Month: September 2019

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A Tall Ship with a Tall Tale

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I happened to visit the neighborhood where one of my clients from last year lives and, thinking that I would be seeing her, decided to bring along the Hanley Award that her project won.

Muff Ewer Pettinos was the eldest daughter of Nat and Betty Ewer, retailers who owned a shop in Beach Haven, NJ. In 1947, in an attempt to solve the annual problem of flooding that took place on the island where they lived, Nat Ewer bought at auction a 166 foot wooden three masted schooner and had it towed to the shores of New Jersey where it was beached, dragged ashore and converted into the most unusual gift shop anywhere in the United States.

The Lucy Evelyn and its surrounding collection of retail beach shacks or shanties was purely a family affair. Muff, her parents, and her three siblings all had various responsibilities and obligations as it pertained to the family business. They each would have their turns learning various aspects of the business up to and including running their own retail store. At one point some 6,000 people a day would come on board the Lucy Evelyn to shop and sightsee. 

Muff had contacted me and asked me to help them tell their story. It took 9 months, hours of interviews, and many more hours of reviewing archival photos and film footage. But at the end, we were able to craft together a 60 minute documentary that the family now owns as their own personal family history. It won the award for best documentary at the Home Video Studio gala event last July but, more importantly, it is now a family treasure that will be passed down through the generations.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.

Dearly Beloved

~ michaelhvs ~ Leave a comment
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In my lifetime, I have been blessed to receive many honors. None have touched me more than the honor bestowed upon me this past weekend. My son and his fiancée asked me to officiate at their marriage ceremony. It is always a joy to watch your children as they take that momentous step into wedded bliss. It is another thing altogether to be the one to usher them into it.

Here is the advice I imparted to them just before declaring them as husband and wife:

“You are surrounded by friends and family – the people who most love you. And that’s important. But here’s the thing…if you ask each of them to tell you the secret of a successful marriage… if you ask 100 people… you will find that you’ll receive 100 different answers. The bottom line is that the two of you are going to have to figure out what works for you. Marriage, while it is clearly defined, is also extremely intimate and personal. No two marriages are exactly alike because no two couples are exactly alike. So while the “what” of marriage can be quickly grasped, the “how” of marriage can be elusive.”

“This much I can tell you. Marriage is not always easy. It will be full of challenges, obstacles, bumps in the road and hiccups along the way. It is not always easy. But it is always worth it. Marriage can be the single most important, fulfilling, and rewarding relationship that one person can have with another human being.”

“Some people view marriage as a 50/50 relationship – equal parts of give and take. Don’t limit yourself to that because it can be so much more. Go for 100. Love unselfishly. Devote 100% of yourself to doing those things that will bless your spouse. Give 100% to learning and meeting their needs… 100% to recognizing and fulfilling their desires… 100% to anticipating and providing for their wants.”

“I know, it sounds scary. ‘If I give 100% of myself, there will be nothing left over for me.’ But consider this… if you are each successful… if you each truly give 100% of yourself to the other, you each will receive all the other has to offer. No one gets missed; no one is deprived or neglected; it’s a win-win. And the important thing is that by doing this, you will be forced to think and act outside of yourself. You’ll have to adopt a positive mindset of giving; an attitude of service which will affect not only how you treat each other but how you interact with the world around you. I have found from experience that it is the healthiest way to get through this life.”

“Granted, it may not always be attainable but if you genuinely strive for it, I promise you that there is absolutely nothing you cannot accomplish together… fueled and strengthened by the sheer power that will be present and evidenced within your marriage.”

Words from a proud father and father-in-law. Take them for what they’re worth.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of films, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.