#1000 - A Mark Wagner Retrospective

For my 1000th post A retrospective look back at my misspelling, run on sentences, past thoughts, old pictures, my humor and other assorsted nonsense

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As the Rolling Stones once said "What a long strange trip it's been" or was it Yogi Bera? Anyway I thought I would look back at the first 999 posts leading up to this day.

Way back when I first "discovered" Harbour Lights back in 96' or 97' I went online on America Online and found a small group of other Harbour Lights collectors who also were looking for more information, looking to buy or sell rare hard to find pieces. It was at point in time when I first met John Chidester online and a few others who were on Aol Paul, Tim, Mary, Sean, Rick, Chuck Cassidy (haven't seen Chuck online in a long time) and a few others who have stood the test of time and are still here within the third generation bulletin board know known as the Harbour Lights forums. I had been looking for a place to keep busy within the fog signaling industry when I met Tim, Soon after I was hired on as the assistant keeper at the Fog Signal Building, it was at that time when Tim had just parted company with Al Gore after Tim did all the work and Al took all the glory when the two of them had invented the Internet. But with my help the Fog Signal Labs became bigger and better than ever with many new inventions coming out every month with very few patent infringement cases, but with the help of our associate Blind Tony many of these cases were settled out of court in our favor.

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Some old postings that I still enjoy:

• Fighting Lightkeepers Championship Season 98'
• Fighting Lightkeepers Pre-season Update 99'
• The End Of The World…… Well Maybe
• The time I came in a close second in a HL contest

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Some past photographic memories from the FSB archives:

• "I NEVER shop at Walmart!…. Yeah Right"
• Snow day
• Rock & Jayne visit the famous Ocracow Island light on a remote Wisconsin Island
• Assistant Chief down at the FSB volunteer fire department
• The time Tim was going to replace me with a "better" assistant with his fancy laser cloning thing-a-ma-bob
• The parking lot over at Blind Tony's offices

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Some audio highlights from the FSB archives (these may take a while to load with a dial up connection) Some real nostalgic Norman Rockwell moments

• John & Tim's first meeting
• More from John & Tim's first meeting
• From when the FSB launched it's first satellite
• A quote from Paul when my Sainthood was turned down the 13th time
• A anonymous voice regarding the investigation of the death of Bob Younger
• A thought from Dave or was it Sue?

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I hope you enjoyed your trip down memory lane as much as I did.
Feel free to add some of your fond memories too
Sincerely, Mark

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DBA as Mark Wagner Enterprises LLC ® See dealer for details, all rebates applied. Offer not available in Alaska or Hawaii. No purchase necesssary. Consult a physician before taking advice from me. Close cover before striking. Your mileage may vary. Drink responsibly, 40% alcohol by volume (80 proof). For more information see John 4:17. If a rash appears seek the advice of a qualified collector. Finance charges may apply. Driver carry's no cash. Void where prohibited. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. Must be postmarked by April 15th. CPVC, ASAP, TTFN.

Congratulations Mark on hitting #1000 -- but geez, I thought it must have been a lot more than that. Seems like you've been around here forever -- and I say that with thanks and pride!

Once again, you've floated to the top some of the best posts from the CF. Keep 'em laughing!

Best to you and Michelle.

Surprised not to see anything here about the anti-gravity cat. I thought it was one of your more ingenious inventions. (Patent Pending FSL). And that idea of yours about just leaving the Christmas lights up really paid off this year. I know you're a modest kinda guy, but you really should tell folks about how you ran off the Walmart - don't know how you came up with those signatures, not to mention where the cocker spaniels came from, but hey, anybody who asks probably doesn't really need to know.

Anyway, mucho congratulationes mi amigo. A thousand is certainly a big number and it looks like you've done one here. In a small token of appreciation your promotion to Chief Scientist is effectively immediately. Look for a little something missing in your check.

Taint had much snow yet here at the FSB, but I suspect the winter crowd will show, sleet or shine, and if its not here yet, you know there is more on the way. January we're likely to be dumped on. But, hey, Mark's got the big Yooker tent set up just a hundert yards off shore - the ice is so clear you can almost hear the muskies go 'neener neener' as they swim beneath your feet, so bring the whole family to Frozen Fog Carnival days and together we'll celebrate Mark's passing 1000 messages. Squeeze him again and maybe he'll pass another.

Like the man sez: In the Fog, Time seems to Stop,
__
/im

How do you follow Tim's response? All I can say is I enjoy your humor and I am proud to call you friend!

Congrats, Mark. I was looking at my number the other day and couldn't believe it was only around 770. I guess I need to get typing...

As Paul said, how can one follow Tim's eloquent words and the wonderful promotion he presented you? As I have often said, a sick mind is a terrible thing to waste, and you have put yours to wonderful use representing the FSB. Now, hop on the Yugo powered Zamboni and take a victory lap around the FSB lake.

Dave

Congratulations on your 1000th post Mark. And a big thanks fro bringing back some of the nostalgia from the forums. Haven't doen them all yet, but enjoyed what I did see.

Bert

Can't believe I almost missed this? I can't believe all the Saints that basically deferred to Tim! Can't believe you only have 1000 posts? Can't believe at least half of those posts were a 1000 words or more? Can't believe I let you and Tim make me a lurker in the Fog Signal Building 'til this day? Can't believe you disbanded the softball team as soon as I requested to play? Can't believe you're a Saint and I'm an "Aint"(only kidding).
You're a wealth of knowledge on the subject of Harbour Lights, and expert in many others that only you and Tim understand.
I value your postings and most of all your friendship,
Bob

Shucks, Bob. All this 'can't believing' makes us wonder if you're not a reincarnated skeptic from Ancient Greece ('the unexamined life is worth living' - 'there is such a thing as knowledge, but we can't have it', etc., etc.). But hey, maybe you don't believe in them either. LOL! Its kinda hard to say, isn't it.

Come to the Frozen Fog Carnival in February and we'll make a believer out of you. We're getting the Lodge all fixed up - a nice fireplace in every room (and each one has a cocker spaniel snoozing on the rug - I still don't know how they all got here.). And you're certain to enjoy the 'eat what you can' pastie breakfast buffet.

If you can give assurances its really you, maybe Mark will let you take a spin at the helm of the 'Absolute Zero' - thats the new underground high-speed lev-line that ferrys visitors from Fog Signal Field to the lodge. (Super conductivity at extremely low temperatures - you just glide long silently at 300mph - and with the new inertia-less drive that Mark's been working on, stopping and starting are instantaneous. Whoops - guess that cat is out of the bag.) And the kids are sure to enjoy cruising down Ice Mountain - bring your own garbage can lid, or we'll rent you one.

Course, next year we're hoping to open The Magic Tundra - that one is still kinda hush hush, but rest assured every family gets their own flares and personal GPS in case they can't find their way out. Believe me the fog is thick out there.

So if you can't believe, at least pretend you can - suspend your disbelief for a few days and if we believe you, we'll suspend ours. :-)

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/im

I believe in Santa Claus, I believe in Peter Pan, "I believe in long, wet kisses on a hot summers night...(Crash Davis to Annie Savoy,'Bull Durham' 1988), ........I do believe in the Fog Signal Building! I do believe in Mark and Tim!!!!!!LOL!1!
Bob

ps The Frozen Fog Carnival sounds like fun, please send info.