Calling Rich Battista

RICKC posted:

Hi Rich,  correct me if I am wrong but didn't you say, awhile ago, that you were working on another video (number 4)?  If so, will it be ready for spring York 2017?

Rick

His eMail address is in his personal profile. Why not eMail him directly?

Hey Rick,

    The short answer is no.  Unfortunately.  Here is where I start the excuses.  Maybe all I need to say is that I have three teenagers in High School.  Lots of extra curricular activities, the girl in dance and theater, two boys in wrestling.  The oldest (Michael) is a senior and the #1 ranked wrestler at 170 in the state of Virginia for two years.  He won the State Championship as a sophomore, broke his hand last year right before States, and now just won Regionals this weekend and we are very hopeful he will wins States again this coming weekend.  He has accepted an offer to wrestle at UVA so this will continue to a certain degree.  He wrestles all year round so I/we rarely have a weekend free.  Once the season ends next week I will have about a 6 month window to complete the video.  The video is half way finished and there are a lot of things I want to do like green screen effects, blending etc which take time.  I work full time so I want this video to be enjoyable not an added stress.  Ok, I'm done with the excuses now.   This should cover me for a while. Thanks for asking.

Off to States!  Check this guy out! 

Best of luck with the upcoming tournament.  Those are awesome reasons to be busy.  BigRail

Hopefully Video #4 is as entertaining & insightful as the first 3. 

Good luck - kick butt & take names!

Support your kids, they will be kids for about 15 more minutes.

Brent

Good advice above Rich - Looks like you're on the right track however!

Years ago I helped out at a friend's cemetery/monument business laying out the names & dates on headstones. In writing many epitaphs I never saw one that said "Gee, I wish I had spent more time at the office" (or on the layout  :-) 

Rich,

Wow.  I am impressed.  Wrestling was the most difficult sport that I ever took part in.  It is absolutely draining both physically and emotionally.  I wish your son all the best as he pursues his wrestling goals.  Perhaps we will see him on the US Olympic team.

I have all of your videos and watch them once or twice a year.  Your Black Diamonds Line is an inspiration for the entire 3-rail community.  My HO scale friends are also impressed.  I will be looking forward to buying video 4.

NH Joe

Man, kids sure grow up fast, don't they?

And being CEO, takes a lot of Time too.  

Yes, looking forward to the 4th video, Rich! Wow.....kids sure grow up fast! I remember them as little ones helping you in the early videos. Congrats on his accomplishments!

Peter

Man seems like just yesterday your kids were little in the first video.

Rich Battista posted:

....  Maybe all I need to say is that I have three teenagers in High School. .....

Yea .... that's all you had to say.

Good luck to all!

Look forward to the next video, whenever it is.

Rich, I normally wouldn't let you off the hook that easily but I hear what you are saying.  Although, my kids are grown and on their own I can appreciate what you have to do.  It's a very good thing to be involved with our kids in these trying times.  So many kids today have no parents or at least one and have very little direction in life.  All kids are so precious and parenting can be exhausting but I give much credit to parents who do get involved with their kids.  So, in this case you are off the hook.  I wish your son and daughters all the best with their activities.  I know they will make you proud.  And thanks for responding to my question.

Rick

I wouldn't call that an excuse - I'd say it's a very good reason from a father who is keeping his priorities straight.  The video can wait; this phase of his life, these experiences, and these opportunities for your son won't wait - if anything, they will pass too quickly.  Best of luck to you and your son.

Hi Rich 

Best of luck to your son, boy did he grow up fast. He looks as tough as they come. !!

Alex 

I'll get the next video whenever it's ready. 

Your boy is looking like the next Kurt Angle!

Rick, thanks for letting me off the hook! lol  And thanks to everyone for your support.  I didn't occur to me until I read these post that many of you know them from the videos.  Yeah, they have changed alot.  Fun times.

Good luck, I understand the States as my daughter play BB for 4 years hear in Northern NJ for a Coach named Jeff Jasper and they have ruled the roost for sometime - all over the state.

Good luck.

(I know at best this is loosely tied to trains, but what the heck)

We now have a 2x State Champion!  Michael won all his matches easily this past weekend to become the Virginia 170lb state champion again.  He has shown that hard work and dedication does pay off.  We are very proud of him.

Here is a before and after from the Part I video.  Its amazing how they changed in 10 years.  I will have to get them in a cameo appearance in the next DVD.

Congrats on Michael's State win, Rich.  Beautiful family too.  Everyone looks great, and you've captured a very special span of time in their lives!

David

You won't ever be able to spend this time with them again Rich, we can wait on the DVD.

It is amazing to see Christopher's kids grow almost weekly in all his posts, yours have done so seemingly overnight! And I wouldn't let a certain one of the three out without a Chaperone

Big congrats to the Battista family!  

Not at all train related ... but CONGRATULATIONS to Rich's family!

Amateur wrestling is one of my favorite sports.  It's probably the purest of all sports.

Man v. man.  No excuses.

"Kinda" like me as I wrestle with my new layout.  

Congratulations to your son for the two State Championships AWSOME accomplishments. That grow up to fast. 

Great news!

Peter

Well done. Congrats

Rich, Congratulations to your family and especially Michael on his repeat as VA's 170lb State HS Champ as well as his acceptance to a great academic school, UVA.  IIRC, you're alma mater also has a high grade engineering program and a fairly respectable wrestling program that compiled 5 national championships in the last 6 years.

Looking forward to your 4th video, but more importantly enjoy these family times.

It seems that in a blink of an eye they are grown and on their own.

Congratulations to you, Michael and your family !