Author

Mark Eades

Irvine ParkPark

A Visit to Irvine Regional Park

by Mark Eades

We were there for the Irvine Park Railroad Easter Egg Hunt.

It takes place right around the area that is part of the Irvine Park Railroad Station at Irvine Regional Park.

It’s not a sophisticated hunt. They plastic eggs full of candy or small toys are scattered all over the ground in a small area. Smaller kids go out and grab them, they have about 15 minutes, and the ground is picked clean.

Speaking of the Railroad, it travels about a mile and a half through the park and returns, a pleasant ride through the park.

The engine for the railroad is new, and no longer gasoline-powered. This new engine runs on rechargeable batteries – charged up at the station and overnight in the shed through an induction charging system.

Irvine Regional Park is set in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, it has lots of room for people to picnic, and their dogs to come along too.

Lots of folks bring their pooches to explore the park grounds, which has more to offer than a train ride and picnic tables.

The OC (Orange County Zoo) is located inside the park. On display are cougars, bears, snakes, and many other wildlife as could be found in the wilds of Southern California.

Some of the “wild” critters float around in one of the two lakes within the park. Isn’t that ducky?

They just swim about looking for food and enjoying their life.

This dog was looking for some critters, let’s investigate.

A female Mallard blending in with the fallen leaves.

A male Mallard was keeping an eye on her.

Four-wheeled “bikes” can be rented to ride around on the various trails throughout the park.

There are even some models where the young child can be put up front and not have to pedal.

Soaring in over the lake a beautiful white bird looks for fish.

The bird landed on the shore to have a closer look.

Tractor pulls are offered for visitors to the park who want to tour the grounds without having to pedal around.

Pedaling is what some folks do with their giant-tire boats on one of the lakes. Though I think they disrupt the fish.

That does look like it could be fun.

Irvine Regional Park has hundreds of Live Oak Trees spread throughout the grounds.

And lots of squirrels who live in the ground and in those trees. Hint: They’re nuts about the nuts.

Finally, the park is a peaceful escape from the city, but not too far from it. A place to fish and reflect.

And a place for a father to spend some quality time teaching their kid how to fish.

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Stuff,\

Stuff!

by Mark Eades

“Don’t throw that away, we might need it someday.”

Famous last words? No, a common saying around our house and many, many others.

Even in homes that are neat and pretty, there is bound to be a corner of the home that is full of “stuff.”

What is stuff? Stuff is made up of things you thought you needed and put it “away” somewhere so that you’d have it when you needed it. Then that stuff was piled on with other stuff, then more stuff. All stuffed into an area that the original stuff is buried underneath all the other stuff.

Then when it comes time for that object to be used – you don’t have any idea where it is located. So, you go out and buy another one.

Common places for stuff to accumulate are garages, spare rooms, storage closets and what are referred to as “she sheds.”

Regardless of where, everyone has stuff. Stuff we don’t need. But we can’t bring ourselves to get rid of.

One of my favorite pet peeves is the multitude of cables to connect computers, game systems, video players, and more. I don’t dare get rid of any of them. We might need one of them. I know there are several boxes located all around with the other stuff we have stored.

However, when I need a particular cable, I can’t find the box where it might be stuffed into, so I have to go out and buy another one. Sigh.

One of my perpetual resolutions each year is I vow to clean out the garage, loft, she shed, and even a closet or two of all the excess stuff. But every time I start, I get shut down by the arbiter of what can go. Usually my wife, but also my kids, and even (Gasp!) me.

Well look out stuff. I’m going to go after you this year. Honest. Right after I go buy another HDMI cable as I can’t find the box of cables where I know there are a few in that box somewhere. Maybe it’s under here? Ooh, look. There’s that doorknob we bought as a spare 10 years ago!

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DisneyDisney California AdventureDisneylandImagineer

Are you really enjoying Disneyland so much?

by Mark Eades

When did going to Disneyland become a battlefield between Disney fans?

I recently visited Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room (Did you notice I used the correct name for the attraction?) with one of my grandkids. At their age, they enjoy the singing birds and flowers. However, I did not enjoy it. Thankfully, my grandkid did.

Why did I not enjoy it? Because there was a gaggle of talkative and downright rude uber-Disney fans sitting in there.

One group of them were yacking away about some misdeed they had gotten away with in line (or was it skipping the line) at the Indiana Jones Adventure. Another group was singing the tunes, but substituting different words. Finally, a third group tried to loudly teach some other Guests the words – whether they wanted them to or not. Sing along, fine. But not so loud that it is intrusive.

I tried to motion for them to quiet down, they either ignored me or made the classic Disney brush-off comment, “Have a magical day.” It was like being in the middle of a talkative battlefield.

(And I won’t even go into how you cannot hear the Ghost Host’s spiel in the stretching room of the Haunted Mansion over them anymore.)

These uber-Disney fans are getting out of hand. Steven Wilk recently wrote a column for the Disneydining.com website in which he labels these folks as “Disney addicts.” (Click here to read that column)

That seems like a good label. I have a better label for them: Disnoids. They’re everywhere at the park. Actually parks, as they are at all of them now.

Disnoids occupy the front porch on Main Street U.S.A. You know where I’m talking about, it was the entrance to a bra shop on opening day.

Disnoids have all the prime (non-reserved) spots for watching parades, fireworks or live shows – usually hours ahead of time.

When Disnoids go on attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean or the Haunted Mansion, they talk during their entire adventure – about the changes good or bad, or sometimes about other topics like politics, or where they think the best place to eat is at different times of day.

And try to get a seat at a popular bar, such as Trader Sam’s or Oga’s Cantina. Disnoids have been in their seat since the bar opened that morning and stayed in it for hours!

So, I have to ask the question Steven didn’t ask: Why do you still have to go to Disneyland?

You can sit on your own front porch. I do, it’s called “The World Famous Eades Front Porch.” (See the photo at top?)

If you’re on an attraction and talk about other things (loudly) are you really enjoying it? Do you think the people in the rows in front or behind you need to hear you talking or singing badly? If that’s all you’re going to do, do the rest of us a favor: Stay off the attraction or zip your mouth shut.

Then there’s hanging out for hour chattering away while others wait to get in one of those bars. Even then it’s hard as you know how to make a reservation, and those reservations were gone within minutes every time they became available. Frankly, if all you want to do is hang out at a bar and meet up with friends, there are plenty of others out there (many of them very nice) that would be better suited to this. I first wrote about this problem in a column for Jim Hill Media, which was originally published in 2001! (Here is the link to that column.)

From what I understand, that column stirred up a hornet’s nest of comments on his website, and spilled over to many other Disney oriented websites. Worse yet, back then people did not always use their real names.

I think it’s time for folks to recognize their problems.

You want to visit Disneyland a lot? Fine. But keep your voice down in case others want to hear the actual sound that Disney Imagineers created.

Visit the bars, but maybe don’t stay for more than an hour.

And if you want to sit on the front porch, that’s okay. I people watch too, but give up your seat after an hour or so and give others a chance!

Yes, I’m an Annual Passholder. but now that I have grandkids, I find I only want to go when they want to go, and enjoy the parks through their eyes.

So, if you’re going to Disneyland make sure you enjoy it, and not wreck it for others. Or maybe stop going for a while.

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Intolerance

Both Sides Now

by Mark Eades

Written by Mark Eades

While walking my dog, I see a lot of walls and fences between properties, and how each property is different on both sides. It started reminding me of the wonderful lyrics from Joni Mitchell’s song “Both Sides Now” speak of love, love lost, and life. All from “Both Sides Now.” Then ends the song with “I really don’t know life at all.”

“Both sides” applies to the political and social discourse conversations happening in the country these days. Everyone is shouting out “this way” or “that way,” just to shout the other side down. The media biases get in the way and just echo those shouts. There seems to be no way to make both sides happy. Maybe it’s time to stop this discourse. How about both sides just SHUT UP and listen.

That’s right listen.

Maybe we’ll find we all have a lot more common ground.

Step back and think about what the other person is saying. Do not instantly respond like they do in the circuses that are election debates. Take the time to do some critical thinking.

When I was in school I had a few teachers and professors who would challenge me to write essays that took a point of view that was the opposite of my view. Yes, they were a challenge to write. I mean, how could anyone support that viewpoint? Yet it forced me to do the kind of thinking that maybe society should get back to.

Does that mean all opposite viewpoints are right? No, it does not, but it also helps to gain an understanding of how they came to that viewpoint. It might be the result of when, or where they were raised. What schools they went to. How they got their news. How they were exposed to political and social pressure.

So, let’s start looking at things from “Both Sides Now,” then you might end up really knowing life, and better appreciate and respect another’s point of view.

You can read the lyrics to the entire song “Both Sides Now” at this link.

Read my previous essay about intolerance at this link.

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Cancel CultureInternet

Intolerance

by Mark Eades

Written by Mark Eades

In the history of humankind, intolerance rears its ugly head many times and many ways.

There are times when it is less abundant, then there are times when there is so much intolerance that to tolerate it becomes the norm.

This is one of those times.

Someone can write a song espousing murder, rape and more and some tolerate it. Let’s curtail those types of songs some say – but song writers have a first amendment right.

Someone can write a song espousing how those living in a small town won’t tolerate that, and that’s intolerable and invoke a technique called “woke cancellation” policies – and again, the song writers have a first amendment right.

Some are even suggesting that it is time to limit our first amendment rights. Bringing up the possibility of a review board.

Really? Is everyone’s intolerance for words and phrases they don’t like that they’re willing to curtail our freedoms and liberties?

How have we in this country become so intolerant?

Is it social media? Is it biased media? Is it ignorance?

When it comes to social media, people jump to conclusions and pre-judge based on others’ views. Giving those intolerant views the chance to steamroll before anyone actually takes a moment to think, you know think.

Even using this quote will upset people: “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”

Oh, that’s the view of the extreme right say those on the left.

“So much for the tolerant left.”

That’s the quote thrown back by the conservative right at the left wing.

Look folks, it is not city folk versus rural folk. I can show you any number of folks in the city who are conservative, and I can show you any number of folks who are liberal progressives.

Maybe it’s time we all stop throwing labels at each other and actually quit jumping to conclusions.

That’s the view from The World Famous Eades Front Porch. I will tolerate different points of view.

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Buena Park, politics

Keep it local

by Mark Eades

It seems like more and more people are apt to make “a federal case out of everything.”

The use of social media has not helped this trend, but who am I to buck this trend? Well, I am bucking this trend.

So yes, consider this a lecture of a sorts.

For years, even as a reporter, I was amazed at how so many people looked to the folks in Washington to solve their local problems, when they could easily be solved if people would just spend some time working with their city council, or even their county board of supervisors.

Because I covered theme parks, and Disneyland, as a reporter for over eight years, I was fascinated by the fact that Disney, and in particular, Disneyland, had so many people covering it via websites, blogs and more.

There wasn’t a new thing at parks, no matter how small and trivial, that wouldn’t be “breathlessly” covered in detail by all the various bloggers. With an annoying number of photos, when one would have been fine.

Over those years as amazed as I was at the minutia of coverage I kept pondering the fact that if those same folks, or others, would spend as much time blogging about the issues in their cities then, perhaps, those cities would be better for it.

Imagine, if you will, if there were four or five folks blogging on a daily or many times daily about what is going on in the city I live in, Buena Park.

Would there be any potholes in the city? Would the streets be maintained? Would common sense apply in approvals of things to be built by developers? Would we even allow the state government try to dictate what and how we can build things in our city – some of which are some of the (to use my own words) stupidest things ever built?

For your information, stupid things get done because a few people (usually only two or three) really understand how things work at a local level on a project or development and focus on it. When the public starts realizing it, it’s on a city council’s agenda and by then it might be too late.

Now, all that said, there aren’t that many potholes in the city. They’ve done a good job in the last few years on the potholes and the streets – though it wasn’t always so.

And yes, unfortunately there have been some stupid things built – why I cannot say. Though I have some pretty good information on why they happened. But I cannot say as my source is off the record.

So, I say to everyone wake up!

 Stop making everything a national issue and get involved at your local level. Not just the city council, but on all the commissions, and things like the water districts, the sewer districts, the fire departments (in Buena Park, they use the Orange County Fire Authority – did you know they have their own board made up of representatives from all the cities that are part of it? No one pays attention.) and even the county sheriff’s department. Even Vector Control, (Vector Control deals with things like pests and mosquitoes.) which is a county thing, like the Fire Authority in its oversight.

I know it’s more fun to pay attention to the fun things, like Disneyland. But our cities and counties could certainly use this kind of attention to make everyone aware of what is happening and to ask why? Why are some things approved?

Let me tell you, from my experience, by the time a development project gets into the news media; or to a city council or county wide’s board for approval – it’s too late. Or it’s a long court process.

Now I put my money, in a small way, where my mouth is. I applied for and was appointed as one of seven commissioners on the City of Buena Park’s Planning Commission. Our meetings are scheduled for twice a month, if there’s anything on the agenda beyond approving the minutes of previous meetings.

You will find that we want to hear from our residents on things like new development projects, whether they be housing or otherwise, that are on our agenda. In fact, by law we have to, but I like that. It means the public has a chance to speak on anything on the agenda before it is debated for a vote. We even have a part of our meetings for folks to come in and talk about just about anything.

While we try to make sure that the plans deal with many of the details that us regular folks expect. Some of the projects we have to approve, even if we have issues with them, because of several state laws that have been passed with regards to housing and parking and more. Trust me, if I have issues with them, I will go on the record at the meetings saying so, but will still approve them, as I have to due to those state laws.

In the meantime, I wish everyone in every town across the state and the country, would stop making federal cases out of everything and start reporting on every little thing in their local communities. If there is a pothole, take a photo and put it online – somewhere. If there are rundown houses or businesses with windows broken or other, take a photo and post it and send it to your city folks.

Take the time to read the agendas of not only the City Council, but also the planning commission, and the oversight boards for those county-wide things like fire and sheriff and more. A lot of tax money and tax increases are forced by those groups due to negotiations with their unions.

Only by paying attention as citizens and taxpayers, working on this individually every day, documenting things with our smart phones and putting them up online, will we make things better.

If you have any comments about this post, or suggestions for future posts about just about any subject, feel free to email me at: markaeades@aol.com.

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Front Porch

The World Famous Eades Front Porch

by Mark Eades

Anyone who knows me knows I like sitting out on my front porch – or as I say it, sittin’ on the porch and visiting. Do you?

Now in most of Southern California, that’s a hard thing to do as houses out here were built with cars and driveways as their version of a front porch. A few homes have kids playing on those driveways, though not as many as used to do.

When we came out to California and my parents bought a house, we spent a lot of time in that driveway, playing basketball, four-square, and a whole bunch of other things with our neighbors and others from around the neighborhood.

So, in effect, it became our front porch. We would sit on chairs out there and drink iced tea and in later life, adult beverages. We celebrated the Fourth of July for many years with a huge water fight, sometimes involving as many as 40 people – some of whom just walked or drove by and parked. Of course, our policy was anyone within range of our water was subject to getting involved, whether they wanted to or not.

During breaks in the all-day water fight, we would hand crank and eat homemade ice cream, or hot dogs, hamburgers and more.

But back to the front porch. A few years after we bought our house we had to redo the landscaping in the front of our house and we decided to put in a “front porch.” It’s really just some concrete made to look like stones. And then we plopped down the first of several front porch swings on it.

The first two were wooden, but that didn’t matter. A few pillows made it all right. I’d sometimes take a nap on it. Later freestanding swings were the kind that most use on their patios, but not me. Mine might be patio swings, but it goes on the front porch – not the patio or backyard.

Many times, during the warmer parts of the years, I will sit out on my front porch. Sometimes I’ll just sip a beverage and nosh on snacks like peanuts, cashews or freshly popped popcorn (that tastes just as good and just like the popcorn found at Disneyland!) and watch the world go by. If people happen to walk by, usually walking their dog, I’ll say hello and maybe we’ll chat a while. Other times, I’ll read a book, surf the web on my smart phone, or make or take phone calls out there.

I’ve told others about my little front porch and over the years many have come by to spend an hour or two just visiting. Yep, just visiting. We will talk about anything and everything. A harkening back to my childhood in Indiana where many of the houses we or my relatives lived in had front porches – with swings.

Over the years the porch became a thing, some of the friends and acquaintances I met while working at the Orange County Register and from my first career as a Disney Imagineer, have stopped in for visits.

A few years ago, one of the regular visitors asked if they and their friend could come by for a visit to “The World Famous Eades Front Porch.” I said sure, and they dropped by a little while later. They took a couple photos of themselves and me on the porch and a little while later it was posted on Facebook and Twitter. They tagged me, and in the post said they really enjoyed just visiting at “The World Famous Eades Front Porch.”

The name stuck. Later that year I was at IAAPA, the big theme park expo held every November in Orlando, Florida. While there I met with and saw many folks I’ve known over the years in the theme park biz, and many others who knew me, or knew of me. What was amazing, surprising and really cool was how many of them wanted to know if they could stop by for a visit to “The World Famous Eades Front Porch.”

It was amazing, surprising and really cool (didn’t I just say that?) was that they knew of the porch and its new name.

So, I’ve stuck with the name and for more than three plus years it’s been called just that, “The World Famous Eades Front Porch.”

My daughter had a sign created for the porch last year, and also had three glasses with a logo on them for the porch that she also had created. We’ve joked that we could maybe sell the glasses (one for wine, one for ice cold beverages like iced tea or lemonade and one for a cocktail.) as souvenirs, or maybe make and sell T-shirts.

Who knows. I haven’t really pursued that too much because of the pandemic we’ve been in, though people still visit the porch; they just have to sit more than six feet away on chairs placed on the front lawn.

What else should I do? Some have said I should do a podcast from the porch. Not sure what I would talk about. I did a few Facebook live things last summer. I’ll take suggestions for a podcast, or subjects and think about that one. If you readers have any ideas send ‘em to me via email to markaeades@aol.com.

For now, sittin’ on The World Famous Eades Front Porch is reserved for sitting and watching the world go by, reading, and visiting – while enjoying some popcorn, peanuts or cashews and sipping a beverage.

Y’all stop by now for a visit!

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onlineWriting

All about vitriol in news and social media

by Mark Eades

Vitriol

  1. Bitterly harsh or caustic language or criticism.
  2. A sulfate of any of various metals

Today’s column is about vitriol. There are two definitions for the word. The secondary definition is a sulfate of any of various metals, such as the photo above which is Ferrous Ammonium Sulfate. But I want to talk about the first definition, that of bitterly harsh or caustic language or criticism.

The second is common these days on social media and many cable “news” shows. The other day someone posted a news item on Facebook about a politician and while it was accurate, I asked a question that provoked some very vitriolic responses. Some were downright judgmental, mean, and nasty.

I was immediately given a nasty label by some. Instead of dealing with my question, I was accused of being all kinds of nasty extremist things. My question was not necessarily aimed at one or another political point of view, but it did challenge why one politician was doing something, when it was clearly out of their district.

Of course, no one wanted to give me an answer to my question as it challenged their notion of the way things are supposed to be, and might make that politician look bad. I said “might.” I quickly tired of the responses and deleted my question even though I’m not known for slinking away.

Why did I slink away? Not because I was totally surprised by some of the vitriolic comments, but by whom they came from. Many of the responses came from some I used to work with in journalism. One of the responses from one journalist was the childish comment, “mic drop.” As if that was the proper response. There were several responses from other journalists similar to that.

The way of social media these days means I should expect some of the more childish nasty responses. But I frankly was very surprised me by the childish responses of those who are currently journalists. Journalists should have a better, intelligent, response. But frankly, they should stay away from responding like that.

If there is a question asked, it should be answered. Mine was a valid question. One I would ask any politician. But these days it seems to that there are some politicians who face tough questions, and some who do not, depending on the political views of the journalists. That is a crying shame.

What’s worse, there are journalists defending politicians who dodge questions, running interference for them.

All elected officials deserve tough examination, not hero worship. Particularly from journalists here in this country. Notice I said tough examination, not harsh treatment. If they dodge a question, then more digging is warranted. What are they not telling us?

Journalists should not drop an issue because they, as a journalist, like that politician and their point of view. If anything, that journalist should be doubly tough on the politician whose point of view and politics they agree with. The same holds true for the unelected politicians – those appointed to their offices or those who are in the bureaucracy.

How many times have folks in government been given a pass by journalists, only to have the facts come out later that should have been caught by those journalists in the first place.

So, to those journalists who responded to me with such vitriolic comments I say shame on you and do your jobs! Stop with the put downs and start asking tougher questions!

This is one of a series of posts where I am writing about a variety of subjects. Feel free to email me with ideas for columns. I do prefer to write about fun things, but I’m not afraid to say something when I feel there is something off.

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Marvel, SHIELD

Do I have to cover this again?

by Mark Eades

Okay, I owe the idea for this column to Robert Kinsler who wrote me this:

“Write about an assignment / task you didn’t look forward to at the time but ended up being wonderful and even may have had a longer impact on your interest in the subject.”

Back in 2011 I was assigned, for about the fourth or fifth time, to cover the “load-in” of cars for the OC Auto Show. Like in previous years, I had to write the story and shoot a video about it.

Why? Because back then the Orange County Register sponsored the show.

Folks, it’s really hard to come up with something interesting to write about for the umpteenth time about all the cars being driven into the Anaheim Convention Center – and shooting a video wasn’t that much more exciting either.

I mean, how many ways can you edit together video of all the different car makers cars being driven in, polished and more?

So, I grumbled, but was not given a choice and off to the convention center I went. Thankfully, a photographer was assigned (Lorren Au) so I didn’t have to worry about photos. By the way, he was as thrilled as I was.

I wandered the floor getting video shots of cars coming in, some of the special exhibits and interviewed some of the car companies’ reps.

Then I struck gold.

In the Honda Acura section there was this cool looking, sleek, black Acura. I didn’t pay much attention to it at first, focusing on just getting a static shot of it with a slow pan. Then I looked at the sticker.

Wait a minute! The price is classified? It’s a one-of-a-kind? What kind of car is this?

Turns out it was the car for S.H.I.E.L.D. of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All the details on the sticker were all made up, as if you the Auto Show attendee had entered that universe. My eyes started to twinkle. I got one of those grins on my face. I thought, I could have some fun with this.

I went up to the counter and asked if there was anyone there that could tell me about the car. Pretty soon this lady came up and said she could help me out.

I had decided to do a separate fun, tongue-in-cheek video about the car. I asked her to do a sales person pitch about the totally fictional car. She got the idea right away so I handed her a microphone.

She described the car’s unique propulsion system, top speed, that it could go like a quarter million miles before needing more of its special fuel. The car’s defensive capabilities (there were, supposedly, a few missiles and other weapons hidden away) and more, including a unique method that allowed only the owner to actually start and drive the car.

Oh, and the tires could not go flat.

Now I had watched Ironman. But not any others that had come out. But after that, I decided I would definitely go out and watch all the movies as they were released.

Oh, and Lorren said he was amazed how I had turned the blandest assignment in the world into something interesting.

The video? It’s still on YouTube, and you can find it at this link.

This is my second column in me trying to get my writing mojo back. I try to write these in about an hour. If you have an idea of something I should write about, send it to me at: markaeades@aol.com. Yes, that AOL. I previously wrote about why I still have an AOL email and you can find it at this link.

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AOLInternet

Why am I Still With AOL?

by Mark Eades

Okay, this idea comes from Doug Bain, who has a website called startswithstory.com. He wanted to know why I still have an AOL.com email address.

Well, Doug, I’ll tell you because anyone who lives in Fountain Valley is all right with me because that city has a park with a simple name, “Mile Square Park.” Why? Because it is one-mile square. But I digress.

I started with AOL way back in the early dial up days. Back when no one really knew what the heck the internet was, much less that it could be better or worse. Heck, back then Microsoft Word and even the Associate Press insisted that the word internet should be capitalized, like a proper name similar to a city or whatever.

I disagreed, and when I was a journalist I went to war with AP style folks and said “NO!” The internet is a noun, as it is a place. But it is not a “proper” noun like a city or a street or a person.

I knew I was right and frequently frustrated editors as I refused to write it as “Internet” as Bill Gates wanted.


By the way, that’s how that got started – Bill insisted that Microsoft Word’s spell check had it like that because that’s the way he wanted it.

Well anyone with any grammatical common sense would tell you that it incorrect.

Anyway, AP eventually recognized that I and other English language experts were right and surrendered to the correct usage and said it could be “internet.”

So, why do I still have an AOL email address? Because. Okay, there’s more to it than that. I was early to the internet and email in that I wanted my own email address. And my name (with the letter of my middle name) was available, so I grabbed it.

Now, many folks back then would use artificial names and hide behind them. Say what you want about me, but not me. You know it’s me and if it’s my opinion, I don’t shirk the fact that I’ve voiced it. Disagree with me all you want, but you know I said it. Others stayed hidden. Cowards!

But that doesn’t answer the question of why I still have and use it beyond, “Because.”

To me it’s kind of like moving. I hate moving and having to deal with the change of address thing, and mail that gets lost in the shuffle. I think of my email address in the same way. I want people who might want to get in touch with me after a few years to still be able to reach me.

In fact, I’ve had a few people, even at Walt Disney Imagineering, send me an email to clarify some point of information many years after I left my employment there.

And I still get emails from others I’ve known for years and years. (I hate saying years and years. It means I’m getting old!)

I do have a gmail email address now, and have used it for some other things. I have another email that only I know for some super-secret stuff. (Bank accounts and investments. Sorry, no love trysts!)

Oh, and one more thing. Years ago, because I was an early person. AOL made the account free, for life!

They also have a great spam filter. Though I do admit I find reading the emails from the Nigerian Princess saying she has $17 million that she would split with me if I can help her fascinating.

So, feel free to email me at my AOL email address: markaeades@aol.com. I might reply to you.

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