Friday Afternoon Archives - Page 2 of 57

Marching Along

August 21, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

I’m really blessed to live in a wonderful community west of downtown Cleveland. One of my favorite things to do in the Fall is attend a few of my town’s high school football games. Even though my girls are grown, Jackie and I still enjoy watching the kids play and especially the halftime show, featuring the marching band, especially with the grandkids coming along, it’s an entirely different perspective watching the action through their eyes! Over the past few nights, I can hear them practicing – especially the drum line, and then the full band echoing from the stadium. It got me to thinking about the history of marching bands – when they were first created, and how they’ve evolved over the centuries to the entertaining approaches they use today (I love it when the kids dance while playing). Watching the band and girls’ precision drill team work together is amazing – the talent! So, here’s some history and trivia I found online. Also, a video of my favorite “best damn band in the land”. Special thanks to Google and Wikipedia for the info. Enjoy!

Just Give Me A Second … (We’re Just Floppin’ Around)

August 14, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

A second. Seems harmless enough. Just a little time to get things right. Blink of an eye. Snap of a finger. Seconds seem precious some of the time (we still measure our best athletes in seconds, breaking records past generations thought were impossible). We measure our work sometimes in second/minutes/hours – always trying to shave a little time off to increase efficiency and performance. So, saying to the grandkids, “Sure, just give me a few seconds; today is an eternity.) The other day I was reading an article about FLOPS – A “flop” (or FLOPS) isn’t a physical size but a measure of computer speed. FLOPS stands for Floating Point Operations Per Second, indicating how many complex decimal calculations a computer processor can do in one second. And it blew my mind. I remember when a “flop” was when a Broadway show or product or service or movie that just fell flat – (history is full of them, like clear Pepsi, Cheetos Lip Balm, Solyndra, DeLorean cars, early Google Glass, Carrie, the musical, CATS the movie (along with CATS the musical (Not a flop, just awful!), Harley Davidson cologne, and most of McDonald’s efforts in new products … (what actually is in a McRib – although very weird, still weirdly good??). Nowadays, FLOPS are super cool, and super-fast. I mean incomprehensibly fast!! I did some digging and learned a whole bunch of cool things about how computational power is just going nuts (Remember, I am a child of AOL CD’s and dial phone up log in’s – for my older readers, we can still remember the sounds: “beep, buzz, zing, aaarrrrr, zap” and then the connection) … so stepping into this arena is quite a rush.

Mixed Results

August 7, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

When it comes to food, as most of you know by now, I’m pretty much up for everything. I love to try new things (that are not moving!) Jackie is so good at changing our meals and experimenting with new recipes, while keeping to old “goodies” (Steve – insert some here). The other night we were enjoying dinner, when I looked at her and said, “I wonder who came up with mixed vegetables.” She stared at me when I said, “How did they make it in the bag, and why did they mix these veggies together?” Of course she rolled her eyes, started laughing, saying, “Only you can think of this stuff.” Of course, the thoughts stuck with me, and I kept asking myself and Jackie, “Who put these veggies together … do certain veggies mix better than others, or are these little gems just the ‘mistakes’ that didn’t make it? Kind of like second string – minor leagues – NBA G league et.? – Were they just the leftovers swept up from the floor of the factory …EEEUUUGGHH!) and does the corn really like touching the peas? How does the packaging line combine them?”

So, of course, I went down the “rabbit hole” to learn more and was pleased with the vast amount of history and info. Surprisingly, mixed vegetables have a rich backstory (who knew?) from early preservation experiments to today’s multibillion-dollar frozen aisle staple. Enjoy! (and remember to eat your vegetables!!)

BTS Annual Shopping Trip

July 31, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

I was in a big box store the other day, and marveled at the volume of school supplies. Paper, pens, crayons, folders – row after row of items just waiting for parents to hit aisles with their specific lists of what to buy – the annual scavenger hunt known as “back-to-school shopping.” They march into crowded stores armed with supply lists that somehow include 14 glue sticks, two folders with pockets, two without, very specific “wide-ruled only” notebooks, markers of different sizes, tissues and hand sanitizer, and so much more. As I think back to when the girls were in school, I’m pretty sure Jackie spent a small fortune on school supplies every year (of course the backpacks had to be a certain size and theme). Now, in full disclosure – Jackie is a way better shopper than me, so of course I let her do it! I am a firm believer in the philosophy that if 2 items are required, then you must have 3 (backup), or if BOGO is available must have 4! And, after nailing the list, most parents are back shopping by Halloween, as half the items mysteriously disappear by October. (Somewhere I think there is a secret parallel universe filled entirely with lost pens and pencils, lonely Trapper Keepers, and missing calculator covers). It’s funny how little some of these items have changed over the decades. A yellow No. 2 pencil from 1975 looks remarkably similar to one bought today, and like the original. Pens, erasers, notebook paper, rulers, and protractors have survived; computers, tablets, and smartphones remain on the list. Somehow, a fresh notebook, some lined paper, and a perfectly sharpened pencil still feel like the beginning of possibility. Here’s some fun info and trivia I think you’ll enjoy. Kudos to all the Moms (and some Dads!) out there gearing up for the dreaded trip – good luck!! (And good luck putting your kid’s name on each of those 64-box crayons and 24-count colored pencils.

Knock With Your Elbows

July 24, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

The other day, I was reading an article about sayings that we inherited from our parents and grandparents. Most were short. Some were funny. A few made little sense to us at the time, but as we got older, they made more sense. Yet tucked inside many of them was a simple blueprint for how to live alongside other people with respect and kindness. I was discussing this with some of my buds, and we all could remember things that were passed down regarding good manners (“don’t talk with your mouth full!”). One of my friends was in scouting, and his troop was always instructed to not only “be prepared” but to always “leave things better than you found them”. He described how, at the end of a camping weekend, all the boys would split and stack new firewood, clean the firepits, and slowly walk the camp area, picking up the smallest pieces of paper, to be sure the site was clean and ready for the next visitors. One of the sayings I came across was “knock with your elbows”, a reminder to bring something along for the host. I like this! So, here is a list of sayings I can remember, and some I found online – I’m hoping you may have some to share (skowalski@khtheating.com). Special thanks to Google. Enjoy!

Rolling Through Time

July 17, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

As a foodie, I love it when Jackie and I come up with something new to try (it’s mostly Jackie doing the “coming up”). The other night, Jackie made an amazing salad, using couscous as the main ingredient. It was complemented by sauteed yellow and red peppers, fresh tomatoes, chicken, and a light dressing of balsamic vinaigrette. As usual, it was amazing – Jackie is incredible at creating dinners – no recipe, just a little of this and a little of that! Of course, it got me thinking about the origin of couscous, and how it made its way to my kitchen table from an origin centuries in the making. PLUS, I just love the name! Enjoy!

Loaded Questions

July 10, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

One of the great things we do here at KHT is research, design, and building amazing racking systems for our thermal processing solutions. Whether it’s stacks of transmission discs pressure bolted to maintain “flatness” – or our intricate rack systems for blades, shafts, or other PIA (Pain in the @%$) Jobs, or small parts in our salt-to-salt processes, “racking” is a huge part of what we do. The other night, I was helping Jackie clean up after dinner (something I try to do often) and took a pause at the way I was stacking dishes in the dishwasher. Plates go here, silverware there, glasses in this order, and cups on this side. Of course, it was not even close to the way my lovely wife does it – if order and poetry could go into dish stacking, she would win an Oscar. There is not a square inch of space left when you have finished, an absolute maestro! It got me thinking about dishwasher design, rack systems, and “loading”. Prewash or as is? Silverware in function order or random? Cups and glasses touching? And when to press the Start button (partial or when all is full?) I am absolutely a “partial get it done” guy! I did my search thing and uncovered a bunch of history and research on the topic (talk about going down a drain hole!!). Here’s a little of what I uncovered. Enjoy, and celebrate your personal way of “loading.”

Our 250th – Why America Still Inspires

July 3, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Two hundred fifty years ago, a bold idea took root: that people could govern themselves, that individual rights came before government overbearance, and that freedom carried both opportunity and responsibility. That idea became the United States.

As we celebrate America’s 250th tomorrow, this is not simply a moment to look backward. It is an opportunity to reflect on what continues to make our country remarkable—and why, after all these years, America still inspires people and governments and countries all over the world.

Who Said That?

June 26, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

I just love our language and also finding out the history of things we often think and then say, without really pondering why we say it. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to take KHT on the road at the Shot Show in Vegas (thanks to those who stopped by the booth!!). Vegas is just so nutty – it’s a 24/7 playground machine. Like most visitors, I’m fascinated by the sights and sounds of the casinos. I’m not a gambler myself, but I do like watching people play the games, especially roulette (so many different ways to lose your hard-earned money!!). While watching some aggressive gamblers, I felt compelled to say to them, “Hey, don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. Of course, I didn’t (and of course, most of them lost their bets), but afterwards it got me thinking about some of the more common idioms we use in different situations. I did some digging on some of my favorites and found their origins come from literature. Here’s some fun info I dug up (you might say I was “going down a rabbit hole”, “going a bit overboard”, and at times “chasing my tail” – HA! ). Enjoy!

Dad Advice

June 19, 2026/0 Comments/in Friday Afternoon /by Steve Kowalski

Father’s Day is a special day for me – thinking of Dad, and being a Dad and a Grandpa. Let’s face it, Dads are amazing – loving, insightful, strong, patient, friend, counselor, consoler, and so much more. Some of the best memories I have of my Dad are the advice he gave me over the years. Sometimes it was about character, sometimes it was about business, sometimes it was just about “being a good man”, not giving up, and other times it was centered on love, respect, and laughter. I can’t pick specific times he said his “words of wisdom”, but I know he passed them along – sometimes without ever speaking, simply by his actions and deeds. Oftentimes, I reflect on something I’ve done or said, and simply say, “Thanks, Dad.”