japan. However, the puzzle didn’t catch the interest of Americans until 2004, when it began to be regularly published in newspapers. Interesting Facts

translates to “the numerals must remain single.” In Japan, sudoku quickly became very popular, mostly because it’s so much easier to play than other puzzle games like crosswords. Sudoku continues to be a popular puzzle choice in Japan where, according to Sudoku. com, over 600,000 sudoku magazines are purchased every month. Observing Sudoku Celebrating this holiday has never been easier! Grab a sudoku book, magazine, or newsletter and start solving! The best thing about sudoku is that the puzzles can be done anywhere: while you’re enjoying breakfast, during a lunch break at work, or while you’re relaxing at home. They can also be done in one sitting or over an extended period of time. Filling out a puzzle doesn’t have to be an individual task, either. Challenge family or friends to see who can finish a sudoku puzzle the quickest or work on one together.

International Sudoku Day

Solve Your Favorite Math Puzzles!

Pick up a few sudoku puzzles today and start solving!

The name “sudoku” is short for the Japanese expression “sūji wa dokushin ni kagiru,” which

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