Showing posts with label Bob Grove. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bob Grove. Show all posts

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Is Hubris a Bad Thing?

By Bob Grove, NetWest Prose Critique Group Facilitator

I’m proud to be a writer and I enjoy reading my works to an audience; I think most of us do. That subject came up recently at my prose critique group, and the question arose, “Why is public display of our talent so important to us?” Without a moment’s hesitation, I impulsively answered, “Hubris!” Now that’s an interesting word, and I have no idea why it came out so abruptly. In retrospect, I was somewhat surprised by my spontaneous reply, so I decided to look it up. 

Webster defines hubris as “excessive self-pride; arrogance,” and Greek etymology refines its origin as “an excess of ambition.” But this sounds more like narcissism.

If admiration, or even adulation, is a requisite, am I a narcissist? I pondered that for a while until a psychoanalytical reference informed me that narcissism is “erotic gratification derived from admiration of one’s own physical or mental attributes.” I must admit that I am gratified by applause at a reading, but not that gratified.

There is, however, a more comfortable label. Egoism (not egotism) “emphasizes the importance of oneself in reference to other things...to understand one’s central place in the universe.” Now that sounds pretty good. 

Perhaps writers do share this very useful mechanism in an age of global disharmony. We have the ability to express ourselves and understand our place among our fellows. I like that. It’s a sign of contentment, reflection and introspection; all positive, beneficial characteristics. With this in perspective, egoism seems to be an admirable aspect of hubris. 

Reading our works in front of an audience is a performance art. Perhaps the Greeks were too critical in their disdain for ambition. As writers, we don’t expect to receive lavish monetary rewards. Appreciation is enough, and hubris may be the drive we need to get there.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

A Man For All Seasons Going Out Of Business

This article about NCWN/NetWest member Bob Grove appeared in the December 18, 2013 edition of the Cherokee Scout newspaper. Bob is the facilitator of the NetWest sponsored Prose Critique Group that meets the second Thursday of each month at 7 pm at Tri County Community College near Murphy. I knew Bob was a man of many talents, but I learned even more of them from the article. 

Here it is, in its entirety, courtesy of the Cherokee Scout newspaper and writer, Dwight Otwell.

By DWIGHT OTWELL

Scott Wallace/swallace@cherokeescout.com
Brasstown – Bob Grove moved to Cherokee County and began teaching in 1978, but he soon began his own business that would become one of the most respected in the industry.

After 35 years, Grove Enterprises, a standard in the shortwave and radio equipment business, closed at the end of November along with his longtime magazine, Monitoring Times.

“Judy and I decided to finally take real retirement,” the Brasstown resident said. He will be missed. “Grove radio has been a national institution to shortwave and other radio enthusiastsfor many years,” Bellview resident Hugh Williamson wrote to the Cherokee Scout. Grove taught science and math for two years at Hiwassee Dam High School beginning in 1978. He had been living in Florida and became disillusioned with the fast growth and crime.

“I was establishing the business,” he said. “I loved the kids, but it became clear that my destiny was to go into business for myself.” It began as a mail order business for radio receivers of all kinds. Its specialties are radio scanners, shortwave receivers, antennas, database and control software, listening accessories and a full spectrum of publications. Grove Catalogue is mailed to the company’s database of customers each year.  

However, Grove is a man of many interests. It took him six years to get a four-year college degree because he changed his major 12 times. He taught a wide variety of subjects in public schools – including every science, English, journalism and creative writing.

Grove grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and taught in Ohio and then Florida. He was named director of the South Florida Museum & Bishop Planetarium in Bradenton, Fla. He later went back into teaching, but became curator and interim director of a museum in Palm Beach County,Fla.

Grove was noticed by a local ABC television affiliate and began working a few jobs for them before being named public affairs director. He hosted some programs and was seen on air by more than any other person in southeast Florida. His favorite guest was famous movie star and dancer Ginger Rogers, who he called “delightful.” His most irritating guest was Eddie Albert,actor and star of the television show Green Acres. “He was just snarly,” Grove said of Albert. “He looked around at the studio and asked, ‘What is this – the city dump?’ ”

His memories of his time at the studio are both touching and humorous. Grove gave tours of the facility, and one day some kids were fascinated at the height of the transmission towers. Grove pointed to the tower, and at that moment lightning hit it. The kids asked him how he did that.

Grove hosted the television show Now World and was known as Mr. Science. Grove and wife Judy had always cared deeply for animals and wildlife. After moving to Brasstown, they had a tree cut down that had a nest with squirrels. A wildlife official told Grove they weren’t allowed to keep the animals, but they could designate them as the Brasstown Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. “We have kept anything that walks on two or four legs,” he said, including hawks, owls, deer, oppossums, groundhogs and mink.

Grove and Judy gave talks to schools and groups. Once, Judy was telling a group that you can’t get close to wildlife because you have to eventually set them free. You can’t make pets of them. Just then, a squirrel they had rehabilitated ran up, jumped on the table and onto Judy’s shoulder. Grove was surprised that they have received well wishes from hundreds of present and former customers and subscribers who sent in congratulations about their retirement.

“It is very gratifying. There were no negative comments about our closing,” he said. Although both Grove Enterprises and Monitoring Times are being retired, the chief editor and practically all of the writers will begin a new magazine, Spectrum Monitor, on Jan. 1. 

Grove is 75, but he isn’t going to just sit back in an easy chair. He will write for the new magazine and do original writing for publications and more books. He has already written an e-book, Misadventures of an Only Child, which he calls his autobiography. It’s for sale at Curiosity Shop Bookstore in downtown Murphy.

Grove will also continue teaching adult continuing education classes. Through John C. Campbell Folk School and Young Harris (Ga.) College, he teaches local geology, including field trips with students. His latest enterprise is being president of the new Mountain Community Orchestra. The orchestra is assembling serious musicians from the region and hope to begin performing after the first of the year. “I don’t play an instrument. I am a drummer,” Grove quipped. 

At 7 p.m. today (December 18, 2013) at the folk school, Grove will do his annual reading of A Christmas Carol, which is a special arrangement by the author Charles Dickens. Grove will do the entire reading himself, in costume. He said it’s fun but exhausting. “It is all British, but I have no problem with that,” he said."My father was born in England. I love life, and I have had a great time of it.”

Friday, April 19, 2013

Thursday Night Reading at the John C. Campbell Folk School

Thursday night at the John C. Campbell Folk School we were entertained with poetry from Robert S. King and a funny, laugh out loud, piece from Bob Groves' memoir. Bob also read some of what he called "awful poetry" that was humorous as well.
Bob Grove


Robert King is one of the best poets around these parts and has published hundreds of poems in journals and anthologies. He has several collections published as well.
Tonight's work was from a yet-to-be published manuscript. I'm sure we will see it in print soon.

Robert S. King

Next month, May 16, featured writers for the Folk School Reading will be Glenda Beall and Carole Thompson.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Bob Grove and his Website and Memoir


Netwest member and facilitator of the NCWN West Prose Group, Bob Grove has kept his website, a secret. He says he is not good at self-promotion. Why do I hear that from so many writers?


Although Bob Grove is well-known around the world and in his own back yard in western NC, his writing has not been highly visible in the literary world of NC. 

A few years ago Bob and his lovely wife, Judy, visited Coffee with the Poets at Phillips and Lloyd Bookstore in Hayesville, NC. I don't remember if he read that day at open mic, but soon he was a regular  at the monthly meetings. 

He had begun to dabble in poetry, but his focus was prose. His stories about his life, his memoir, were enjoyed by all of us. Now Bob has completed his book, and you can find excerpts on his website. One thing you will soon find out is that Bob was a mischievous child and a prankster. He was a dare devil as well. 

His life stories are fun to read and hear him read. And boy, does he have a wealth of stories. 

When you visit www.bobgrove.org you can learn about his other interests. He often serves as an auctioneer, and I really enjoyed the pages about things that sell and don't sell, what is an antique and what is not. 

I am glad I stumbled on his website and found out he is selling his book. Visit and come back here and let me know if you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

COFFEE WITH THE POETS Hayesville, August gathering

Once again we had a full house for Coffee with the Poets at Cafe Touche' in Hayesville.
Joan Howard of Hiawassee and Athens, GA was one of the featured readers.
From Brevard, NC, Susan Lefler, author of a new poetry book, Rendering the Bones,
was also featured.


Bob Groves agreed to be photographer for the day and the following are some photos he made of those who enjoyed the social aspect of the morning.



Joan Howard and Glenda Barrett

Brenda Kay Ledford and Maren Mitchell



                       Bob Grove reading at open mic. He gave me the camera while he read.