Coal Region Guestbook Archive
December, 2001

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  Monday 12/31/2001 1:58:53pm
Name: Jim Ringenary
E-Mail: jimringo@webtv.net
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Gordon
Where you live now: Mount Holly, N.J.
Comments:
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!



  Monday 12/31/2001 9:05:53am
Name: Kathleen (Conchis) Caughey
E-Mail: copperqueen@ronloan.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Maizeville, PA
Where you live now: Tacoma, WA
Comments: Always looking for more information on Maizeville and the Roman Catholic Church there. Information on Shelumsky's Tavern, last I heard it was run by my cousin (Stella Murphy)



  Saturday 12/29/2001 3:09:19pm
Name: Mark Polyniak
E-Mail: polyniak172@cs.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Shamokin
Where you live now: Apex, NC
Comments:



  Saturday 12/29/2001 2:16:09pm
Name: Len Chaponis
E-Mail: chaponis2@yahoo.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Shenandoah Pa
Where you live now: New Britain CT
Comments: re: Shenandoah Coal Crackers

The correct web page on "Shenandoah: A Video History" is -

www.
history-videos.com/shenandoah/index.html

The Spelling Checker dosen't catch some mistakes. Thank heaven for the BackspaceKey on my computer.

Len Chaponis



  Saturday 12/29/2001 1:33:04pm
Name: Len Chaponis
E-Mail: chaponis2@yahoo.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Shenandoah PA
Where you live now: New Britain CT
Comments: Shenandoag Coal Crackers

Thanks to Shenandoah PA residents Valerie Macdonald and Bill O’Brien and others in making local history come alive in 90-minute film “Shenandoah: A Video History” and performance of the song “Old Shenandoah” by Amanda Fritz..

Valerie Macdonald, a New York City native “fell in love” with Shenandoah and relocated to the community some 15 years ago – and subsequently became president of both the Greater Shenandoah Area Historical Society and the Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce – and worked with the producer (Steven Patterson of Sunbury PA) on historical aspects of the film “Shenandoah: A Video History”.

Coal region journalist/historian William O’Brien, retired editor of the Shenandoah Evening Herald, is depicted on the video cracking and screening anthracite coal (“Coal Crackers”) behind his Ellengowen patch dwelling and the building of his Chinese wall of rock and slate.

Now - my grandchildren can relate to “Coal Crackers” - a person from the Coal Regions.

You can access web page - www. history-video.com/Shenandoah/index.html
.



  Saturday 12/29/2001 1:08:21pm
Name: Stephen Budda
E-Mail: Stephen_Budda@Via-Christi.org
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Freeland
Where you live now: Wichita, Kansas
Comments:



  Saturday 12/29/2001 11:59:32am
Name: Jim Baunchalk
E-Mail: cossak220@hotmail.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Other
Where you're from: Minersville
Where you live now: Wilmington, Delaware
Comments: Hello again. Just checking in.
Jim B.



  Friday 12/28/2001 11:16:56pm
Name: Terry Gownley Jr.
E-Mail: terrygownley@hot mail.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Lost Creek
Where you live now: Houston, Tx.
Comments: SHS Class of 64. Retired after 36 years with Union Carbide Corp. Wishing Coal Crackers a wonderful Holiday season.



  Friday 12/28/2001 2:28:27pm
Name: Bill McGlinchey
E-Mail: bill0641@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Tamaqua, Pa
Where you live now: Columbus, Ga
Comments: Wishing all a Happy and Healthy New Year



  Friday 12/28/2001 11:05:37am
Name: Joe Revak
E-Mail: joenopain@att.net
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Minersville
Where you live now: Jacksonville, Maryland
Comments: I look at the site to see who I know that's been by. Have not seen to many familiar names lately. Was just up viisiting lately and had some hams and hots from the Coney Island, still the best tasting burgers around, or maybe it's just the nostalgia thing. Hope all is well for for any classmates from Nativity '68 that are stopping by to surf. Happy and Healthy New Year to all!



  Friday 12/28/2001 10:06:14am
Name: PETER SINKOWSKI
E-Mail: VINYLYST @AOL.COM
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: MAHANOY CITY
Where you live now: NORTHAMPTON,PA.
Comments: Great site!!!!! Graduated IHHS '65.Where
did everybody go?Yea I know,fame and fortune.Keep up the good work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



  Thursday 12/27/2001 8:20:23pm
Name: Pat Farley
E-Mail: Bdf329@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Ashland, PA
Where you live now: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Comments:



  Thursday 12/27/2001 2:04:20pm
Name: Mary Ann Hooker (nee Galley)
E-Mail: mkenodog
Homepage Title: none
Homepage URL: http://none
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: originally Frackville,Pa.
Where you live now: Drexel Hill,Pa
Comments: Wishing everyonea Happy Holiday Season with good health & peace.I would like to hear from anyone out there formerly a coal cracker I'm away 42 years it seems like yesterday that I left. I worked for the phone co for 35 yrs. Now retired for 7 yrs.ANYONE WHO WORKED FOR THE PHONE CO FORMERLY A COALCRACKER if you like contact me



  Thursday 12/27/2001 2:35:49am
Name: Len Chaponis
E-Mail: chaponis2@yahoo.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Shenandoah PA
Where you live now: New Britain CT
Comments: A Video History
Shenandoah

During this Christmas Season I received a Christmas gift of a new video entitled “Shenandoah: A Video History”. People have asked me where do you get this video.

The cost of this Shenandoah video is $ 24.95 (plus $ 3.50 shipping).

You can Access www.history-videos.com for more information on this Shenandoah video

Steven L. Patterson, owner of Patterson-Brandt Inc of Sunbury PA - has been making educational and informative videos for two decades.

Patterson said, “We specialize in doing local history programs and find an interesting area and partner with historical societies * to make the video. I just found Shenandoah to be a fascinating place. There’s quite a bit of research involved”.

Valerie E. Macdonald, president of both the *Greater Shenandoah Area Historical Society and the Greater Shenandoah Area Chamber of Commerce, worked with Patterson on historical aspects of the film “Shenandoah: A Video History”.

With a one time Shenandoah population of over 30,000 scattered all over the continents – we can all remember our own period of growing up in Shenandoah



  Wednesday 12/26/2001 9:38:01pm
Name: Len Chaponis
E-Mail: chaponis2@yahoo.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Shenandoah PA
Where you live now: New Britain CT
Comments: Shenandoah Video

During this Christmas Holiday Season I received a new video entitled “ Shenandoah: A Video History”. On the video box it says program is 75 minutes long, but during editing it grew to 91 minutes video history of Shenandoah PA.

The video with its old photographs takes you on an unforgettable adventure from the past onto the present. I enjoyed seeing all the different churches in the Borough again.

In this video Shenandoah is also depicted as a City of churches. There are eighteen Houses of Worship in the video dedicated to the Glory of God with-in the Shenandoah Borough limits. These include seven Roman Catholic Churches, Eight Protestant Churches, the Kehillat Israel Synagogue, the Holy Ghost Russian Orthodox Church and the Polish National Church.

The video talks about The First Methodist Church, The First Presbyterian Church, The First Welsh Baptist Church, Bethel Primitive Methodist Church, Trinity United Church of Christ, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church¸ The All Saints Episcopal Church, Bethany Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Calvary Baptist Church.

And video takes you to The Annunciation Catholic Church, Holy Family Catholic Church, St. Casimir’s Catholic Church, St. Michael’s Greek Catholic Church, St. George’s Lithuanian Catholic Church, St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, St. Stephen Catholic Church, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Our Lady of Mercy Church and Holy Ghost Polish National Church.

This one square mile of Shenandoah area as depicted in the video probably holds more churches of differing denomination and sect than any other in the country.

It owes this fact to its earliest settlers who were men and women of strong religious convictions.

Amen.



  Tuesday 12/25/2001 7:41:00pm
Name: Gwenn
E-Mail: GSwing7536@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Ohio
Where you live now: Ohio
Comments: Good site. My boyfriend is from Lackawana County.



  Monday 12/24/2001 6:13:26pm
Name: carolyn
E-Mail: the_road_not_takenn@yahoo.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Search Engine
Where you're from: santa claus indiana
Where you live now: michigan
Comments: i came to this site looking for a recipie for pierogies, and found some other great recipies too. thank you.



  Monday 12/24/2001 2:09:23pm
Name: George T. Stoddard
E-Mail: geostod@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Minersville
Where you live now: Ventnor, NJ
Comments: My 1st visit in a little while.
I want to wish everyone a Happy + Safe Holiday Season.



  Sunday 12/23/2001 10:11:56pm
Name: Kay Martz
E-Mail: felicitysgramma@juno.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://augustaregt.com
Referred By: Search Engine
Where you're from: Sunbury
Where you live now: Sunbury after 25 years away
Comments: Ran across you while living away -- got the biggest charge out of seeing how much coalspeak stays with me! Happy as ever to see you're still here. Mom had coal dirt in her knees and a family who knew ice cream (Maurer's, eat yer hearts out -- we're Tharp's Ice Cream!), Daddy knew a good woman when he found her in Shamokin. Thanks soooo much for doing all the work to keep this site going! Now my kids know why I'm like I am.



  Sunday 12/23/2001 7:41:07pm
Name: Bob Gray,Jr
E-Mail: roadtrip84924307@cs.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Other
Where you're from: Pine Grove,PA
Where you live now: Springfield Township,Montgomery Co,PA
Comments: Lived here since the age of 5, but have never forgotten where I came from. Merry Christmas to all!



  Sunday 12/23/2001 4:03:26pm
Name: Gerry Francola
E-Mail: clipper188@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Lavelle, Pa.
Where you live now: Ohio
Comments: miss my friends from "the Gap" from the 50's...



  Saturday 12/22/2001 8:58:39pm
Name: Charlie Brennan
E-Mail: brennanbunch@yahoo.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Frackville,Pa
Where you live now: Mansfield, Pa.
Comments: Happy Holidays from the Brennan's in Mansfield, Pa. I am originally from Frackville and a 1972 grad of Cardinal Brennan. Happy to see the Charger football team do well this year. Would like to hear from any old classmates and friends. Miss the good people and food of the coal region.



  Friday 12/21/2001 5:15:40pm
Name: St Nick
E-Mail: sclaus@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: North Pole
Where you live now: North Pole
Comments: I don't suppose you people would want some coal in your stockings would you? Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.



  Friday 12/21/2001 11:56:59am
Name: Sean Snyder
E-Mail: snyderse@mhs-pa.org
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Trevorton Pa
Where you live now: Trevorton
Comments: My town Sucks



  Thursday 12/20/2001 10:25:39pm
Name: Louisa and Francis Maley
E-Mail: maleysofla@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: St. Clair, Penna. (Schuylkill Co.)
Where you live now: Lady Lake, Florida
Comments: Interesting comments from Coal Crackers from all over the country. Enjoy this web page and hearing from friends from school and my home town.



  Tuesday 12/18/2001 9:59:39pm
Name: Rosemarie (Kraft) Porzi
E-Mail: porzi@chilitech.net
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Mt. Carmel
Where you live now: Elysburg
Comments: Only moved 9 miles away...looking for class members 1962 MCHS or anyone else that went to Mt. Carmel. Should be having our 40th reunion in 2002.



  Tuesday 12/18/2001 7:18:40pm
Name: Dean
E-Mail: dhafer@peakpeak.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Tamaqua
Where you live now: Longmont, CO
Comments: Wishing everyone in the region a merry christmas. I'll be thinking of everyone while drinking alot of Boilo this holiday season.



  Tuesday 12/18/2001 11:43:26am
Name: Will Balky
E-Mail: willbalky@hotmail.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Ringtown
Where you live now: Girardville
Comments: Love this site! I'm having a rough fantasy football year. Anyone viewing
this who stops in my Quart store (Balky's Quarts main street G-ville,formally Cuffy's, before that Marie's cafe) and tells me how bad my team was this year will recieve a free beer. see ya when I see ya yer pal
Willy...



  Tuesday 12/18/2001 11:33:39am
Name: Leah Joyeleen (Rockwell) Russell
E-Mail: HEHOTO@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Jacksonville, Florida
Where you live now: Jacksonville, Florida
Comments: I was very please with your site, but I did not see any of the Ashland Coal mines in your site. My Grandfather, father and several of his brothers worked the coal mines for years. Thank you again for letting me visit your site, I also got some of the recipes from there, some of them brought back memories of when I use to visit my grandmother in Ashland. Thank you again. Maybe next time you can show the mines in Ashland too.



  Monday 12/17/2001 3:18:18pm
Name: Trina Schellhammer
E-Mail: trinas@ptd.net
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Clamtown
Where you live now: New Ringgold
Comments: Coal Region folks are the nicest, warmest people on earth. Even if a guy walks into a bar and looks mean and angry, he's usually really got a heart of gold!



  Monday 12/17/2001 11:47:58am
Name: Angelo Serva
E-Mail: serva@epix.net
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Shenandoah,Pa.
Where you live now: Wellsboro, Pa.
Comments: Graduated from JW.Cooper Class of 1956 would like to hear from classmates. The class of 1956 of JW Cooper is looking for the following: John Bender, Ann Marie Diverd Reed, Ann Narsavage, Gloria Piercosky Smith and Willard Riegel....can you all help thanks Angelo Serva



  Sunday 12/16/2001 1:49:13pm
Name: Marion Koppenhaver Lenker
E-Mail: gramax10@paonline.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Orwin, Schuylkill County, PA 17980
Where you live now: Lebanon, PA
Comments: This is great!!! Hope to see more good subjects soon and more recipes! Thank you!



  Friday 12/14/2001 9:12:48pm
Name: Bill Powell
E-Mail: bpow16thinf@msn.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Girardville
Where you live now: Brogue, Pa. York Cty.
Comments: Born an raised in G-ville web site brings a lot of good memorys pizza G-ville had the best Burgers Tonys Screemers basty Yingling 3 qt for a buck Dance at rangers block party And cant forget 2st(two street)



  Friday 12/14/2001 3:22:52pm
Name: Joe Schukis
E-Mail: Firejoe36@aol.com
Homepage Title: Schukis/Mack relatives???
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Family oringinally form Mahanoy!!!
Where you live now: Philadelphia
Comments: Hello,
I was surfing the internet and found this site, I'm interested in finding any info on my family{Schukis} they where oringinally from "Mahanoy" and I'd like to find anyone who might know of them or of the history of my name. I'm trying to get a family tree started and I could use some help if anyone is able, I can be contacted on-line at; "Firejoe36@aol.com", Thanks!

Joe Schukis



  Thursday 12/13/2001 2:28:39pm
Name: Mary Ann E Hooker maiden na Galley
E-Mail: mkenodog@aol
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://none
Referred By: Other
Where you're from: Frackville ,Pa
Where you live now: Drexel Hill,Pa
Comments: anyone from Frackville who remembers me please e-mail me especially if you live in the Phila/Upper Darby/Lansdowne/Drexel Hill area.It would be interesting to hear from people from the area I'm away from upstate for 42 yrs. I'm retired from the telephone co.,I worked there for 35 years. I still get up there once or twice a year, we go to Elysburg for the Galley Family Reunion.



  Tuesday 12/11/2001 3:52:19pm
Name: Janis Metzinger Yacobenas
E-Mail: janjoeyac@earthlink.net
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Girardville, PA
Where you live now: Lancaster, PA
Comments: Everyone have a "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year". Feel like remeniscing, e-mail me.

Thanks



  Tuesday 12/11/2001 10:07:26am
Name: Mike Delaney
E-Mail: mike.delaney@xrxgsn.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Pottsville
Where you live now: Mechanicsburg PA
Comments: Excellent site! Excellent memories! Nativity BVM grad, class of 75. I still occasionally take a ride up there just to grab a pizza from Potts Pizza...and to remember why I left the area. (just kidding...it was a great area to grow up.) People around here just don't understand what the attraction is to getting a kort and partying on the burma outside of St. Clair with about 20 or 30 of your closest friends until the sun comes up! What a blast!



  Monday 12/10/2001 6:43:16pm
Name: George Canavan
E-Mail: canajams@hotmail.com
Homepage Title: hocuspocus
Homepage URL: http://hocuspocus1.biz
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Girardville, PA(guntown)
Where you live now: Drums, Pa
Comments: We have this linked to our web page, can you please link us to you? We had a great time at the reunion for the class of "81"!!! Thanks for this web site!



  Sunday 12/09/2001 11:28:30pm
Name: Ray Reilley
E-Mail: Rayjay340@al.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Byrnesville
Where you live now: Aristes
Comments: It's a shame that the government had to step in and make it so costly to operate A T V's on old coal lands.Pay all that money with no benefits received



  Sunday 12/09/2001 10:33:52pm
Name: jerry pitkus
E-Mail: gpitkus@mymail.emcyber.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Other
Where you're from: Mahanoy City
Where you live now: Tunkhannock
Comments: Guess I'll start the ball rolling, although the first shall be last......
The water's fine, feel free to jump in, everyone.



  Saturday 12/08/2001 8:36:12pm
Name: Will Balky
E-Mail: balky@hotmail.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Ringtown
Where you live now: Girardville
Comments: I'm looking for my friend, Kayo he
borrowed my Willy Wonka's chocolate
factory tape and a pair of my underwear.
Guntown rules, love the coal region!



  Saturday 12/08/2001 5:52:05am
Name: nik
E-Mail: nik42500@hotmail.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Web Ring
Where you're from:
Where you live now:
Comments:



  Friday 12/07/2001 8:50:32am
Name: Bill Seaman
E-Mail: templarwd4@netscape.net
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Old Forge
Where you live now: Cleveland, OH
Comments: Remember, Cleveland is just Scranton on Steroids.Great site. I was back for T'giving and after see this site I'm homesick again



  Thursday 12/06/2001 8:43:07pm
Name: Jim Baunchalk
E-Mail: cossak220@hotmail.com
Homepage Title: Jim's page
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Other
Where you're from: Minersville
Where you live now: Wilmington, Delaware
Comments: Check in to this site almost daily. Waiting to read or hear from someone that I grew up with or happened to know from the late 40's and 50's. Went to St. Nicholas school on front street. Lived at 408 Carbon St.
Jim Baunchalk



  Thursday 12/06/2001 2:45:59pm
Name: Bob Dreher
E-Mail: keikomika@aol.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Frackville, PA
Where you live now: Atwater, CA
Comments: I am coming back to F-ville next week and can't wait to have a Centiole pizza, Marrone's pizza, Matucci's pizza, Pottsville pizzaria pizza, pizza place pizza. Are you getting my drift. Nowhere else in the country do they make pizza like the Coal Region. Oh, and Black Diamond wings also.



  Tuesday 12/04/2001 9:37:23pm
Name: Joe Fisher
E-Mail: jjfisher@snet.net
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: nanticoke,pa.
Where you live now: trumbull,conn.
Comments: I left Nanticoke in 54 for the air force.I said I would never live in trumbull,but with the difference in paychecks,I changed my mind.When I go to visit it looks so worn down,BUT ITS BEAUTIFUL TO ME.After all these years I still miss it.Maybe someday!!!!!



  Tuesday 12/04/2001 4:20:01pm
Name: Vince Chesonis
E-Mail: doczot906@hotmail.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Da Heights
Where you live now: Oceanside Calif
Comments: Well I enlisted & left. Was glad to go too, but now that I'm all grown up, I have learned that I miss "home" Living in the cole region requires a certain attitude. I guess I just don't have it. That don't make me anything less or more. Not only "idiots" ENLIST Some halfway intelligent people do too



  Monday 12/03/2001 1:42:00pm
Name: James Stewart
E-Mail: bev@jdweb.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: Coal Township
Where you live now: Milton, Pa.
Comments: I want to say to my classmates



  Monday 12/03/2001 0:58:47am
Name: MJR
E-Mail:
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Friend
Where you're from: M City
Where you live now: Virginia
Comments: yo idiot;

If Schuylkill County is such a bad place why waste your name entering a message? You are a typical DUMB guy from Northern Schuylkill County. Not smart enough for an academic scholarship (learn the difference in using to, too and two), not athletic enough for a sports scholarship. So, you did what all the other unintelligent, non motivated people do: ENLIST.

What's next? Wenco? Cressona Aluminum? The pierogie plant? Leaving the area for armed forces IS NOT traveling.



  Sunday 12/02/2001 11:07:44pm
Name: R. J. Souchak
E-Mail: sooch_69@hotmail.com
Homepage Title:
Homepage URL: http://
Referred By: Just Surfed In
Where you're from: Mahanoy City, PA.
Where you live now: Seattle, WA.
Comments: I just wanted to let everyone know that Schuylkill County is the biggest dump!! People that live there need to experience other parts of the country. To see there's more out there than good ole Schuylkill!! I'm in the USN out here, a