Tucker's Random Thoughts

Christmas tree at Fairview

2011-12-18T10:05:00.001-05:00

Pre trimming

Fairview backyard

2011-12-07T18:36:00.001-05:00

Kitchen 1312 Fairview Dr

2011-11-29T09:18:00.001-05:00

Liz and Rosemary

2011-10-17T11:04:00.001-04:00

At the Renaissance Festival Oct 2011

Maz et al at State Museum

2011-09-09T10:53:00.001-04:00

At the kitchen table

2011-08-22T12:38:00.000-04:00

Newborn Baby

2011-08-01T19:22:00.000-04:00

Emily gave birth to a 8 pound 3 oz baby boy yesterday. Both are doing fine.

Maz at RCPL

2011-02-17T20:18:00.000-05:00

Woe

2010-10-19T14:43:00.001-04:00

Liz called and said she and Dave are going to divorce. So sad. I feel so sorry for the kids. Liz says she may come to live in Columbia.

Mazzy in the park at dusk

2010-08-21T12:01:00.001-04:00

Faces

2010-08-17T23:02:00.002-04:00

Off to see the schools

2010-08-09T11:18:00.003-04:00

Holdie & Catherine will leave in the AM to visit 5 colleges up the East Coast. Catherine is cooking for the trip.
Lucy is in town and staying on Georgia Street with Sweet T. She is gonna watch the kids while C is gone. Also see to Jack. I have offered to help.
The trip to Bette's is off as no one can go.
The summer heat in Cola is so oppressive I just lie in bed with the AC on HI and wait for winter. Or perhaps I am depressive?
I took the van to Pope Davis for front tires this morning; and they called back saying I needed alignment & front brakes for a grand total of almost $600. Ain't life fun!
Not only does my car crumble -- but my dishwasher, toaster oven and kitchen faucet all gave out in the last month.
Plus I need a roof.
Is it time for the nursing home?

Repose

2010-07-09T16:21:00.001-04:00

I am sitting it out for the present

Visit

2010-07-08T10:52:00.002-04:00

Tucker and Pen visited the USA from Cambodia for about two weeks. We had a wedding ceremony at Hiddenwell. Tucker has just returned to Cambodia and I am resting up.

Joe painting at Surfside Beach

2010-05-13T22:14:00.000-04:00

Garden City

2010-04-29T10:25:00.000-04:00

Garden City

2010-04-25T10:38:00.004-04:00

I am at the beach - Garden City, which my Tom Tom says does not exist. Joe is here too. Arrived last night (Fri) and settled in and went to the ocean with our chairs & cigars.
It is about 11 AM and it is raining c&d. Joe is still snoozing.
I have a new battery for my laptop; and this place has WiFi. So for the first time in recorded history, I am using it for its intended purpose. Kinda fun, actually.
Joe has threatened to fix a big "Sunday" breakfast and I yearn for my mundane (but non-greasy) cereal, but will go along with his program just this once.
Sad news: Olga died last Wednesday! Very very sad. I saw it in Lynne's paper otherwise I would have missed it. No news on the funeral anywhere.

Neat song video

2010-04-20T09:49:00.001-04:00

Charlotte Gainsbourg - Heaven Can Wait from Charlotte Gainsbourg on Vimeo.

2010-04-01T16:41:00.001-04:00

From webcam9000

Mazzy swims at Drew Wellness

2010-03-14T23:10:00.001-04:00

Tucker Talk #1

2010-03-07T08:06:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

How to Loose Weight

905A cell phone pix on Animoto

2010-03-03T22:57:00.001-05:00

905A

Sadie

2010-01-10T13:46:00.000-05:00

The new Sony 905a cell phone

2009-12-23T22:18:00.003-05:00

The camera is working out nicely in my new phone. Here are some recent pix. Just click on the thumbnail below to see them.

Sony905a

Update

2009-12-01T11:09:00.005-05:00

I have not put words on this Blog in a coon's age.
Update is in order: Em sold $900 worth of Tshirts at Sustainable Midlands at 701 last night.
Holden returned from Rome, Italy; spent a few days in Cola; and is now on his way back to Choate. He is eating veggies these days and has committed to flossing.
Ingrid & fam are going to Cambodia for DB's wedding in Jan 10; Cathy is going with them.
My front yard garden has expanded and is growing well - collards & broccoli.
Lucy has massive leg pain and suffers all the time. She & Sweet T were here for several days.
Liz is going great guns selling books.
Tucker is getting married; and has quit his Mercy Corp job.
I am OK. The house is a wretched mess - days to clean it, since Lucy's visit.
I am getting a new Sony cell phone with an 8 megapixel camera.
Maz has a new Blog.

Syna's party

2009-11-16T14:35:00.001-05:00

Syna's 4th birthday

My dear sweet sassy Mazzy

2009-11-06T12:19:00.000-05:00

Old Polaroids

2009-08-09T19:26:00.002-04:00

Tucker McCravy

2009-08-05T16:18:00.000-04:00

Nite Out

2009-08-04T23:37:00.000-04:00

Maz makes jewelry

2009-07-29T15:59:00.001-04:00

Mazzy makes jewelry from tumac on Vimeo.

Collage

2009-07-09T17:55:00.000-04:00

Alexander in a fake snooze

2009-07-09T17:17:00.001-04:00

Found Polaroids: from the guy on Flickr

2009-07-08T22:53:00.002-04:00

Click on the Title above to go to his Flickr page

Bangkok: from a guy on Flickr

2009-07-08T22:45:00.002-04:00

Bette

2009-07-08T22:08:00.002-04:00

We are all going to Charleston this week-end to see Liz and then Sunday on out to Bette's house on Wadmalaw Island. Elza will be there with the twins.

Rosemary at the pool

2009-07-08T22:02:00.001-04:00

Rosemary at the pool from tumac on Vimeo.

McCravy Misc

2009-07-08T21:59:00.000-04:00

To watch the video, you'll first need to install the flash player.

Pix of Emily

2009-07-07T19:26:00.001-04:00

Em to Italy

2009-07-07T19:25:00.001-04:00

Emily & Matthew and the kids are leaving for NW Italy on July 27, 2009. Will be gone until early October - about two months.

Picasa Web Albums - Sadie & Alexander at the Riverwalk

2009-06-18T22:09:00.002-04:00

Crafty Fair

2009-05-31T12:38:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Em sells a ton of T shirts

Maz does Big Bopper

2009-05-23T16:16:00.001-04:00

Em's Birthday Party

2009-04-19T14:18:00.001-04:00

Status

2009-03-27T13:18:00.001-04:00

I am suffering from peripheral neuropathy and also have RLS and cramps in both legs. Life's tough now.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tucker on the Trampoline

2009-03-21T16:12:00.001-04:00

Ft. Jackson Loop Bike Ride

2009-03-11T21:03:00.001-04:00

Ft. Jackson Big Loop Backwards & Twisted
Find more Bike Rides in Columbia, South Carolina

Ft. Jackson Passage of the Palmetto Trail

2009-03-04T23:29:00.001-05:00

Map Page

From Newberry to Clinton

2009-03-02T23:43:00.001-05:00

The Tea Party

2009-01-28T10:45:00.003-05:00

A walk around

2009-01-19T16:23:00.001-05:00

Mazzy's Scrapbook

2009-01-18T13:24:00.001-05:00

Mazzy's Riding Lesson

2008-12-23T07:13:00.000-05:00

H & M

2008-11-10T13:02:00.001-05:00

image, originally uploaded by tumac.

Holdie at the swamp

2008-10-12T08:04:00.001-04:00

image, originally uploaded by tumac.

We take a trip into the swamp

Sound Effects

2008-10-05T13:55:00.000-04:00

Free Sound Effects Download thousands of free sound effects from PartnersInRhyme.com

PhotoShows

2008-06-29T10:47:00.002-04:00

Ckick HERE to go to my Photoshow site. I have several slideshows there.

Mazzy at the pool

2008-06-04T08:31:00.001-04:00

PA Primary Day at Enoree

2008-04-22T13:05:00.003-04:00

A Picassa Web Album Slide Show

Tucker's Podcast

2008-04-16T13:27:00.001-04:00

Doc Kitchen from Soapbox (MSN Video)

2008-04-12T09:24:00.001-04:00

Baby Alexander & Momma Catherine

2008-03-30T16:49:00.001-04:00

Mazzy goes to the voting booth carrying her Obama sign

2008-01-26T15:33:00.000-05:00

Self Portrait with DSnap

2008-01-19T00:51:00.000-05:00

Me with GPS Data

2008-01-18T15:06:00.001-05:00

Hunting Island 2003

2007-12-16T20:46:00.001-05:00

Sadie in the LR

2007-12-02T22:05:00.000-05:00

FAHRENHEIT 451

2007-12-02T10:47:00.000-05:00

Fahrenheit 451 HERE

A picture is worth.....

2007-11-28T18:42:00.001-05:00

Syna Mae's Birthday Party 2007

2007-11-10T20:57:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

The gang was all there

Sustainable South

2007-10-31T01:54:00.001-04:00

Click to Play

Matthew and Emily at work

BLIP

2007-10-31T01:32:00.001-04:00

Mazzy on new skates

2007-10-26T21:54:00.001-04:00

The Demolition

2007-10-26T10:25:00.000-04:00

The Rubin house on Wateree is torn down. 10/24/07.

Hearon at Hiddenwell 9/07

2007-09-20T12:04:00.000-04:00

Mazzy with kitten at Hiddenwell

2007-09-17T23:44:00.000-04:00

The neglected film SLRs

2007-09-09T13:31:00.000-04:00

Alex and the new hat

2007-09-04T12:26:00.000-04:00

Slide Show of Alexander

2007-09-01T10:11:00.001-04:00

Mazzy in the pool

2007-08-29T18:19:00.000-04:00

Taken with the new Z1 camera

2007-08-23T07:37:00.000-04:00

My Webcam in the computer room

2007-08-21T22:03:00.000-04:00

Click HERE to go to the Cam

Amelia at the Kroger House in Grover

2007-08-19T21:03:00.000-04:00

From Trip to Grover

Mazzy's New Skates: a short film

2007-08-19T20:50:00.001-04:00

Click To Play

Maz & Alex in the backyard

2007-08-19T00:36:00.000-04:00

around the house / aug 18

2007-08-19T00:07:00.001-04:00

Mazzy gets some tea

2007-08-18T19:39:00.001-04:00

Maz

2007-08-14T11:45:00.000-04:00

Trip to Grover

2007-08-11T22:52:00.001-04:00

House Dave was working on

2007-08-11T22:46:00.001-04:00

My Photos of St. Patrick's Day

2007-08-10T12:22:00.000-04:00

click HERE

BLIP

2007-08-10T00:57:00.001-04:00

Around the house with a still cam

2007-08-07T16:40:00.001-04:00

Holdie comes back & plays with Alexander

2007-07-30T09:38:00.000-04:00

The Wishing Stone by Holden Beale (July 2007)

2007-07-29T13:17:00.000-04:00

Wishing Stone
Holden Beale

The boy with the fair hair lowered himself down the last feet of rock and began to pick his way through the lagoon. His eyes were bright and he clutched a shred of yellowed paper in his hand. Every so often he paused, and glanced at the shred, reassuring himself of his course. After a while he came to a stop, and carefully checked his surroundings. A smile appeared, then widened into a grin. This was the spot! But the boys smile dimmed somewhat when he remembered that this was the hard part. The old man had said so.

He squinted his eyes, picturing the half-invisible, shimmering stone that the old man had described. “It will be beautiful, but not bright” the old man had said, “shapes and patterns dance on It’s surface, and everyone sees It differently. Some do not even see It at all. And” the wizened old man had whispered hurriedly, It will make your wildest dreams come true.” Then a look of peace came into the old man’s face. He took a swig of something foul-smelling from a hip-flask and nodded off, gently snoring. After Jonah left the old man, his mind aquiver, the old man ceased breathing.

And that was why Jonah was in a lagoon, searching for a shimmering stone. He narrowed his eyes, searching. He pictured It in his mind, not large, but humming with power. But he did not see It. “What if I can’t see it!?” he thought. Jonah redoubled his efforts, thinking harder and looking less. Then, he caught a glimpse in the corner of his eye. The Stone! But as he turned to face It, It vanished. Jonah almost cried out in dismay. But he continued searching, now desperately. He charged madly about the lagoon, needing and wanting to see The Stone. All the while squinting. There! Again he saw the tantalizing glow. He turned, very, very, very slowly not wanting to lose The Stone again.
Then he saw The Stone in it’s entirety. It was every bit as beautiful as he had expected. Asking for petty material items seemed ridiculous now. He gazed upon The Stone in awe, and the world slowly faded, dimming the shades and hues of The Stone.

He had a dream of chaos. The Stone in the middle of a whirling maelstrom, the eye of a hurricane. People were on the outside, wanting In. And then he realized that he was In. He had never remembered being Out. So he must have always been In, next to The Stone, the eye of the hurricane. Then he awoke. He knew his life’s mission.

To bring everyone In.

When Jonah went to school the next day, it was as if he were floating in yet another dream. Words were spoken, but he wasn’t listening. He knew school did not matter, because he was In. And everybody else was Out. Who would he lift up into In-ness first? A teacher? A student? Then he knew he would bring Ted up first. Ted had been a faithful friend for many years. He would be the first to receive the blessing of In-ness.

After school, Jonah told Ted about The Stone. He told him that it could make your wildest dreams come true, and that it was the most beautiful thing that he’d ever seen. Then Jonah showed him the map and together they went to The Stone. Jonah found The Stone faster this time, but Ted seemed to have trouble. Jonah described The Stone, going into great detail, describing every crevice, every swirl, everything. And suddenly Ted shouted, “Hey I think I see It! But It’s not like you said”

“Well, everyone sees It differently and some people don’t see It at all” Jonah replied cryptically. Both of them gazed at The Stone, unable to speak or move.
“You are the first I have brought In” said Jonah, “Now will you help me bring more In?” Ted nodded solemnly. It wasn’t a game anymore.

School became their recruiting ground. They started small, only bringing their closest friends. But rumors and whispers started as they always do. People wanted to wanted to see The Stone, wanted to be In. Visiting The Stone became a ritual. The uninitiated would be sent a small stone, a symbol for The Stone. Then someone would meet them before school to take them to The Stone. And once you saw the stone, you became an Insider. Jonah became known as the Finder, and it was a great honor to be initiated by him. Soon many came to know about The Stone.

Time passed, and Jonah had another dream. He saw The Stone again in a whirling maelstrom. But he was not alone with It, as he had been in his last dream. All of those that he had converted were with him. Jonah’s heart swelled with joy at the sight. They weren’t many, but they were his. But he noticed something else too. He was running out of space. He would need more,.. And again, as with his awakening, he knew what he needed to do.
“A shrine?” asked Ted. Jonah explained to him that The Stone needed space, and building a shrine was the only way to help it. But then another question arose from the first. “Where do we build it? Because everyone sees it at a different place”
“It does not matter” Jonah replied, “for The Stone is everywhere in the lagoon” And so they decided to put the shrine where Jonah had first seen It, for he was the First. And so Ted announced to the Insiders, “We’re going to build a shrine for The Stone.” And they did. All of them brought hammers, nails, planks, paint, whatever they thought it would take. When they finished, it was not beautiful, or well made, but it was theirs’

It became custom for the Insiders to drop by the shrine once or twice a week to pay their respects to The Stone. No bowing or scraping, just sifting quietly inside, thinking about It. Some would even leave their spare change, a thank-you to The Stone for bringing light into their life. And after this minute of soul-searching, they would go back to the hustle and bustle of life, a little happier than when they came.

Time passed and Ted had an idea. “We need to get the word about The Stone out!” he had told Jonah. “Hold parties, publish articles, give out pamphlets!” Jonah argued that finding The Stone was a personal journey, and that one could not find It using a pamphlet. However, word got out about Ted’s idea. Even though the Insiders had always stood behind him, now they agreed with Ted. Jonah, being a peaceful man, did not try to stop them.
The Insiders soon bombarded the town with pamphlets, newspaper articles, Stone parties, and even a short television ad. Soon the entire town knew about The Stone, and it’s guardians, the Insiders. People flocked to The Stone, begging to be initiated as an Insider. The Insiders’ ranks swelled, and soon there were more of them than ever before. But Jonah was troubled. Many of these people had never even seen The Stone, had just heard of it. These new people had no real faith, they were just joining as a fad...

But the Insiders continued to grow, and a new problem developed. “We’re running out of space in the shrine, Jonah” Ted said. But Jonah was still bitter and shot back, “You brought them here, YOU deal with it”. So Ted decided to build another shrine. This one was bigger and better, for now the community supported the Insiders It had several smaller buildings as well as the main meditating area. And also they added a paved road to the shrine. It was quickly becoming a bustling place.

And Jonah’s little town even became a tourist attraction of sorts. People would drive through the little town and laugh at the silly, backward beliefs, buy a souvenir, then leave. Jonah’s little town grew into a strip, all gas-stations and golden arches. Money poured into the town, Ted was elected Mayor and the inhabitants grew wealthy.

Nobody saw The Stone anymore. Unless the neon lit rock put outside the new shrine counted. Jonah was the only believer once again. He dropped out of school, choosing to live in the lagoon, far away from the new shrine, He lived out of a little mud hut that he had built, foraging for food. Every morning, he would wake up and search for The Stone, and, not finding it, he would go back to his hut and meditate a little. He grew quite old.

Jonah woke up one morning and knew he would not live long. So he made a journey to the shrine. Dozens of people were praying to The Stone. Jonah took a pencil, and with rheumy eyes wrote on the altar. Then he sat down in a nearby chair and quietly passed away. The words that he had written read,

“There is no stone. Go back to your lives and better yourselves,
Sincerely, the Finder”

Catherine's Painting

2007-07-04T05:50:00.001-04:00

oly011, originally uploaded by tumac.

Oil on Canvas 3 ft by 4 ft.

Catherine Tate Show - Tempura

2007-07-03T22:28:00.001-04:00

BLIP TV: Use the FORWARD Button to see several Videos

2007-06-29T19:42:00.001-04:00

My USTREAM site

2007-06-29T14:19:00.001-04:00

Holden departs

2007-06-26T07:45:00.000-04:00

Holdie left for Choate Sunday, amidst tears. The house seems empty now. Cathy told me she & the remaining gang are moving out today - so it will really be empty then.
Cathy has not been able to get in touch with Holdie on his cell so she is worried. But I think Holdie is OK.