Mullings An American Cyber Column By Rich Galen

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45750

Rich Galen

Monday October 23, 2017

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Give me a day to get back up to speed with all the wonderful political news I have missed. There will be a regular MULLINGS tomorrow covering what you have been cringing about.
A number of you - a gratifying number of you - sent me emails over this past week wondering if I was ok.
There was no MULLINGS on Thursday, and my Tweets (and corresponding Facebook entries) dropped to near zero.
The reason is, I was elected to the Marietta College (Marietta, Ohio 45750) Board of Trustees. This is a very big deal to me. For those who have followed me for some time know that my checkered commercial career is a paragon of smooth sailing compared to my academic career.
I got tossed out of MC after three semesters for "failing to make progress toward a degree." I believe that may have had something to do with the B, the C, and the three Fs I got.
The reasons for my intellectual indolence are not important but they did include rum, Coca Cola, girls, and the fact that I realized they didn't call your mom if you missed class.
I became a great folk guitarist because I practiced five hours a day instead of going to school.
Two years later - after a stint on Active Duty for Training at Ft. Bragg, NC for the New Jersey National Guard, the required construction job, and night school classes at local Northern NJ institutions - I applied for, and was granted re-admission to Marietta College.
The Dean of the College began my re-acceptance letter with: "All is forgiven. You may return."
Upon being elected to the Alumni Hall of Fame several years ago I delivered a two-minute acceptance speech. You can read that on the Secret Decoder Ring page.
I was much better that second time through. I entered with the class of 1968, but didn't graduate until the summer of 1971. I didn't actually graduate, the college business office called and said I didn't have to come anymore.
I became the news director of the local radio station, WMOA, ran for and, the second time, was elected to, the Marietta City Council; I met and married the Mullings Director of Standards and Practices and a bit over three years later The Lad, Reed, was born in Marietta.
SIDEBAR
The first time I ran for City Council I lost 902 - 900 in the Republican primary. At the time Ohio law required you appear on the ballot with your official name.
In my case that was Richard A. Galen
Alas, I was on the radio five or six times a day using the name "Rich Galen" as in, "This is Rich Galen, WMOA news." To listeners this came out "Richgalen," like "Michaelangelo."
For weeks after the election people came to me and said they couldn't find my name on the ballot. It never occurred to them that Richard A. Galen and Rich Galen might be the same person.
The teaching point for the past 40 years has been this:
If your candidate's name is Charles Everson Provolone, don't have yard signs made that say, "Vote for Chuck E. Cheese!"

You're making the voters work too hard.

END SIDEBAR
Being elected to the Marietta Collage board, then, closed a very important loop in my life. This past weekend was the first regular meeting since my election and I am taking it very seriously.
I didn't start my day flipping back and forth between MSNBC and CNN. I turned down at least two invitations to appear on afternoon cable shows. And, I didn't spend a good part of my day checking (and responding to) my Twitter feed.
I know I've worn you out over the years with Marietta College references and I promise I won't make it any worse. Except for today's Mullfoto, which you can also see HERE. It's pretty good.
Back to regular programming tomorrow.
On the Secret Decoder Ring page today: Links to the Subscription Drive page and to that short speech.
The Mullfoto is worth a look.

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