BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Native American Interview w/Brad Bailey aka Beetlemess

Brad (Beetlemess) is an inspiration to children who want to achieve their dreams in life. To find out why, read the interview with Brad at the following link:

Brad Bailey Interview

Beetle, you and your wife must be very proud of your granddaughter. Can you tell us more about Granddaughter?

The step-daughter (can really remove the �step� due to the relationship we formed)� The daughter moved to San Diego to obtain support from her cousins & that side of the family with a new-born that was not being accepted & fully supported by the biological father. They moved in with my in-laws in the house that I continued to own. Really hoped to re-live the California Dream.

Since the daughter always called my in-laws, �grandpa & grandma�, they had to come up with a way for the little one to differentiate between them & us, the grandparents in Virginia. My wife was called �Grandma Virginia� & I was named �Grandpa Longhair�, due to the pony-tail I now wear.

Due to job market and the family beginning to relocate to Las Vegas, the girls finally decided to come back to Virginia 7 years ago. I drove out in a van to affect a caravan back to DC. The granddaughter rode with me & was very instrumental in looking for the speed traps when the radar detector chirped. Not that I was demonstrating speed limit violations...

The granddaughter has the features that could have her pass as a younger Jessica Alba or Angelina Jolie (She just hasn't been found). She pretty much has adopted me as her male role model and is always wanting to do what I do � camping, NA crafts, DIY, yard work, etc. Her uncle (my 21-yo son) does the teenage stuff with her - movies, video games, etc.

She gets absorbed in the outdoor and Native American stuff & I really think she would really like to do Fancy Shawl in the Pow Wow settings, when not asking me to take her camping. She's showing interest in the Boy Scouting co-ed units, called Venturing Crews and will be eligible to join in a couple months. Guess I'll be dragged along with this one...

"dragged along..." Yeah Right! More likely to be a race to see who reaches the vehicle first

Thanks for the article/interview both of you. It's so nice to learn a little more about my forum friends.

Okay, you caught me in that one. Yes, we frequently make mad dash sprints in racing to the truck. If we meet up anywhere for, say, a family meal (since they have an apartment a couple miles away), she always wants to return with Grandpa. Luckily, after school she has option to take bus to their apartment or head over to the grandparents'. When they first were staying with us, she made a lot of neighborhood friends & they usually like to get together (using a grandparent visitation as an excuse...)

Phyllis picked up on various comments I made in the different forum topics & approached me with my being her first interview lab rat. I figured, 'Why Not?', if it can be useful & influence others. I think she did a great job in the questions she poised to me by bringing out the intentions of her efforts - to show that there are rewards (both tangible & intangible) in contributing to the youth development by personal involvement or setting an example.

Thanks, LCP. You and Beetle have really made this forum very interesting and a joy to be involved in.

Beetle actually did a lot of work on this interview. Since it was not an "in person interview" with me taking all the notes, he did all the writing on his answers then together we did the editing. He really has had a very interesting life and still pushes hard to give to others.

Beetle, I love the way you ended the interview with your warm and very admirable attention to your family. Your wife must be a strong and loving person to stand by you, give you the support she has, and share you so much with all your work with the Order of The Arrow. What a gal!

WOW, Good JOB
It's great putting a name to the person
And It's a great interview you's two

Phyllis and B (But now that I know where Bettlemess came from I may stop shortening it) - I very much appreciated this article. You know you start to think you know a person as you interact with them through the computer - I am very amazed to realize how very right and very wrong I was in so many of my conclusions.

I have enjoyed the interactions I have had with both of you here at Bella. And because I don't come here nearly as much I once did, I have to thank Rosie for letting me know about this interview.

B, I mean Bettlemess - Where you like influencing youth when they are slighting older, I have always enjoyed their development at a younger age. For years and years, I was the scout leader who taught the scout leaders working with the Cub Scouts. I've only observed some OA ceremonies - probably without understanding.

Thank you, GrannyH. It is so good to hear from you. I have missed you!

I had a lot of fun working with Beetle on this interview. He did a lot (if not most) or the work on the drafts.

See, Beetle, I told you the women, grandmothers, and kids will want to adopt you!

My grandson said: "I wish I had a father like that."