WORDS OF WISDOM FROM Missin it…..

I kinda miss it when:

I had to take a shower with a hose behind the funhouse
I had to sleep in the possum belly of the Round Up
I had short jumps with no sleep
I was attacked by fire ants in Florida, while setting up the spider, (or even on tear-down)
I spent the night in the hospital in Henderson N.C. after suffering from electrical shock from the shop trailer.

I also miss it when I think about:

The smiles on the kids
The crew
The traveling
The girls (I too was single once)
The daily rain shower in Florida
Drinking my first "REAL" Cherry Coke In Salisbury N.C.
Eating like a King "FOR FREE" at Santa's Enchanted Forest in Fla.
The true meaning of the "Norwich Incestfest" in NY
Sausage and Peppers for Breakfeast
Playing close to home and sleeping in my bed
Making more money now but having less fun
How much fun my family has when we go to a show and I keep my mouth shut and don’t explain how everything works.
And oh yeah did I mention The SMILES?
Folks, you can take a look or you can turn away, But these are some tidbits I felt compelled to pass on. By the Way I posted a topic a few weeks ago and have read what everyone has posted in reply. I have decided to stay home, enjoy the family, and buy a game or two for some indi work, THANKS FOR THE INPUT EVERYONE!

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That's great , i really like that .

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Lets see what I can add.....

I kinda miss it when...

I would let parents play their kids so their kids could win a prize of their own....the kids expressions were priceless when they won.
I could throw an extra teddy bear to the handicapped person who could not play my game...expression was also priceless
I could sleep late!! I am not a morning person :)

I also miss it when I think about:

The traveling to a new place every week
The friends I have made in each location and don't get to see anymore....
Getting paid every night :)
The rain we had at the Mississippi State Fair one year where one person could handle 10 joints while everyone else played beachball baseball in the rain 🙂
The races I ran for ride jocks when it rained in Fairfax, VA...I outgrossed the whole midway that day..Made some ride guys pretty happy too with the stock they could give to their family and they knew they were helping me pay my bills also
The crazy times
The good times
The bad times


I will tell you one thing though.....I surely DON"T MISS IT when I think about the attack of the fire ants on me in Kentucky :)

I miss it when I think about:
Working with a smooth crew who could tear down ten joints in two hours and head to the bar while everyone else was working...
Susan Elliott (sp?) teaching me how to ride Tilt Dan's three-wheeler down in LA...she was 13, I was 22, and we were both a couple of kids [:p]
Throwing frisbees on the midway...
Waking up early in the morning and walkin to the portie while most were still asleep...there's just something about a quiet midway in the morning...[8D]
Sitting around BSing while blowing balloons and sleeving mirrors...
Taking a shower with a hose in an empty baseball dugout...
Sitting on the back of a stock truck shaving my legs and getting unsolicited advice from a couple of passing ride guys on the pros and cons of different brands of shaving cream!!?! [:0] (too much information?[:p])
Kids, kids, and more kids...I could have a blast with them, then send them back to their parents...[:D]
Learning how to handle myself and not take any s**t from anyone...
Spending hours learning the Bottle-Up from a very patient agent...
Just...everything....
[^]
(BTW, I DON'T miss having to shower standing on a cooler lid to keep the fire ants off my feet down in Louisiana!) [xx(]

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I kinda miss being out here for the carefree fun of it....now that it's a career....It's just a whole different perspective.
You're right, though, the ants are the same, no matter the year.
Funny sight, about 9 years ago, I was setting up a Gravitron, and my best friend and her boyfriend go running by the ride towards a donniker, throwing their clothes off, screaming. I look at my foreman, (the boyfriend's best friend), and we just stood there in silence. The 2 of them moved around in the donniker for a few minutes, and then he came out and got her shirt off the ground. He shook it, looked it over, and walked back inside. After they were re-clothed, they reapperared. and it turned out they had been wrestling and playin around, and landed in an anthill. They were bit up good. Was hilarious.
And the smiles...(almost as good as gettin cussed out by a 7 year old because he's too small to ride...=)
RideSafe

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Lord, how cynical and jaded did that last post sound??? I love this life. I don't mean to sound that way.
Since I'm still on the road, I'll list the things I think I WOULD miss:
The feeling of belonging to the small group of people allowed to wander aimlessly around a closed, silent midway at night...with the eerie ghost town feel of it after they all go home.

Sloughing all night, then jumping to set up right away, knowing the only sleep comin is comin in the truck, then not being able to get comfortable-doing things like throwing the headrest out the window because it gets in the way, and then missing it when the right sleep position requires just that...

Knowing that when you really need something, not only will you always have someone to go to for help, but they are only a door or two down the row.

Random acts of "violence" for the sake of birthday celebration. How many ride jocks does it take to throw 1 in the Bumper Boats water on a set up day in the middle of August in Texas? Tell ya what, most don't fight it much.

Front yard is never the same for too long.

(now I just sound wierd)

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LuckyStar, which show and where in KY when you got attacked by Fire Ants?

LuckyStar, which show and where in KY when you got attacked by Fire Ants?

quote:

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Originally posted by Bryan

LuckyStar, which show and where in KY when you got attacked by Fire Ants?

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This was many years ago(about 10 or so) and I was with Myers at the time....I can't remember exactly where but most likely E-town...I know the ants were actually bad most spots we played...We were with Myers for like a month while waiting for Des Moines, Iowa to come about....I loved traveling with them that month every year...we would come in right after the Meadowlands in NJ. Does anyone talk to people on Meyers....I am wondering if Bimbo is still around...he was one of the best guys you could ever know!

KINDA FEELS LIKE THERAPY AFTER READING ALL OF THESE POSTS

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quote:

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Originally posted by Missin it

KINDA FEELS LIKE THERAPY AFTER READING ALL OF THESE POSTS

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This whole board is sometimes therapy for me Missinit...My old man is out on the road right now and I look forward to coming here when I get home from work to find out what has been going on.

This is what im going to miss...
All of my friends
Stopping every min just so that the kids can talk to every carnie on the midway
Walking around at night and looking at the midway all lit up
Seeing new places
Meeting new friends
Seeing the kids faces when they get to see daddy at work
Watching my son help his daddy setting up the ride
Seeing the my kids faces when they get to play the games for free and still get prizes. ( they had more toys then we had space!)
Not having to pay to get into the fair grounds
the list is endless

I wont miss...
Everyone fighting
Not knowing what is going on because the show doesnt even know!!
Not being able to spend time with my hunny
All the he said she said crud
Rumors
Lot lizards
The people who thinks they are better then us because they "have more money"
The list could go on and on!!

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Here's my words of wisdom if you are on the road. (Or visiting.)

Believe 50% of what you see. Believe 25% of what you hear. Don't get caught up in show politics. Never spread gossip. Don't hang around the office. Always pay the rent on time. Never complain to others unless you want it to get back to the office. Don't make any deals you can't keep. Never, ever, talk to anyone else's help. Always do what you say you will do. And, the number one rule is...... Never kick some other carny's kid, because next season he might be yours. [;)]

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quote:

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Originally posted by Sixcat

Here's my words of wisdom if you are on the road. (Or visiting.)

Believe 50% of what you see. Believe 25% of what you hear. Don't get caught up in show politics. Never spread gossip. Don't hang around the office. Always pay the rent on time. Never complain to others unless you want it to get back to the office. Don't make any deals you can't keep. Never, ever, talk to anyone else's help. Always do what you say you will do. And, the number one rule is...... Never kick some other carny's kid, because next season he might be yours. [;)]

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Very good advice Sixcat!! I know it is so true about talking to the help....I hate that rule though...I am a very friendly and out going person who knows many people...when I was doing pick ups one spot I was talking to my one friend and his boss thought I was trying to promote him over to my boss' operation...I wasn't even traveling at the time..just being a friend! Everyone get so suspicious so fast...if they treated their help right to begin with I guess they would have nothing to worry about....LOL

i miss rainy teardowns being still wet for setup
circus jumps awake for 72 hrs whitout sleep
cleaning up puke
trash detail around the ride every night
unruley parents because their kid is tall enough to ride coasters at ceder point
drunks on the midway
also i had dealings with fire ants in georgia [8]

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