Good evening friends.  I figured to break this picture out for my mother’s birthday and all.  This was towards the beginning of our second journey in the second half of 2012 which took us further then Sammy & Family ever dreamed.  I remember taking this picture in Times Square with my mother and Sammy.  I knew the second I clicked the camera this would be a classic picture.

My mother just updated her profile on Facebook so she can get more involved with the ELS community.  Feel free to send her a friend requests.  You can find her by searching “Jo Ann Smith”  –  Or you can just send me a request and find her on my friend’s list, you can find me by searching; “Scott Evan Smith”  — Or send a friend request to my sister, “Jessica Lee Smith”

Basically all of you saw the story unfold and the journey back we had to make right up until today and continuing.  I told my family when we were forced to start over, come hell or high water, this train is headed to destination “Foreverville. ELS is not only my life, it’s my whole family’s life, and that includes all of our friends from around the world.

Sammy & Family has great plans coming up.  You might want to think about it like ELS’s greatest hits or something.

Anyway, I bring all this up because between my mothers birthday, this picture from our second journey forward, and 4th of July tomorrow, I guess I’m feeling nostalgic and reflective.

OK, let’s close with two positive notions.

1. When you feel strongly passionate about something, there is no finish line, it’s a never ending  continuum.

2. Once again quoting lyrics from Barry Manilow’s song “Ready to take a chance again” — The lyrics are; ♫♫♫ You get what you get when you go for it ♫♫♫.  Very powerful.  Its saying how many sacrifices will you make for what you love ?

And for Sammy & Family there is no wall strong enough to keep the ELS training from its never ending course.

And with that friends, signing off from Puerto Rico on day 173, Scott Smith for Sammy & Family.

Good evening friends.  A funny story tonight, true story, but kind of funny I guess.  As i told you many times I did very poorly in high school, which is not something to be proud of, but it was the actual case.  Amongst many confrontations i had with the school staff growing up, I will never forget my English teacher in 11th Grade Mr. Elliot.

He was a good man, don’t get me wrong.  But once a month he would say to me, “Scott is there something wrong with you?”  I had no clue what he was talking about.  I was like, um; ” Do u mean with my hair or cloths, I’m sorry I’m not really catching on to what you mean?”  He said, “no, none of that, but you are never in class and get either a “D” or and “F’ every other quarter”   So I said, ” I know, its terrible” — He said, “school is not for everyone, did you ever think about joining the Navy and making a real man of yourself ?”  I said; ” you mean like being at sea with only men on a boat in the middle of the ocean for 9 months out of the year?”  Mr. Elliot said; “Yeah, something like that”

So i said “Actually Mr. Elliot, i really never thought about that, but to be honest, it really does not sound appealing at all”  — Then i said, “If this concludes our conversation, I would like to continue to blow off classes and flirt with girls”

Now of course looking back, Mr. Elliot was right on many levels, but boy am I glad I was not on a ship in the middle of the ocean for 9 months a year.   So to Mr. Elliot who had good intentions, thank you, but No thank you.

Ok friends, lets close with two positive notions.

1. It’s nice to hear suggestions, but you must decide what’s best for you, nobody else.

2. My dad was right, when you get a “C” in class it stands for “Courageous” —  when you get a “D” in class it stands for “Dandy” — when you get an “F” in class, it stands for “Fantastic”

My dad went on to tell me if you got in a”B” in class you are actually a “Bastard”  — and if you got an “A” in class you were actually an “_sshole”

Now i can’t say my father was right, but I’m not sure I can say my father was wrong either.

Friends remember, my mother Joann Smith’s birthday is tomorrow, Jess is going to write a story on her that will be featured on “The Good News Channel”

Signing off from Puerto Rico on day 172, Dr. Harp Seal for Sammy & Family.