Observing the many facets of people and their world
March 29, 2009 2 Comments
March 29 ???
What is it with Chicago weather? Spring officially arrived a week ago. And yet…
First on Saturday I sat for 2 1/2 hours in 30 degree weather watching my son’s home baseball opener. It took all 5 layers of clothing to keep me warm through seven innings. Too bad the game went eight.
Then we wake up Sunday to this.
March 28, 2009 2 Comments
My son finished his successful off, off, off Broadway run in Bye Bye Birdie. These are a few of the videos we took with our cheap digital camera (which is my way of making excuses for the quality).
These videos are from the March 21 and 22 productions. They speak for themselves.
March 19, 2009 7 Comments
Mouse In The House would be a cute name for a children’s story. It is less fun and fanciful as reality. Three nights ago one of our cats leaped into our bed at around 3 AM and ran around frantically in circles then jumped off and back on the bed running in more circles. In my barely awake haze I thought this must be like a Lassie adventure and she is trying to tell us that something is wrong with our son or the barn is on fire. No idea.
The next day she hardly moved which is also odd behavior for this one. If she had been acting strange one more day we were going to call the vet.
Then last night at 4:20 AM she is again running around our be like a crazy kitty. As my wife reached to pet her she felt something that was definitely not cat. I flipped on the light to see a small mouse curled up in the middle of our bed. Our Crash was standing over the mouse basically saying, “Here. This is what you needed to see at this ungodly hour of the morning. this is why I have been running all around you on the bed. A gift.”
The mouse was not moving. My wife ran downstairs to get a garbage bag while I watched Crash alternatively stare at and pick up the mouse in her mouth. Yeech. Not knowing if the mouse was dead or maintaining the theatrical heritage of the house (see It’s Showtime! post) and playing possum. I had not desire to chase or be bitten by this creature. I scooped it up, tied the bag closed, ran downstairs and through the thing out the back door. The next morning I tossed the bag in the garbage.
Needless to say that though we now had a calm cat we were wide awake. OK, actually my wife was wide awake. I could have been back to sleep in seconds but she needed to talk. We wipped the blanket that the mouse had been on off the bed at lightning speed and tried to fall asleep after first praising our mouse killer.
Worried that we may be raising a family we had the exterminator over today. He showed us where the rats had been sleeping. In crawl spaces we never opened, in the cabinet under our kitchen sink and even under our oven. Traps and poison were laid. For days Crash had been hanging out near these spots and now we know why. We also have no idea why Cody, our other cat showed no interest in the mice. Cody had on a couple of occasions brought birds to us that she had captured in the back yard. Apparently mice are beneath our huntress kitty.
One last oddity to this story. In all the years we had people come to our home to fix things, none had the pure joy for his job as this exterminator. He was practically singing as he worked. I have to admit I love to see someone enjoying their work but this seemed a bit odd. As odd as waking up in the middle of the night to a Mouse In The House.
March 18, 2009 2 Comments
What a weekend. I spent Friday night being entertained by a brilliant young actor in his first stage role followed Saturday by a veteran performer who sang and danced like she has been on stage from birth.
And all this talent lives in my our house.
My son D took auditioned a few months ago for his first theatrical production. Everything outside of school has been athletics. I was thrilled that he stepped out of his comfort zone.
The play is Bye Bye Birdie. Honestly since he had no acting experience, no formal dance lessons and while he sings constantly in the house only about half the notes are in tune. Our expectations were that he might make the chorus. Not my son.
Hugo Peabody. For those who have seen the movie this role was played by teen idol Bobby Rydell. He is the boyfriend to Kim MacAfee, played by Ann-Margret. This is the fourth biggest male part in the play.
In this production, Hugo acts and dances but does not sing. He does do a handspring early in the first act. With D burning the candle at both ends, starting most days at 6 am for baseball workouts and finishing rehearsals at 11 pm, for weeks now I was not sure how he would react to the pressure of opening night. What pressure. From his first line to the handspring to his dance with Kim (including a lift) and every other moment on he was on stage he was on fire.
I know I am playing the role of the adoring parent but those that know me know that I am prone to brutal honestly and can be a touch critical. There was nothing to criticize, just a performance to enjoy. He delivered his lines with the air of a jealous high school kid, which is what his character is. He moved naturally across the stage and executed his dance number like a pro.
Right up there with the joy of watching my son was watching my son with a bunch of his buddies. Joey, Richie, David, Asher, Jon, and Mark and several others have been hanging around our house for years and years. What fun to be seeing them all act and dance on the same stage.
Several parents came up to me after the show, as well as one couple in a restaurant the next night, to tell me how well he did. I am proud. I am happy for him. He may or may not avail himself of opportunities to be on stage again. As one who believes in multi-faceted people I hope he does. And then I get to go to another show.
And this was just Friday.
Friday night people were asking me if my wife was at the show as well. No, my wife was in a performance of her own. Fortunately her show started last weekend and ends this weekend. D’s started Friday and runs next weekend as well. So she will see the remaining 4 performance of his show–like a true mother. (Tickets still available if you are interested.)
Saturday I saw the closing night of my wife’s show. Evey year The Women’s Club of Evanston produces a musical comedy review as a fundraiser for a local charity. My wife has participated for about 10 years. This year’s show was titled “Not Tonight Dear, I Have A Haddock”. Thirty three numbers in all.
My wife starred in such numbers as “Brain” in which she was a beautiful Zombie and “Fugue For Cyberchondriacs” in which she plays a nurse to people who self-diagnoseusing the Internet. She had a singing solo in “We All Live In The World…” in which people wistfully remember the days before recycling. Unfortunately she had some of the worst lyrics to sing including the words, verklempt, monkey snot and toe jam.
Overall, the lyrics were clever, the singing of high quality, the men had their annual dress as women number and the laughs came frequently and the dancing dazzled. Not bad for a group of amateurs.
At one time during the weekend as I told the story of my talented family a comparison was made to the Von Trapp family of Sound Of Music fame. That must make me the odd “Uncle Max”. No on stage talent in me.
Fortunately I will be able to retire as soon as talented my wife and/or talented son are discovered and become stars.
March 9, 2009 4 Comments
Sunday morning I spent chastising, maybe even yelling at, my 18 year old son because once again he put his academics after having fun; not that he agreed. Because he is not meeting the expectations I set for him he gets much criticism and little praise.
Sunday afternoon I spent with my 42 year old autistic sister. I read books to and with her. As she sounded out about 2/3 of the words of a Dr. Seuss book I praised her constantly. I was so surprised and happy for her–she was just happy.
Maybe praise and happy are better.
March 9, 2009 Leave a comment
One moment and I was overcome.
Driving home on Lake Shore Drive listening to an NPR story about a group of women in their 90s (oldest being 96) who will be having their Bat Mitzvahs in a a couple of weeks. Since this is the coming of age ceremony most Jewish girls have at 13 this was to be quite the event.
Listening to 91 year young Flo Wish discuss the happiness she felt. In the 1930s when she and the other women would have had their Bat Mitzvahs, they were not allowed. At that time Jewish women were not treated to the same religious rights as Jewish men. I was inspired listening to this articulate woman– certainly more articulate than any three 30 year olds– tell her story.
As the story was ending I happened to glance to my right. In general the view was of Lincoln park and people exercising in the above freezing weather. Specifically, just as Flo signed off I noticed a guy running. He was a double amputee running with two metal running “legs”.
I lost my breadth. The convergence of the radio story and this visual overloaded my brain.
We have the ability to do virtually anything we set out to achieve. A divine message directed to me? Who knows. Stay tuned.
91 Year Old Flo Wise
Oscar Pictorius
March 7, 2009 2 Comments
What does saving a life do to the life of the one who saves it? It seems clear that the one saved feels gratitude and has their life extended. Maybe that person lives the remaining years differently because they are “free” years that they would not have had– but maybe not.
But what about the person who does something heroic to save another? What do they get? Does their life change?
This is what ran through my mind as I read this story in the Chicago Tribune. The facts are that a Chicago police officer went to extraordinary lengths, risking his own life, to save a man trapped in a burning apartment building. The Officer, Timothy Gould age 54 and an 18 year veteran, heard cries for help. He tried to reach the apartment where the voice was coming from but was turned back by flames, kept his head and went around the back, breaking the window climbed in calling to the man and shining his flashlight. By now thick smoke filled the room but he never gave up eventually reaching 68 year old James Wesley and then carrying him out of the building.
A life saved.
So an article in the paper, a mention in a few blogs and maybe a day of fame. I can not envision myself going into a burning building to try to save a stranger. I hope I would but I have strong doubts.
So what about Timothy Gould?
I can only hope that this man has a sense of pride that enhances the rest of his life. If I were king, people like him would receive a more tangible reward. Something that would be life changing. Why not.
It is not that the deed should not be its own reward, it should. But so many people make tons of money for becoming celebrities with no real talents, making no real sacrifices and adding little to our world. Why not share some with people who make a difference.
What more can one do than to save a life?
March 7, 2009 Leave a comment
The Internet is a beautiful thing. It can bring together people from many different worlds. It is invaluable in business in so many ways including bringing buyers and sellers together efficiently. In a failing economy we need all the help we can get. CraigsList is one of the Internet’s commerce success stories.
I admit, I rarely take advantage of the possibilities of the Internet to enhance my life. While I often need tradesmen to fix up my 80 year old house I have not explored Angie’s list. And while I have several items to sell–primarily some furniture if any of my readers are interested– I have heard of but not used CraigsList.
I start by being amazed that someone would have the idea and the execution skill to create an Internet business from something that was once dominated by large public companies–in the case of classified ads CraigsList is helping to drive newspapers from the face of the earth. How can you take nothing and make it into revenues? True genius.
Actually the true genius is knowing where the money is. In the case of personal ads it seems to be in prostitution. While no statistics have been presented on the percent of CraigsList’s revenues that prostitution provides, the Company has refused to eliminate its Erotic Services section.
On one hand there is the position of the typical sex worker (ba dum dum). In this CNET article a 35 year old sex worker expounds on how Craigs List has enhanced her work life. “Craigslist is important to helping us avoid violence,” says the woman, who is originally from Europe. “Craigslist is a way to filter out that kind of person…and with Craigslist there is no need for pimps.” (BTW, all economists know that eliminating the middle man, pimps for example, make for a more efficient economy.)
The other point of view is represented in the CNET article by Chicago Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. On Thursday, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office sued CraigList, accusing the Internet site of being one of the largest sources of prostitution in the country.
In the interview with CNET News, Dart said that the kind of sex services being advertised on Craigslist frequently involves minors as well as people forced into prostitution against their will. The federal lawsuit filed by Dart’s office claims that Craigslist’s erotic section is a powerful marketing tool for pimps and prostitutes and makes it easier for criminals to elude police.
I am sure that the leaders of CraigsList have good reason for doing what they are doing ($$$). If a few minors become collateral damage in having a more efficient economy so be it.
The first thought in my head when I heard about this has its basis more in pure economics than commerce. Does a more efficient market merely enhance the profitability of the transaction or does it increase the supply and demand for the services? In other words, in addition to being able to sell my furniture can I thank CraigsList for increasing the number of prostitutes and those seeking their services.?
One last thought was supplied by a caller to a morning radio show I listen to on my way to work. Why would anyone go to the Erotic services section of CraigsList and pay for sex when they could click on the Personals section and find many people willing to have sex for free? Now in today’s tough economic times how can you turn down a free sample?
March 1, 2009 Leave a comment
The frigid winter is not something I seek, though admittedly I choose to live in the Midwest. So when I heard that John Huston and Tyler Fish are choosing to ski unassisted to the North Pole my interest was piqued. While they have been training for many months, the official start is today, March 1 (though there has been a 24 hour delay due to weather).
How did I first learn about this expedition? One of the two is a Chicago area guy who over the summer was seen running in Lincoln Park. Not unusual. Except for the chains attached to the 4 tires he was pulling. This part of his training caught the attention of the local radio stations and the Chicago Tribune.
Their website amazes me. Here are some things I learned.
They list six challenges to a successful expedition:
Other factoids:
So why are these two skiing unassisted to the North Pole? Sure they may get a moment or two of fame but not the Paris Hilton type that can be turned into a paid career of doing nothing other than being famous.
According to them this is a trip of Optimism, Humility and Responsible action. They want to inspire people to take on great things, to challenge themselves.
I am inspired. To what I am not yet sure. I do plan to check their blog everyday to find out how they are doing. If you want to as well they are now added to my blogroll.
If nothing else I commit to stop complaining about the weather in Chicago–at least for 2009.
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