Joseph "Jody" Adams CURRENT EVENTS

Joseph "Jody" Adams

The following article is from my personal website, it is whats keeping me busier than you may realize. I also want to mention The Hackers Source, they are publishing one of my cartoons, so Google The Hackers Source for everything horror!

POSTED ON jodyadams.webs.com by Joseph Adams

"There's been a lot of stuff going on lately. As I mentioned in the last post FABER CASTELL has sponsored Jody. We want to thank them again and remind you, that FABER CASTELL products are the best!!!

There was an interview with Jody on KeithKarabin.com. Keith wrote an article on the subject about

Coulrophobia (the fear of clowns). Due to Jody's expertise on this subject due to being a pro-clown he was happy to be of help. You can read this interview at http://keithkarabin.com/2010/10/28/behind-the-red-nose-part-one-horror-vs-hilarity/

Also Franklin E Wales, author of Deadheads: Evolution, the antisipated zombie horror novel that is being illustrated by Jody; interviewed Jody on Horrorvein.com. It can be read here at http://www.horrorvein.com/news/2010/10/a-beer-summit-with-joseph-jody-adams/.

On the subject of Deadheads: Evolution, Franklin Wales and Joseph Adams-Franklin was recently interviewed for his upcoming hit by Bill Cassinelli at Examiner.com. You can read the interview here http://www.examiner.com/horror-movie-in-bangor/exclusive-interview-with-horror-author-franklin-e-wales, also Bill Cassinelli wrote a review and its listed at http://www.examiner.com/horror-movie-in-bangor/horror-novel-review-deadheads-evolution-review.

Jody is also doing artwork again, for Renfro Valley's annual Jingle Bell 6k Marathon!! Thank you and stay tuned for more."

RELIGON, DENOMINATIONS,& SALVATION

I do consider myself a very religious person. I am a person of many short comings and sometimes this is a major flaw in my life as a Christian. Nobody's perfect and that's no excuse either.

I was raised in a Baptist church but I do not consider myself Baptist, I am just a Christian. I do not believe there will be denominations in Heaven, just God's children. I do not believe good deeds will get you into heaven alone, I believe being saved by Jesus Christ and through Christ is the only way.

I read the King James Version, Holy Bible. I always have and I always will. That's my personal preference.

I think for some folk denominations are good. However, I never found one, that I 100% agreed with when it comes to their doctrine.

God has spoken to me numerous times, no, I am not crazy. When I hear him I know it is him. I can't really describe how I hear him but I will try. Another Christian will get it but a person without Christ wont understand.

When the Lord speaks to me, I feel him in my heart. It's a tremendous joyful feeling, I feel it now just talking to you about it. He gives my heart so much joy that I never felt anything that can compare and through this I feel/hear his voice inside me.

God bless you all!

Heeeere's Jody

I know it has been awhile since my last entry. I just finished with an interview today about being an artist.

I've recently signed up with writer, Franklin E. Wales to illustrate his novel, Deadheads. Then, I will be cartooning the graphic novel adaptation, of Deadheads.

Also I've been working on a few personal projects. One of them is my new website jodyadams.webs.com and I hope you get to check it out.


<-------(PROMO FOR WALES NOVEL.)

Family facts but it sounds like fiction part II: Electric Boogaloo

My nephew, Colton turned five years old August 12, 2010. My brother, Timmy died on August 12, 1989. When Colton was born, not only did he share his birth date, August 12th with the same day Timmy died, but my room number at the Rockcastle hospital, at the time was 218; Kesha (Coltons Mom, and my eldest sister) hospital room number, at the same time, as she was giving birth to Colton was, 218. Coincidence? I would say yes but it is still creepy.

August 14th, 2010, we all got together to celebrate a special little boy's 5th birthday. So I arrived early and with my sister, Yvette as my assistant, I once again turned into my alter ego, Steamboat Joe the clown.

Everything went flawlessly, and I for one was happy to see the smiles on the kid's faces. As Steamboat Joe always says, "Smile, its contagious!" Happy 5th birthday, Colton.

Steamboat Joe with his little friends.

THE MAIN EVENT

As a kid I was really into watching professional wrestling, and as a kid, I thought it was real too. I bought into the whole act. Mom and Dad bought into the act too, literally, they bought me tickets to watch the local events. However, they spent probably the most on wrestling merchandise. I had the action figures, soundtracks, magazines, and we us to rent a butt load of wrestling videos on Betamax tapes.


We (my brother, Timmy, me, and our friends) would watch pro-wrestling on t.v. and actually attend some wrestling events at Rupp Arena. WWF now known as WWE was very popular when I was a kid and is the largest wrestling promoter today.

Although we watched WWF, it was not the only pro-wrestling venue on the tube. We also had, NWA, AWA, GLOW (girl on girl wrestling, I really liked GLOW.), and so many other great wrestling venues.

During one WWF event at Rupp Arena, that Mom and I attended together, would be an event to remember. Not only that, but what would follow would be an even more exciting adventure. That night in the 80's, I was at least ten years old; my mother was in her earlier career stage as a freelance photographer.

The venue had the WWF championship holder,Hulk Hogan teaming up with "Macho Man" Randy Savage along with his lovely manager and real life wife, "Miss Elizabeth". Their opponents that evening was André "the Giant and "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase along ring side with his body guard,"Virgil".

Since I was unable to walk during this point in my life, a wheelchair was my only means for mobility and still is. Due to my wheelchair, I was required by state law to sit in the designated area for handicap sitting, basically a parking lane for my wheelchair. Unfortunately for me (not really) it's the nose bleed section. I was so high up in the arena, I had to use binoculars to see the event. Today they have big jumbo screens for the audience.

While I watched the event via binoculars, Mom would go down ring side armed with her camera snapping a few photos for me. As she was photographing, a press agent mistook her as another press agent, probably due to her professional camera. He asked Mom which press she was affiliated with, he, I believe worked for a local television network covering that nights big event.

Mom explained to him that she was only there snapping photos for me, her disabled son. I could see her pointing up at me through the binoculars. I never met this nice man nor did I ever know his name, but after he met my Mom, he gave her his backstage pass.

That night at Rupp Arena, I felt like Roald Dahl's character, Charlie Bucket in the children's book, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." Because that night I had a golden ticket of my very own a backstage pass!!!!

Mother and I went up to security with the press pass and they escorted us backstage. As soon as we reached our destination, the biggest man I ever saw, literally, emerged, André "the Giant with Ted DiBiase and Virgil.

They didn't take time that night to sign autographs but in all fairness, I once read that André hated cameras and Mom's camera was huge. In the future we would use the backstage pass several more times and in that not so distant future, I did end up meeting Ted DiBiase and Virgil. However that's a different story for you to read.

Then another wrestler stepped out from the dressing room area. With his bald head completely covered in tattoos.I immediately recognized him as "Bam Bam Biglow." He stopped and signed an autograph then posed for a picture with me. Bam Bam was truly awesome!

After Bam Bam left my luck kept improving. The positive mojo was flowing and I could feel it. I knew it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn, I heard the song, Pomp and Circumstance starting up as the dressing room doors opened. That was always "Macho Man" Randy Savage's entrance music as he walked out to the ring with Miss Elizabeth.

However, this time there wasn't music, or a wrestling ring. However, there standing in front of me was "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth. It was such a thrill and like Bam Bam Biglow, they stopped and signed autographs then Mom took our picture. Miss Elizabeth seemed to such a quiet and shy person. She was strikingly beautiful and I would even say elegant in her coat. She appeared to be every bit a lady.

I always wanted to meet the Champ. I had his toys , posters, and magazines. I watched all his movies and title fights. Then as we were about to leave, walked out a 6 foot 7 inch, 302 lb of pure steroidal filled muscle; it was really him, it was the WWF World Heavyweight Champion, Hulk Hogan!!!

He was huge, bigger than life and standing over me. With his real deep voice he talked to me, a little kid from Lexington, Kentucky, a true Hulkamaniac, talking to the Hulkster-WOW!!! Like the others, Hulk posed for a picture and signed an autograph.Then he left in his limousine.

With time a few of those wonderful wrestling stars would be no more. The ones that I met that night and saw up close, Bam Bam Biglow, Miss Elizabeth, and André "the Giant ended up leading such tragic lives. They will always be missed but never forgotten, ecspecially by me.

The backstage pass aka "my golden ticket" eventually lost its magic to get me backstage. However, we did use it twice after that wonderful night but those are two different stories.

Just like the pass, for me, wrestling and Hulk Hogan had lost their appeal and magic. I hope there is a small kid out there that finds that magic and if you are that kid, have fun.


















Bam Bam Biglow & I



















Macho Man" Randy Savage, Miss Elizabeth,& I. Also, above is a picture of Hulk Hogan and I.

IT'S HAPPY TIME

HAPPY & ME

As I stated in my last post, all my life I have been around clowns. Maybe that is why I am now a clown too. One clown in particular, that I met as a kid, is Happy.

During most of my childhood and up into my twenties, I would appear each year on the local (Lexington,Kentucky) Jerry Lewis, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Labor day telethon. Mostly as an unofficial poster child but in the late seventies, my brother, Timmy and I were Kentucky's official poster children. During that time (the late 70's) is when I met Happy. Happy had his own local children's t.v. show called, Happy's Hour. It was aired by WTVQ and ran from the 70's up into the early 80's.For such a beloved Kentucky personality, there isn't much about him anymore. That saddens this clown way too much. Happy and his sidekick Froggie entertained so many children and adults! He was with us on the telethon, and it can get hot wearing clown makeup and suit. I bet even-more-so, under television lights. Happy if you are out there, know that you are missed and loved. From one clown to another, I salute you.














Happy, Timmy, & Me














Happy & us on stage during the telethon.

I KID

All my life, I have been around a certain type of people with a special calling. These special people are clowns.Clowning has been around for thousands of years.

I know deep in my heart, that clowning is my calling. I haven't been clowning very long and I am still learning as I go. My alter ego is a happy hobo named, Steamboat Joe. Besides bringing joy and laughter to kids and adults; I also want to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and perform for people that are sick or may be dying.

I know a child hospitalized due to some form of illness can relate to me. I am on a ventilator and I am in wheelchair too. Plus, I am eye level with them. I am not standing over them.

Yes, clowns can be scary to some people. I know how to handle myself in that type of situation. I am not going out without any preparation, but so far, knock on my wooden head, that situation has not happened.

Once I dressed up and visited some of the residents at Rockcastle Regional. I knew it would be good practice and fun for everyone. Most residents knew me, for I had lived there with them for so many years ad I still do. However, some of the newer residents did not know me, and I did not know them either. I went with God in my heart and a smile on my face. Everyone I saw glowed with big smiles on their faces. It felt so good, it felt so right. It was truly amazing and to me, it was even spiritual.

One of the residents that I saw that day, was a friend I met many years ago at Rockcastle Regional. She looked at me with the biggest grin I ever saw and then she laughed.

Then she said, "Look at you, Joe."

Then she laughed a little with her big grin.

"I think you're crazy", she said." But you look beautiful."

To me, she looked beautiful with her smile. I could not help but think to myself, the way she lays in her hospital bed full of pain and sickness, yet by the glory of God; seeing a little clown, maybe for just a second she was relieved of her symptoms! Then I understood the real healing power of God and how laughter is the best medicine. A few weeks later, my friend, Connie passed away. I believe no matter how big a clown smiles, sometimes he is weeping under his smile.

In the words of a personal hero of mine and a fellow clown, Red Skelton, "Good night and may God bless."















Sha Vanorsdale with Steamboat Joe

FORGIVE & FORGET

There are too many people in life that hold a grudge towards other people. Holding a grudge is pointless, trust me, I had held a few. A grudge is like a cancer, it may start out small, but then it begins to fester and grow. It will continue to grow until it is too late. It can't be treated and soon it consumes your entire life.

I catch myself sometimes holding a grudge. but I know it is a cancer, so I let go. I think it takes someone humble to admit when they are wrong. It takes someone wise to admit when they are wrong, even if they are not wrong. They are the peacemakers and may God bless them for that. To forgive someone can be difficult and forgetting can be even harder. Although I don't think you can forgive without forgetting. You have to take one with the other. If you don't forget, there will be that cancer deep inside you and it will grow.

With me, family and friends are actually one. My family are my friends and vice versa. I really believe love between family and friends is so strong, that saying sorry and is sometimes unnecessary, but still should be practiced. Usually family and friends say sorry by other acts or deeds, such as a hug or kiss. If the person truly cares for their family or friend, they probably forgiven the offender even before they received an apology.

The Holy Bible, King James Version reads, Colossians 3:13- "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye". In other words, be patient with one another, and forgive one another, if you have a fight with someone, you must forgive them as Christ forgave you. So before I end this entry, I would like to apologies to everybody that I have, hurt, argued with or wronged in any form, that I am unaware, that I may have done and I ask you to forgive and forget.

-or as a New Yorker would say," FUH=GIT-A-BOUT-IT"!!!

THE BEGINING OF RIDING THE SHORT BUS

Okay, I really rode the short bus, no friggen joke. It was not always that way. I started out riding the big bus with my big brother, Timmy. I loved the big bus it was fun!! I met kids my age and some older than me. I loved going to Brookside Elementary School, especially with Timmy. There is a five year gap so we only went a year or two before he had to transfer to our middle school.

Before I went Brookside, I had to ride there, and then transfer on to another bus. The other bus would transfer me to my kindergarten school.It doesn't seem too hard right? Wrong, I could not climb those bus stairs at all. It was not so much Muscular Dystrophy. I could walk till I was ten, and if I had a rail to help pull myself up with, I could, probably climb the stairs. Mostly it was my height, I was and still am, a little guy. Most my peers were a couple inches taller than me. So someone one had to carry me on and off the bus. At home it was mostly Mom that put me on and took me off. When we got to Brookside to transfer buses, the Principal help me get off and on the buses.

One day, I arrived at the school and there was Brookside's principal. He always wore glasses and he slicked his hair back. He looked like the king of nerds. Anyways, He was carrying me up the stairs to my kindergarten bus. Then the next thing I recall is my body smacking against the stairs. My forhead slamming into the edge of the upper stair. My left knee hitting the edge of a bottom stair. That's not all my friends, the principal, Carl, falls on top of my body. Remind you, I was very tiny, in weight and height. Then, there is the principal on top of me, and he was not skinny either.
He started yelling about his back and everybody seemed to be more concern over him than me. I thought to myself, his back my whole body. After that incident, the janitors took over helping me.

When I started attending Brookside, usually one of the big kids helped me on and off the bus, except when I left and returned home, then it was Mom. Riding next to Timmy was awesome. He might have been as helpless as me, though he never seemed to fear a certain bully on the big bus. This bully sat behind us. When he would lean in behind us to do his deeds. Timmy simply would elbow him or tell him off. I had plenty of school friends and since I walked funny, I was targeted by bullies, not so much as Tmmy though.

I would get tired walking all day, so I started using a walker at school. Because of the walker, I had to ride the short bus. I remember seeing the short bus for the first time. I hated it and did not want to ride it at all. Unlike the big bus it parked in our drive-way. The bus did not look like a typical short bus except it did have tinted windows. It was white with stripes, if I remember correctly. However, in the future we did (Timmy and I)did end up riding the stereotypical short bus.

SHORT AND SWEET

We all have talents in life. One of my talents is art. Below is one of my cartoons. I will post more artwork in the future.

Family facts, but it sounds like fiction PART 1

Wednesday, July 7th, my Grandma Williams came from Ohio to visit me. I adore her so much. Unlike most kids, I grew up with three sets of grandparents. Okay, I guess I need to back up and start at the beginning.

At the tender age of two, my mother, Betty and my father, Tim, divorced. My mom remarried two years later to my stepfather, Glenn Williams. Besides having three sets of grandparents,ever since 1979, I also have 2 dads. I hope you are taking notes, I may quiz you one day!!!

So, as I mentioned, I have three sets of grandparents. There's Grandma and Grandpa Kirby, my mom's parents. Grandma and Grandpa Adams, ,my father, Tim's parents, and last but not least, Grandma and Grandpa Williams, my dad, Glenn's parents. All my Grandparents have passed away except my dear Grandma Williams and I pray that she lives forever.

The last blog I posted was about my brother, Timmy. I left out a little fact that he shares with Grandma Williams, they both are born on July 2nd. However, since she was down here on the 7th, we had cake and presents for her. I bought her a vase of yellow roses and pink carnations and a card. Happy birthday Grandma, I love you very very much!




















My nephew, Colton, Dad ( Glenn) & Grandma Williams

YESTERDAY

Yesterday, July 2nd, would have been my brother, Timmy's 40th birthday, if he had lived. I have lost many friends because of Muscular Dystrophy. Most of them died at young ages;the majority of these brave souls was just kids. Timmy lived to be the age of 19, he died August, 12 1989.

He was the quiet type. He was very artistic, he could draw, paint, and sculpt. He would use his talent on various projects. Some of his artwork was so detailed, that it could only take a hand as steady, as a surgeons to accomplish such intricate art. I believe he was an artistic genius. He was a perfectionist and his biggest critic.

He suffered and endured more than anyone I ever known. The last months of his life was the worst. Mother tried her best to care for him. He was bedridden before his death and Mom prevented him from getting bedsores. I think about him every day. They say that, time heals all wounds. I say damn the fool that would even suggest that. I grieve as much today for him, as I did 21 years ago, if not more. If you have a brother that is healthy then rejoice.

INTRODUCTION....

My name is, Joseph Adams and this is my first blog. Most of my friends and family call me Jody, Jo Jo or Joe.I must admit, I think it is narcissistic of me to base my blog about me. However, narcissism is totally not one of my traits. My life has some uniqueness to it. I have a lot of advice and experience in life. For a man that is so young, I can offer so much, yet I am running out of time. Please, if you notice any bad grammar, punctuation, or spelling, I beg your forgiveness.

As the title says, "I rode the short bus" is so very indeed true. I rode it with my older brother,Timmy. We never attended any special education classes. There was nothing wrong with our minds. We both shared an extremely rare unknown form of Muscular Dystrophy. It was so rare, that doctors worldwide never seen anything like it. It never even had a name. I call it my curse and it has been with me since birth.

I was born in Lexington, Kentucky on September 9th, 1975. After I was born, unlike my brother, I showed no signs of having Muscular Dystrophy. My parents did not think I had the disease three months later they had me tested.( It was hospital procedure to wait three months before testing.) I tested positive for Muscular Dystrophy, so this blog is my life, both the past and the present.

Presently, I am 34 and I have lived almost 13 years at Rockcastle Regional in Mount Vernon, Kentucky. Due to health issues I require a ventilator to sustain life and Rockcastle Regional has a full term respiratory care facility. There are only two full term respiratory care facilities in the United States and both are located in Kentucky. Rockcastle Regional was the the first to practice this concept.



















Me around the age of 7, notice my Nikes.


















Me at present day. The glasses are not sunglasses. I have very sensitive eyes, so my lenses are tinted for comfort. The hat is kinda my signature look. I believe you got a fair introduction of me. I will post again real soon with more for you to follow. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them on my blog. Thank you for reading and God bless you all.