Back row: Rob,  Travis, Robbie and Kyle

Front row: Dawn, AKA Management, Katelyn, Alyssa, Heidi, Erin and Valeri.

July 4, 2008 Photo




About Rob





Many of you have been wondering, "who is this Rob Crowe?"  Since there is no one else around, Management graciously volunteered to interview me.  Here are some pertinent excerpts from the September 2007 interview:

 

Mgmt:  "Date and place of birth?"

Rob: " 3/9/54, San Diego Naval Hospital."

Mgmt: "How'd you get to Minnesota from there?"

Rob: "Long story, told on a need to know basis only, I don't think the residents of Roseau County need to know."

Mgmt: (aside) " This one might be a tough nut to crack..." to Rob, " You've got to do better than that!"

Rob: "OK, Josephine Burt of Splithand township, Itasca county, MN, was in California, met Petty Officer Elmo Crowe of Estill County, KY on a bus to San Francisco, married six weeks later, I was the second son born a short 25 months later.  Since the girl was from Minnesota, the couple later established residence in the Grand Rapids area. "

Mgmt: " That's better. Now, education?"

Rob: "Graduated from Grand Rapids High, ran track my senior year, 1st in districts, half mile."

Mgmt: "Half mile, why that?"

Rob: " Nobody else would."

Mgmt: " That explains it.  Any more education?"

Rob: " Bachelor of Industrial Engineering, UMD, 1994."

Mgmt: " UMD?  Industrial Engineering? Why that?

Rob: "Well, I met this auburned hair gal at church and she was moving to Duluth..."

Mgmt: "I don't think the residents of Roseau County need to know..."

Rob: "She was pretty convincing..."

Mgmt: "That's not how I remember it!  Let's get back on track, here.  Marital status?"

Rob: "Married."

Mgmt: "You've got to do better than that!"

Rob: "OOOOOKAAAYYYY.  Happily married to the best looking auburn haired woman in the county."

Mgmt: I believe you misspoke, didn't you mean country?

Rob: "Isn't that what I said?"

Mgmt: "Much better.  Children?"

Rob: "You know how many kids we got."

Mgmt: "We got? What's this? May I remind you, I'm interviewing you for the Newspaper! Use proper language.  Now tell the people about your kids!"

Rob: "OK, Travis, 27, recently returned from Guard duty in Iraq, senior at Crown College, Business Major, plays defense on the soccer team. 

Heidi, 25, Schoolteacher in Elk River, 2nd grade, Soccer Star at Crown. 

Erin, 23, UND graduate, Civil Engineer for U. S. Steel in Mountain Iron. 

Alyssa, 10, 5th grade, inveterate reader and artist,

Katelyn, 8, 3rd grade, loves animals, artist,

Valeri, 6, 1st grade, recently lost two front teeth, artist....anything else?"

Mgmt: "I think that covers the kids...Experience?"

Rob: "Yea."

Mgmt: "With what?

Rob: "Kids!"

Mgmt: "You know what I mean!"

Rob: "Well, dad was a carpenter, so I did that for many years.  I drove semi for a while, had a beef farm, Polled Herefords crossed to red Angus, rolled up lots of round bales.  Worked at a foundry, worked at an OSB plant.  Own a residential construction company.  Raced stock cars for a couple of years, seem to acquire tractors to fix up, occasionally build other mechanical things in my spare time.  Raise kids."

Mgmt: "That covers that.  How did you get the job writing for the Pioneer?"

Rob: " Well, I answered the ad.  Must have been hundreds of applicants.  There were several tough interviews with the hard driving editor..."

Mgmt: "That's not what you told me!"

Rob: "What did I tell you?"

Mgmt: "You were the only one that applied."

Rob: "I don't think the residents of Roseau County need to know that!"

Mgmt: "Any experience writing for newspapers before?"

Rob: "Token Conservative columnist for the Aitkin Independent Age for 3 years."

Mgmt: " My, my, just a little satire there!"

Rob: "As a matter of fact, satire works pretty well.  Just last week..."

Mgmt: "Just answer the questions! On to another subject.  There are two major Snowmobile manufacturers in the area, Polaris and Arctic Cat.  Which one is your favorite?

Rob: "Yea."

Mgmt: "Well, which one?"

Rob: "Since I have my resume in at both plants, I plead the fifth."

Mgmt: "Does the publisher of the paper know that?"

Rob: "She does now. Maybe she'll give me a raise."

Mgmt: "I think that's a good idea.  When you going to ask her?"

Rob: "I thought maybe you'd do it for me?"

Mgmt: "In your dreams! "

 

The interview went downhill from there as the new dog and three happily screaming little girls interrupted it, see you next week.


Double-click photo to enlarge.

family 2008


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