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Scott the Natural Gas Guru and Extraordinary Friend
Scott is an exceptional friend and former colleague that I’ve known for about 30 years. Although I’ve lived in Seattle for about 24 of those years, we have maintained a long distance friendship. Some years we had little or no contact, but when I did visit Minnesota, I always tried to make time to stop by. He is the kind of friend where you can pick right up where you left off years ago. I always looked forward to receiving his famous Christmas letter even when it sometimes would show up in March. It always took me a while to understand his strange sense of humor and writing style but it would always leave me smiling.
I’m amazed at Scott’s 30+ year career at NSP/Excel. It says a lot about his loyalty and work ethic.
Although I only worked with Scott a couple years, he taught me all I needed or wanted to know about natural gas. As I would complain how boring it was for a marketing person to be in the business of natural gas, he would continue with his useless explanations of all things natural gas. As I began writing this, I realized that I still can’t explain what a CCF is. But it has a blue flame says Scott. I don’t care says Kevin. His accomplishments are even greater knowing the topic was natural gas.
I had many great times with Scott and Penny. He and Penny were always inviting me to various events like Thanksgiving where I got to try raisin dressing and Karl got to try thickened milk. He always made work fun. He spent many years as the commissioner of the NSP Gas FFL (fantasy football) which included a draft, Monday morning stat gathering during coffee break (yes, we had coffee breaks most day) and presentation of the Golden Nerf award. Scott was always doing shenanigans at the office like when he put an old forgotten tuna sandwich in an interoffice envelope and then routed it around to various people. Months went by before we tracked it down. He also pranked Chris Kauffman with some spoiled yogurt that was a classic Scott move.
I remember fondly all the lunches at Mama’s Pizza. The happy hours where Penny would need to be called several times to seek permission to stay out just a little longer. Weighing ourselves on the freight scales at Rice Street. When Scott would need to visit in the dismal office/room in the basement of Rice Street. It all seems like yesterday. In fact, I still remember your phone number at work 229-2265.
Scott is going to have more time on his hands in retirement, so I want to make sure all Scottopedia readers get some direction before agreeing to any of the following…
If you’re travelling with him, make sure to allow for extra time for Scott and Penny to browse for several hours in gift shops at EVERY tourist attraction. There is so much to look at and ponder, especially when shopping for German beer steins—aaah the deliberation that goes into it. I say that there is no German beer stein that is the uglier than the next.
When he says “I’ll follow you” after a happy hour, just say no. He may just decide to give you several little nudges like he did to me with the late 80’s maroon Dodge Shadow at the red light. Now if I hadn’t just got a brand-new car, it may not have been a big issue. I could see him laughing in my rear-view mirror. He always loves his own jokes more than others.
When he offers you a ride in the Triumph, politely decline. When he says “running a little rough today” it can be translated into “it might quit”. These were the days before cell phones. Then, years later, when in the tin shed, he asked me again if I wanted to take a spin. No. Speaking of the tin shed, he may also try to interest you in doing a side hustle headquartered in the tin shed. We never did come up with any viable options.
If you aren’t an experienced camper and don’t REALLY love remoteness. Decline all invites to a BWCA camping trip. I believe that details were secretly not disclosed prior to the trip. I didn’t know about the potential for summer snow or the part where you carry the canoes from lake to lake while being ravaged by bugs. Ask if he really means car camping before agreeing. Also, if he invites you to a weekend in South Dakota at the lake, you should ask some questions. Does the running water work? What is the consistency and color of the water. I distinctly remember water skiing in what seemed like pudding consistency dark green slop.
If you’re really drunk and he thinks you should try chewing tobacco, don’t do it. It seems like fun, but then at about the 12-minute mark, things go downhill fast.
Scott is known for his flexibility in emergency situations like when we were flying standby from Frankfurt to MSP and the flight was cancelled. No problem, lets just drive to Paris “quickly” (overnight) and we will leave from there in the morning. It was on that trip that Scott taught us all how to order coffee using only hand gestures (very similar to Chris Kauffman’s finger triangle). He was very skilled and often would speak English with a little bit of a French or German accent to help the locals understand him.
Scott, I wish you well in your retirement. I hope this means I’ll get to see you more often. Maybe we should do a reunion trip to Europe? Enjoy this next stage of your life!
— Kevin
Communication Skills
The art of communication so that all parties understand what is being conveyed, is an art and a skill. Scott is able to communicate things like “hey yeah, let’s have everybody come over to our house after the concert or stay the night if you want.” Which is very nice and we are well aware of what the communication is, however, the key element is making sure everyone is aware of these plans, such as hmmmm… maybe Penny should be in on the plan as well.
— Kathy
Common People
Star Trek Fan Version
Watch it.
Love it.
Who wouldn’t?!?!?
— Penny
Watch List – Top 5
1. Rudy
2. Anything by Ken Burns
3. Rudy
4. Anything WWI or WWII
5. Rudy
Enjoy!!!
— Penny
Cobogganing
We’ve all heard of the great north country activity that the masses indulge in during the cold months sliding down a snowy hill using a Toboggan. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, “Traditionally among Subarctic Indigenous peoples, the toboggan was a common means of hauling small loads or people over snow. Typically, toboggans were constructed of two or more thin boards of larch or birch wood, secured to one another by crossbars, with boards turned up at the front.”. However, have you ever heard of the Coboggan? It is what appears to have been a potentially unhealthy mating of the concept of sliding down the said snowy hill using an aluminum canoe instead of the traditional wooden toboggan. The hill was a short embankment in the back yard of Scott and Penny’s first house. The concept may have been fueled by alcohol and as far as I was aware no animals were injured (but I’m not sure of people.). I don’t know if Scott received any royalties, but the concept was recreated recently in an Avera Orthopedic commercial cobogganing down a staircase in a residence. (I don’t know if any animals or people were injured!)
— Bruce
Scott’s middle name
Many of you probably think Scott’s middle name is Samuel, which is also his dad’s middle name. But the truth, Scott told me when we were dating, is that the “S” stands for Sincerity. Scott Sincerity. And that’s just one of the reasons to trust Scottopedia.info for all your important research.
— Penny