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Just Another Friday Night!

I'm beginning to wonder..... if there is any such thing as "normal" at CLub Brown. But then again what is the definition of normal?

The Captian and Vice Admiral arrive at the CLub for a short work session (the Admiral has a formidable list of CLub-does), some libations and possibly some nourishment, only to find the doors locked and apparently no one present but Mae and Cloe. After using the "secret" entry technique that only a few CLub members are privy to, they soon discover that there is indeed someone there. Seems Digger Dave is sequestered in the  Attic??? Hmmmmmmm........not wanting to interupt Digger's activities, I get right to the CLub-do list.

First item up is the malfunctioning HVAC system wherin the A/C runs at the same time as the heat! No wonder our dues are so high. After a couple of simple troubleshooting techniques, it is determined the newly installed (3 yrs ago?) "energy saving" set back thermostat is incorrectly wired. I wonder who installed this?

Moving quickly (seems there is some silly rule about no libations during "working" hours) to the next item, it is determined that the malfunctioning basement light is simply a defective light bulb. Come on Digger.....did this really need to be on the "emergency service" technicians list?

Next up are improvements to the CLub Management Information System infrastructure. It seems that there has never been any security implimented on the wireless networking devices, and there is also a new wireless printer that needs to be commisioned. This particular chore is probably the reason for the aformentioned libation rule, as this technician learned long ago that certain beverages and electronic data systems do not mix well!

What's all that ruckus??????

Oh my gosh...............apparently Margie is up to her publicity tricks again and has invited a stranger in for a visit! Oh wait....it's not a stranger.... it's Trooper! (see Dramatic Rescue). Seems that Trooper, out on his Friday night prowl,  heard that there were CLub activites this evening and wanted to stop in for a "cold one", socialize a bit and meet some of the CLub members.

With all of the confusion and the greetings being exchanged between old acquantinces and new, any further attempts at work seem futile. Break out the beverages!
Aunt Patty and Trooper quickly become steadfast friends and she proclaims him to be a fine specimen, worthy of  CLub membership. After Trooper posed for his CLub membership ID photo he returned home under the watchful eye of his gaurdian.

By the way, from Wiki:
In behavior, normal refers to a lack of significant deviation from the average. The phrase "not normal" is often applied in a negative sense (asserting that someone or some situation is improper, sick, etc.) Abnormality varies greatly in how pleasant or unpleasant this is for other people.


The Oxford English Dictionary defines "normal" as 'conforming to a standard'. Another possible definition is that "a normal" is someone who conforms to the predominant behavior in a society. This can be for any number of reasons such as simple imitative behavior, deliberate or inconsistent acceptance of society's standards, fear of humiliation or rejection etc.
The French sociologist Emile Durkheim indicated in his Rules of the Sociological Method that the most common behavior in a society is considered normal. People who do not go along are violating social norms and will invite a sanction, which may be positive or negative, from others in the society.
As normality is often hard to define, a case study was done in 2008 in which students at Woodvale Senior High School, specifically students in the music program, were exposed to a certain kind of abnormalality or as it was described at the time by Dr. Summerville, "weirdness." The aim was to see what adolescents perceived as normal, or "average," and what they thought would be abstract, or as many of the participants described it, "weird." Sarah Nader and Murray Bishop, two of the test subjects were asked to have a "normal conversation" with their peers. However it soon became apparent that the discussions had between close, or even "best," friends was defined as weird by others of whom they were engaging in conversation. The conclusions of the study were that normalness is not an entirely flawed concept, rather it is simply defined as what the majority perceives as the mean, or average.

Dog Lover or Publicity Hound??

Dog Lover or Publicity Hound?

First of all I want to give credit where credit it is due. Club Brown North in its infancy has done some fantastic things. The Seafood Fests, Halloween parties, the Fourth of July puppy and bike parade for all the neighborhood children and their pets and the numerous puppy birthday parties that allowed all to celebrate their puppy’s birthday. All were put together under the careful eye of Admiral Margie Brown and most of them ended up in the local newspaper. But years have gone by, children have grown up and friends have moved away. Club Brown has expanded to multi state locations and enrollment, but Club Brown North hasn’t had something big to cause our tails to wag in a while.

All of that changed one day when Admiral Margie lured found a stray dog near CBN. She fed him and called the owners to pick him up. As the story goes, she let her newly found headline friend play in the backyard and we all heard what happened next. The dog ended up in the pool, Margie staged performed a dramatic rescue while recovering from surgery and that led to a write up on the Club Brown website, a possible Dog Lover of the Year award, a substantial monetary reward, a trophy, numerous phone calls from her legions of fans and a rumored fast track for the Nobel Peace Prize (hey, if Obama can do it, why not our prestigious Admiral?)

Part II:



At the end of September, Club Member Amy went to introduce her favorite Aunt to her new puppy, Tripp. Once again Margie let the puppy in the backyard, fed him and lo and behold, what happens next? Once again, another soggy doggy! It is rumored the puppy, saw some treats in the middle of the pool cover. This time Margie healed from surgery (but still in therapy) yells for Amy to “dive in and get him!!!!” Amy quickly notices that the cover is holding Tripp’s weight (somewhat). Coaxing her new puppy to the side of the pool resolves the problem and she is able to scoop him out when he gets to the edge of the cover without getting wet. Not quite the exciting rescue her Aunt had, was it?



Hmmmm, now I sit here wondering how two puppies end up needing rescued within a few short months. Was it an attempt to gain more accolades, more recognition and perhaps another front page story in the local newspapers a nd a possible write up in People magazine? Or….could it be a jealous brother who has never had an article in any newspaper (other than those mistruths in the police blotter following Club Brown festivities).



In the end it is up to you, our loyal Club members, to decide if our beloved Admiral is a true dog lover or publicity hound. Perhaps a strong advisement to be watchful of your doggies if you visit Club Brown North is in order or they too may need to be “rescued”. (By the way, I personally believe it is I who should get the Dog Lovers Award as I myself have saved up two dogs from those nasty, nasty shelters. And, judges the check is in the mail.)



Submitted By
Uncle Tommy

Editors note: All Club members are welcomed and encouraged to submit articles for publication. Articles will be published as recieved, without editing, with the exception of minor formatting or graphics(or if I don't like it!) The opinions expressed by CLub members in guest editorials are solely those of the author. Neither the editor, webmaster or Club management take any responsibility for any of our actions said opinions nor the ruckus they may create!