My father used to say, "Teaching is a little like playing professional baseball. You get to start a new season every year."
Well, today, the President of the United States (forget his name, his party, his religion, his color) wanted to give a "first day of school speech" to the kids of the nation. People bitched. School districts opted out. Parents kept kids home.
I read the speech. I listened to most of it. The message was "do what your parents, and grand-parents want you to do," "stay in school," "study hard," "do your best," "it's important for you and your country." Now, what the hell is wrong with that.
If we, as a country, as a nation, as a people, FAIL, it will be because we've brought ourselves down.
Today was depressing. A lot of days are depressing.
Onward and upward?? I hope so.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
All the Days Dwindle Down
It is September, before a rainfall … no, it is September and time to catch-up.
Let's see. Michael Jackson's death has been ruled a homicide. The coroner thinks his doctor did it with an overdose of one of the drugs Jackson was using to get to sleep. Bizarre. He was buried in the mausoleum at Forest Lawn Cemetery yesterday. "Oh, lay me down at Forest Lawn in a silver casket, with golden flowers over my head in a silver basket."
Teddy Kennedy died the other day. The left went into mourning. The media went crazy again. He went down as "the Lion of the Senate." I remember writing to him year's ago and urging him to pick-up the liberal banner and go forward. I wish I had a copy of that letter. I wonder if he ever read it? He's was buried in Arlington near his brothers. That's quite a family. I guess you can be "quite a family" if you've got money.
Yesterday it was announced that many of the CEOs of the banks that got bail out money are getting huge bonuses that will push their salaries to something like $13 million. That's obscene. Keep that up and there will be a revolution.
Let's see … a woman someplace is pregnant with 12 babies … a woman who was kidnapped as a child about 18 years ago has been found with two daughters of her own by the sex offender who kidnapped her … why didn't she try to get away … and why didn't the sheriff investigate more thoroughly … Bill Cosby came to Detroit to help the public schools … they need all the help they can get … theft, corruption, you name it.
In golf, they're into the FedEx Cup play-offs. Heath Slocum (who the hell is he?) won the first one. He beat Tiger by two strokes after Tiger missed a birdie putt on the 72nd hole. They're playing this week in Boston. I've got Vijay. He didn't make the cut last week. Either did the guy I had. Tiger still leads in the point count.
The Tigers are still in first place in the Central Division. They lead Chicago by seven and Minnesota by five with 29 games left. In those games, they play Chicago seven times and Minnesota three times. That will tell the tale. If they play their final 29 games with the same winning percentage they have now, they'll be tough to beat.
In local golf, I've been playing fairly well of late. I've had scores of 75 and 77 in Coscarelly's League. We scramble the drive so I get a break when I hit a crummy one and we're usually on all the par threes. Yesterday at Lilac Brothers, we used 11 of my tee shots and I won closest to the pin on two of the four par threes. That's when I shot 77 (38-39). At Rasin River and Taylor Meadows (where you play your own ball) I've been in the low 80s pretty consistently. Now watch it all go to hell.
The days are dwindling down … to a precious few.
Let's see. Michael Jackson's death has been ruled a homicide. The coroner thinks his doctor did it with an overdose of one of the drugs Jackson was using to get to sleep. Bizarre. He was buried in the mausoleum at Forest Lawn Cemetery yesterday. "Oh, lay me down at Forest Lawn in a silver casket, with golden flowers over my head in a silver basket."
Teddy Kennedy died the other day. The left went into mourning. The media went crazy again. He went down as "the Lion of the Senate." I remember writing to him year's ago and urging him to pick-up the liberal banner and go forward. I wish I had a copy of that letter. I wonder if he ever read it? He's was buried in Arlington near his brothers. That's quite a family. I guess you can be "quite a family" if you've got money.
Yesterday it was announced that many of the CEOs of the banks that got bail out money are getting huge bonuses that will push their salaries to something like $13 million. That's obscene. Keep that up and there will be a revolution.
Let's see … a woman someplace is pregnant with 12 babies … a woman who was kidnapped as a child about 18 years ago has been found with two daughters of her own by the sex offender who kidnapped her … why didn't she try to get away … and why didn't the sheriff investigate more thoroughly … Bill Cosby came to Detroit to help the public schools … they need all the help they can get … theft, corruption, you name it.
In golf, they're into the FedEx Cup play-offs. Heath Slocum (who the hell is he?) won the first one. He beat Tiger by two strokes after Tiger missed a birdie putt on the 72nd hole. They're playing this week in Boston. I've got Vijay. He didn't make the cut last week. Either did the guy I had. Tiger still leads in the point count.
The Tigers are still in first place in the Central Division. They lead Chicago by seven and Minnesota by five with 29 games left. In those games, they play Chicago seven times and Minnesota three times. That will tell the tale. If they play their final 29 games with the same winning percentage they have now, they'll be tough to beat.
In local golf, I've been playing fairly well of late. I've had scores of 75 and 77 in Coscarelly's League. We scramble the drive so I get a break when I hit a crummy one and we're usually on all the par threes. Yesterday at Lilac Brothers, we used 11 of my tee shots and I won closest to the pin on two of the four par threes. That's when I shot 77 (38-39). At Rasin River and Taylor Meadows (where you play your own ball) I've been in the low 80s pretty consistently. Now watch it all go to hell.
The days are dwindling down … to a precious few.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Maine
Julie and I spent all or part of ten days in Maine. We left home on July 22 and drove to Lee, Massachusetts. In Lee we stayed at a tired Quality Inn, but associated with the Inn was a great Indian Restaurant: The Bombay Bar and Grill. Super martinis and wonderful Indian food.
We had an interesting time driving to Lee. We had borrowed Julie's girlfriend's GPS system. It kept taking us away from I-90, the New York ThruWay, and onto NY route 20a, a two lane road winding through quaint towns and the beautiful New York countryside - a countryside dominated by New York's largest wind farm. Giant wind turbines with blades that reach 400 feet into the air are like eerie-looking aliens. They are almost scary as they appear to be able to begin moving across the landscape whenever they get the urge. From an article I read, it's my understanding that they are controversial. The farmers get paid to allow them on their farms, but lots of people say they shouldn't be allowed. One farmer made an interesting comment when he talked about the high tension lines that were installed during the electrification of America. People objected to those, too, but now take them for granted, Maybe the same thing will happen to the windmills.
It turns out that the GPS was programed to avoid toll roads and she (Julie named her Lola) worked perfectly once she was reprogramed. I think I'll get one for Julie as a birthday present.
We arrived on Westport Island on Thursday, the 23rd, and stayed at Meg's house as there were renters in Julie's house. The houses are on Kehail Point and face the Sheepscot River. They are about nine-tenths of a mile from the ocean. You look south from the house, down the widening river, until you see the lighthouse at Hendrick's Head on the Atlantic. The view is ever-changing and always magnificent … even in the fog.
The Sheepscot rises and falls with the tide with high tide being 8-12 feet higher than low tide. Upper Mark Island, an uninhabited rock covered with small trees and bushes is about two-tenths of a mile from shore. At low tide, the Harbor Seals bask on the rocks. At high tide you can watch them as they hunt for food. There are also all manner of birds from Eagles to the small birds that flit through the bushes between the houses and the water.
And then, there are the lobster fishermen. Their boats seem to be the ultimate male toy with their chugging engines, their radios and radar, and their lobstering equipment. They fish right in front of the houses and, on occasion, we've had them deliver lobsters to the dock in front of Meg's house. You can't get much fresher than that.
We moved into Julie's house on Saturday. Jenny, Bob, and Sophie, and Richard and Addie also arrived on Saturday. They rent a house on the Long Cove side of Kehail Point, just a short walk from Meg and Julie. Sunday was a rainy day and Rick played Monopoly with Sophie and Addie. Dinner at their camp.
On Monday morning, we went to the little beach at the end of Long Cove to hunt for treasures from the sea. Tom and Kara arrived on Monday. Rick picked them up at the Portland airport and brought them to Westport. We made another trip to the Long Cove beach in the afternoon. In the evening their was a surprise birthday party for Carl at Ellen's place. The kids had a good time with Ellen's tire swing.
On Tuesday we went to Reid State Park on the end of Georgetown Island. The kids, Julie, Jen, Bob, and Tom swam in the surf. Rick and I watched. We had a lobster dinner at their cottage that evening.
On Wednesday, we took one of Cap'n Fish's boat rides. The kids had a good time running from the bow to the stern, up the stairs to the upper deck, and back again.
Rick and Addie left on Thursday. Julie and I went to Damariscotta. Bob, Jenny, and Sophie went back to Booth Bay Harbor to bowl. We had dinner at Meg's on Thursday night.
On Friday, Julie and I took Tom and Kara to the Portland airport. Then we went into Portland to the Portland Museum of Art to see the Art Colonies of Maine show. Two of Julie's grandfather's paintings we're in the show and the show book cover was Pip's "Road to Ogunquit." On Friday afternoon we packed up to leave.
Saturday we drove to Rochester, New York. On Sunday we drove the rest of the way home. I wish we could have stayed in Maine a lot longer.
We had an interesting time driving to Lee. We had borrowed Julie's girlfriend's GPS system. It kept taking us away from I-90, the New York ThruWay, and onto NY route 20a, a two lane road winding through quaint towns and the beautiful New York countryside - a countryside dominated by New York's largest wind farm. Giant wind turbines with blades that reach 400 feet into the air are like eerie-looking aliens. They are almost scary as they appear to be able to begin moving across the landscape whenever they get the urge. From an article I read, it's my understanding that they are controversial. The farmers get paid to allow them on their farms, but lots of people say they shouldn't be allowed. One farmer made an interesting comment when he talked about the high tension lines that were installed during the electrification of America. People objected to those, too, but now take them for granted, Maybe the same thing will happen to the windmills.
It turns out that the GPS was programed to avoid toll roads and she (Julie named her Lola) worked perfectly once she was reprogramed. I think I'll get one for Julie as a birthday present.
We arrived on Westport Island on Thursday, the 23rd, and stayed at Meg's house as there were renters in Julie's house. The houses are on Kehail Point and face the Sheepscot River. They are about nine-tenths of a mile from the ocean. You look south from the house, down the widening river, until you see the lighthouse at Hendrick's Head on the Atlantic. The view is ever-changing and always magnificent … even in the fog.
The Sheepscot rises and falls with the tide with high tide being 8-12 feet higher than low tide. Upper Mark Island, an uninhabited rock covered with small trees and bushes is about two-tenths of a mile from shore. At low tide, the Harbor Seals bask on the rocks. At high tide you can watch them as they hunt for food. There are also all manner of birds from Eagles to the small birds that flit through the bushes between the houses and the water.
And then, there are the lobster fishermen. Their boats seem to be the ultimate male toy with their chugging engines, their radios and radar, and their lobstering equipment. They fish right in front of the houses and, on occasion, we've had them deliver lobsters to the dock in front of Meg's house. You can't get much fresher than that.
We moved into Julie's house on Saturday. Jenny, Bob, and Sophie, and Richard and Addie also arrived on Saturday. They rent a house on the Long Cove side of Kehail Point, just a short walk from Meg and Julie. Sunday was a rainy day and Rick played Monopoly with Sophie and Addie. Dinner at their camp.
On Monday morning, we went to the little beach at the end of Long Cove to hunt for treasures from the sea. Tom and Kara arrived on Monday. Rick picked them up at the Portland airport and brought them to Westport. We made another trip to the Long Cove beach in the afternoon. In the evening their was a surprise birthday party for Carl at Ellen's place. The kids had a good time with Ellen's tire swing.
On Tuesday we went to Reid State Park on the end of Georgetown Island. The kids, Julie, Jen, Bob, and Tom swam in the surf. Rick and I watched. We had a lobster dinner at their cottage that evening.
On Wednesday, we took one of Cap'n Fish's boat rides. The kids had a good time running from the bow to the stern, up the stairs to the upper deck, and back again.
Rick and Addie left on Thursday. Julie and I went to Damariscotta. Bob, Jenny, and Sophie went back to Booth Bay Harbor to bowl. We had dinner at Meg's on Thursday night.
On Friday, Julie and I took Tom and Kara to the Portland airport. Then we went into Portland to the Portland Museum of Art to see the Art Colonies of Maine show. Two of Julie's grandfather's paintings we're in the show and the show book cover was Pip's "Road to Ogunquit." On Friday afternoon we packed up to leave.
Saturday we drove to Rochester, New York. On Sunday we drove the rest of the way home. I wish we could have stayed in Maine a lot longer.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Twists and Turns
Things happen. They just happen. And taken collectively, they lead you through the twists and turns of your life to wherever it is you're going. You can dream. You can plan. But the things keep happening. And you get pushed and pulled, nudged and swept along, until - there you are!
I joined the Army in March of 1955. I did it to get away from a boy-girl-boy situation that wasn't resolving itself the way I wanted it resolved. I was losing. I also did it because I wasn't doing well at Michigan State University and probably recognized that I needed to grow-up a little bit.
When I announced my intention of quitting, John Winburne, Dean of the Basic College, called me in and gave me hell. He said, "We live in a world with a crying need for intelligence. You have that intelligence and you waste it instead of making a contribution." When I got out of the Army in 1958 and went back to Michigan State, one of the first things I did was go see Dean Winburne and tell him that he was right.
Anyway, I had to go through the suburban-Detroit intersection of Grand River and Telegraph on the way from East Lansing to Wyandotte. There was an Army recruiting station on an island in the intersection. I stopped there one weekend in February or March and enlisted. I signed-up for a two year hitch with the 8th Infantry Division. They were scheduled to go to Europe and I wanted to get as far away from Mary as possible.
Mom and Dad were upset. Dad said that the Army wouldn't take me because of my asthma. But the army was hard-up for recruits, I was breathing, and I passed the physical after the technician had me lie down for about 15 minutes to slow my heart rate.
I was inducted on March 29, 1955 at Fort Wayne in Detroit. We spent several days there taking various placement tests. We were sitting in a room waiting for processing of some kind or other and the solider at the front desk called my name.
"Private Sparrow. Front and center."
A "Sergeant Fortune" wanted to see me. I was led down a narrow hallway and into a small room. Sergeant Fortune was seated at a desk. He was wearing his olive drab uniform with an Eisenhower jacket. Underneath his Combat Infantryman's Badge were four rows of ribbons. He had hashmarks from his wrist to his elbow - indicating almost thirty years of service. He "ordered" me to sit down.
"I see here that you've enlisted for the 8th Infantry Divison."
"That right," I said.
"Why in hell'd you do that?"
"The 8th Infantry Division is scheduled to rotate to Europe and I'd like to go."
He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Sparrow," he said, "life in the infantry is hard. You ever spent six months out of a year in the field?"
"What do you mean 'in the field'?"
"You know - livin' in tents, eatin' out of your mess kit, cold showers, diggin' latrines. That kind of thing."
"Well, no. I haven't done that."
"Ain't much fun. Tough way to live. I might be able to give you a chance to see Europe in a little more comfort."
"Oh?"
"You got really good scores on your placement tests, Sparrow. Two years of college. Parents are both educators. You look like a pretty bright person -just the kind of solider we need in the ASA," he smiled.
"What's the ASA?"
"The Army Security Agency - our branch of communications intelligence. Can't tell you much about the work because most of it is 'top secret,' but I know from personal experience that it's fascinatin'. And it sure as hell beats bein' in the infantry."
Sergeant Fortune was persuasive. He described the radio work, the code schools at Fort Devens, the language schools in California. And he described the ASA's "fixed" field stations with their bowling alleys, EM clubs, golf courses, and comfortable living quarters. And all that stuff about 'top secret' was particularly intriguing. Even though I had to enlist for another year, I was sold. I signed Sergeant Fortune's enlistment extension. That's how I wound up in the ASA.
The twists and turns.
I joined the Army in March of 1955. I did it to get away from a boy-girl-boy situation that wasn't resolving itself the way I wanted it resolved. I was losing. I also did it because I wasn't doing well at Michigan State University and probably recognized that I needed to grow-up a little bit.
When I announced my intention of quitting, John Winburne, Dean of the Basic College, called me in and gave me hell. He said, "We live in a world with a crying need for intelligence. You have that intelligence and you waste it instead of making a contribution." When I got out of the Army in 1958 and went back to Michigan State, one of the first things I did was go see Dean Winburne and tell him that he was right.
Anyway, I had to go through the suburban-Detroit intersection of Grand River and Telegraph on the way from East Lansing to Wyandotte. There was an Army recruiting station on an island in the intersection. I stopped there one weekend in February or March and enlisted. I signed-up for a two year hitch with the 8th Infantry Division. They were scheduled to go to Europe and I wanted to get as far away from Mary as possible.
Mom and Dad were upset. Dad said that the Army wouldn't take me because of my asthma. But the army was hard-up for recruits, I was breathing, and I passed the physical after the technician had me lie down for about 15 minutes to slow my heart rate.
I was inducted on March 29, 1955 at Fort Wayne in Detroit. We spent several days there taking various placement tests. We were sitting in a room waiting for processing of some kind or other and the solider at the front desk called my name.
"Private Sparrow. Front and center."
A "Sergeant Fortune" wanted to see me. I was led down a narrow hallway and into a small room. Sergeant Fortune was seated at a desk. He was wearing his olive drab uniform with an Eisenhower jacket. Underneath his Combat Infantryman's Badge were four rows of ribbons. He had hashmarks from his wrist to his elbow - indicating almost thirty years of service. He "ordered" me to sit down.
"I see here that you've enlisted for the 8th Infantry Divison."
"That right," I said.
"Why in hell'd you do that?"
"The 8th Infantry Division is scheduled to rotate to Europe and I'd like to go."
He leaned back in his chair and sighed. "Sparrow," he said, "life in the infantry is hard. You ever spent six months out of a year in the field?"
"What do you mean 'in the field'?"
"You know - livin' in tents, eatin' out of your mess kit, cold showers, diggin' latrines. That kind of thing."
"Well, no. I haven't done that."
"Ain't much fun. Tough way to live. I might be able to give you a chance to see Europe in a little more comfort."
"Oh?"
"You got really good scores on your placement tests, Sparrow. Two years of college. Parents are both educators. You look like a pretty bright person -just the kind of solider we need in the ASA," he smiled.
"What's the ASA?"
"The Army Security Agency - our branch of communications intelligence. Can't tell you much about the work because most of it is 'top secret,' but I know from personal experience that it's fascinatin'. And it sure as hell beats bein' in the infantry."
Sergeant Fortune was persuasive. He described the radio work, the code schools at Fort Devens, the language schools in California. And he described the ASA's "fixed" field stations with their bowling alleys, EM clubs, golf courses, and comfortable living quarters. And all that stuff about 'top secret' was particularly intriguing. Even though I had to enlist for another year, I was sold. I signed Sergeant Fortune's enlistment extension. That's how I wound up in the ASA.
The twists and turns.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Hurrah for the Fourth of July!!!
Here's a Fourth of July story.
I'm in a Players Guild of Dearborn production of 1776 playing Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island. We're doing a performance for about 200 kids from Salina Middle School. Paul Bruce is one of their teachers. He is in the cast playing Roger Sherman. Paul frequently arranges for kids from Salina to see our shows. The school serves a depressed area of Dearborn with a large middle-eastern population. I think it's great that Paul gets the kids to the Guild for a "live theatre experience."
In the show, Pat Landio is playing Andrew McNair. McNair was sort of a custodian/barkeep/errand-runner for the Congress. During the show, McNair periodically goes over to a wall calendar and removes a sheet to indicate a passage of time. The opening date is May 8.
The play drags on. McNair reveals June 7. In real time an hour goes by. July 1. Two hours. Now we're pushing three hours. McNair tears off a calendar sheet revealing July 4.
In a voice that can be heard throughout the house, one of the kids says, "Finally!"
Hurrah for the Fourth of July!
I'm in a Players Guild of Dearborn production of 1776 playing Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island. We're doing a performance for about 200 kids from Salina Middle School. Paul Bruce is one of their teachers. He is in the cast playing Roger Sherman. Paul frequently arranges for kids from Salina to see our shows. The school serves a depressed area of Dearborn with a large middle-eastern population. I think it's great that Paul gets the kids to the Guild for a "live theatre experience."
In the show, Pat Landio is playing Andrew McNair. McNair was sort of a custodian/barkeep/errand-runner for the Congress. During the show, McNair periodically goes over to a wall calendar and removes a sheet to indicate a passage of time. The opening date is May 8.
The play drags on. McNair reveals June 7. In real time an hour goes by. July 1. Two hours. Now we're pushing three hours. McNair tears off a calendar sheet revealing July 4.
In a voice that can be heard throughout the house, one of the kids says, "Finally!"
Hurrah for the Fourth of July!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Catching Up, Again
I haven't written anything for a while. Let's see. Monica Conyers was indicted by the feds and plead guilty to one count of conspiracy. She could face five years in prison. She resigned from the Detroit City Council. It's hard to believe that her husband didn't know anything about any of this.
Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Karl Malden died within a week and a half of each other. Farrah staged a valiant fight against cancer. Malden died of old-age. Jackson died of a possible drug overdose.
My son-in-law said, "I don't know why everybody is so upset about Michael Jackson. He was a pedophile, a drug addict, $400 million in debt, his nose was falling off, and he probably had HIV." Mitch Albom suggested the out-pouring of grief was more about the grievers than Michael. Jenny says it's something about the loss of youth.
Jenny told a cute story about Sophie and a friend of hers. They're riding in the car. The girls are in the backseat and Jenny hears their conversation go something like this.
"Michael Jackson died on Thursday."
"Yes. He was brown-skinned boy who turned into a vampire."
"Or, a woman."
Through the eyes of children.
More later.
Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and Karl Malden died within a week and a half of each other. Farrah staged a valiant fight against cancer. Malden died of old-age. Jackson died of a possible drug overdose.
My son-in-law said, "I don't know why everybody is so upset about Michael Jackson. He was a pedophile, a drug addict, $400 million in debt, his nose was falling off, and he probably had HIV." Mitch Albom suggested the out-pouring of grief was more about the grievers than Michael. Jenny says it's something about the loss of youth.
Jenny told a cute story about Sophie and a friend of hers. They're riding in the car. The girls are in the backseat and Jenny hears their conversation go something like this.
"Michael Jackson died on Thursday."
"Yes. He was brown-skinned boy who turned into a vampire."
"Or, a woman."
Through the eyes of children.
More later.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Golf
I wrote this piece in something like 1998. The golf course I'm referring to is The Country Club of Barre. Barre is Barre, Vermont. The course is actually in the town of Plainfield, Vermont.
I really love golf. I love everything about it.
I love the way course looks--especially when it has just been mowed. Or at twilight, when the shadows lengthen, and the fairways curve away into the gathering darkness. Or in the morning, just before the fog lifts, and the grass is wet with morning dew. When the grass is wet with dew you can read the greens perfectly because the balls from the group ahead have left little trails curving toward the hole that are easy to see.
I love the equipment. I love my clubs. They are Wilson Staff Mid-Sized Irons with 4.0 Graphite Shafts. They are called “FireStiks” and the shafts are red. They are actually pretty and I’ve never thought of clubs as pretty. Well, maybe the old wooden drivers were pretty. But my clubs are pretty. I love their real leather grips. I love the way they feel in my hands. I love the way they swing. I love these irons. I also love my "woods." Titanium Great Big Berthas ... a driver and a four wood. They both have extra-long shafts and when I connect just right, the ball really flies. I love my clubs.
I love the golf junk I always carry in my pocket. A divot repairer from Michigan State University--my alma mater--with a ball marker that’s held in it by a magnet. A plastic divot repairer that really works good. A copper ball mark from the U.S.G.A. A plastic ball mark from AAA. And a bunch of tees. I carry these on the course and off the course--all year long.
I love the way the clubs sound when they swing and hit the ball--especially the woods. Swish--crack. And the ball flies away. I love the way the ball sounds when it falls into the cup. I love it when other players cry, “Fore” to warn the rest of us of an errant shot.
I love the ball washers that we have on the course--even ‘though the water in them really stinks because nobody ever changes it. I love the sprinkler heads that dot the fairways. They have the distances to the center of the green written on them. I love to watch the sprinklers work--especially those around the green that work together to send out water in great, spraying circles.
I love the mowers and the guys who drive them. Billy, our greens superintendent is a super kid. He has a degree in golf course management and interned at Augusta. He looks at the greens. He get down on his hands and knees and touches them. He smells them. I think he even tastes them. They have to be among the nicest greens in the world. When Billy drives the small mower you know there is no place in the world he would rather be.
I love the clothes I wear when I golf. Cotton pants when it’s cool. An off-white Irish knit sweater that is becoming frayed and worn. Long underwear when it’s cold. (We’ll play if the temperature is above 32°.) Cotton shorts and cotton shirts in the summer. I wear very low cut socks that come just to the top of my golf shoes. (I love my golf shoes, too.) My foot has a great tan line. So do my legs and arms. Without clothes on I’m pretty funny looking.
I love the back nine at Barre. Every single hole.
The tenth--a long, uphill par five. You need three good shots to get there and when you get there, here is a treacherous green protected by a great, yawing front trap. I’m usually happy to walk away with a six.
These next four are our “A-Men Corner.”
The eleventh--straight away par four, but you hit to a highly contoured and elevated green. A tough par. I’ll take five any day.
The twelfth--another long par four. The fairway slopes drastically to the left so don’t go left off the tee. You’ll be out of bonds. Another elevated green--more severely than the green at the eleventh. This green is “small” so it’s hard to stay on if you get up the hill. Take five and be happy.
The thirteenth. 160 yard uphill par three. All carry. You can’t see the green because it’s above you. Very deceiving hole. Lots of guys playing it for the first time try to use a seven or eight iron. They wind up very short. I usually hit a four wood! Don’t go left or right off the tee. Big trouble.
The fourteenth. Number 2 handicap hole. Long, long par four. Takes two great shots to get there. Trouble right and left off the tee. Be straight. Take a five.
The fifteenth. Uphill par five with a dog-leg left. Great hole. You have to be at the top of the hill off the tee or you will never get a par. Don’t go right on your second shot or you’ll be in the woods. Don’t go left either. Same thing.
This part of the course is very pretty. A great view of the Green Mountains. You can see all the way to Camel’s Hump--Vermont’s second highest mountain--about 40 miles away. Spectacular in the fall. Actually, spectacular any time of the year. When it's my time to leave this third rock from the sun, I want my ashes scattered up here someplace.
The sixteenth. Short par three. 112 yards. You look down onto the green from an elevated tee. Big, hungry traps all around the green. And the green is on the side of hill--rolling from back to front. Great golf hole.
The seventeenth. A par four that looks so easy it kills you. Easy driving hole with trouble only too far to the left or right. The green, however, is protected by a great trap on the front right and smaller traps along the left side. The second shot is a real challenge. One of my favorite holes.
The eighteenth. Great closing hole. Long par four. You need a good drive and a good second shot to be on the green. The green runs dramatically to the left. When the pin is at the top it’s tough to get near it.
I love the club house. I love my locker. I love the bar. I love the barmaids and the caterer. I love the pro and his assistant. I love the administrative assistant and the bagroom boys. I love my fellow members.
I love golf. I really do.
Here is a parody …
Oh, I must go out to Barre again
to the greens and the club house bar,
and all I ask is a long straight drive,
and--now and then--a par.
I really love golf. I love everything about it.
I love the way course looks--especially when it has just been mowed. Or at twilight, when the shadows lengthen, and the fairways curve away into the gathering darkness. Or in the morning, just before the fog lifts, and the grass is wet with morning dew. When the grass is wet with dew you can read the greens perfectly because the balls from the group ahead have left little trails curving toward the hole that are easy to see.
I love the equipment. I love my clubs. They are Wilson Staff Mid-Sized Irons with 4.0 Graphite Shafts. They are called “FireStiks” and the shafts are red. They are actually pretty and I’ve never thought of clubs as pretty. Well, maybe the old wooden drivers were pretty. But my clubs are pretty. I love their real leather grips. I love the way they feel in my hands. I love the way they swing. I love these irons. I also love my "woods." Titanium Great Big Berthas ... a driver and a four wood. They both have extra-long shafts and when I connect just right, the ball really flies. I love my clubs.
I love the golf junk I always carry in my pocket. A divot repairer from Michigan State University--my alma mater--with a ball marker that’s held in it by a magnet. A plastic divot repairer that really works good. A copper ball mark from the U.S.G.A. A plastic ball mark from AAA. And a bunch of tees. I carry these on the course and off the course--all year long.
I love the way the clubs sound when they swing and hit the ball--especially the woods. Swish--crack. And the ball flies away. I love the way the ball sounds when it falls into the cup. I love it when other players cry, “Fore” to warn the rest of us of an errant shot.
I love the ball washers that we have on the course--even ‘though the water in them really stinks because nobody ever changes it. I love the sprinkler heads that dot the fairways. They have the distances to the center of the green written on them. I love to watch the sprinklers work--especially those around the green that work together to send out water in great, spraying circles.
I love the mowers and the guys who drive them. Billy, our greens superintendent is a super kid. He has a degree in golf course management and interned at Augusta. He looks at the greens. He get down on his hands and knees and touches them. He smells them. I think he even tastes them. They have to be among the nicest greens in the world. When Billy drives the small mower you know there is no place in the world he would rather be.
I love the clothes I wear when I golf. Cotton pants when it’s cool. An off-white Irish knit sweater that is becoming frayed and worn. Long underwear when it’s cold. (We’ll play if the temperature is above 32°.) Cotton shorts and cotton shirts in the summer. I wear very low cut socks that come just to the top of my golf shoes. (I love my golf shoes, too.) My foot has a great tan line. So do my legs and arms. Without clothes on I’m pretty funny looking.
I love the back nine at Barre. Every single hole.
The tenth--a long, uphill par five. You need three good shots to get there and when you get there, here is a treacherous green protected by a great, yawing front trap. I’m usually happy to walk away with a six.
These next four are our “A-Men Corner.”
The eleventh--straight away par four, but you hit to a highly contoured and elevated green. A tough par. I’ll take five any day.
The twelfth--another long par four. The fairway slopes drastically to the left so don’t go left off the tee. You’ll be out of bonds. Another elevated green--more severely than the green at the eleventh. This green is “small” so it’s hard to stay on if you get up the hill. Take five and be happy.
The thirteenth. 160 yard uphill par three. All carry. You can’t see the green because it’s above you. Very deceiving hole. Lots of guys playing it for the first time try to use a seven or eight iron. They wind up very short. I usually hit a four wood! Don’t go left or right off the tee. Big trouble.
The fourteenth. Number 2 handicap hole. Long, long par four. Takes two great shots to get there. Trouble right and left off the tee. Be straight. Take a five.
The fifteenth. Uphill par five with a dog-leg left. Great hole. You have to be at the top of the hill off the tee or you will never get a par. Don’t go right on your second shot or you’ll be in the woods. Don’t go left either. Same thing.
This part of the course is very pretty. A great view of the Green Mountains. You can see all the way to Camel’s Hump--Vermont’s second highest mountain--about 40 miles away. Spectacular in the fall. Actually, spectacular any time of the year. When it's my time to leave this third rock from the sun, I want my ashes scattered up here someplace.
The sixteenth. Short par three. 112 yards. You look down onto the green from an elevated tee. Big, hungry traps all around the green. And the green is on the side of hill--rolling from back to front. Great golf hole.
The seventeenth. A par four that looks so easy it kills you. Easy driving hole with trouble only too far to the left or right. The green, however, is protected by a great trap on the front right and smaller traps along the left side. The second shot is a real challenge. One of my favorite holes.
The eighteenth. Great closing hole. Long par four. You need a good drive and a good second shot to be on the green. The green runs dramatically to the left. When the pin is at the top it’s tough to get near it.
I love the club house. I love my locker. I love the bar. I love the barmaids and the caterer. I love the pro and his assistant. I love the administrative assistant and the bagroom boys. I love my fellow members.
I love golf. I really do.
Here is a parody …
Oh, I must go out to Barre again
to the greens and the club house bar,
and all I ask is a long straight drive,
and--now and then--a par.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
FaceBook Friends
I got fairly actively involved with FaceBook during the Fiddler run. As a result, I ended up with a lot of teen-aged "friends" as there were a number of them in the show. One of them is Westley. Westley (and that's really the way he spells his name) is a seventh grader. He played The Fiddler and moved in and out of scenes throughout the show, occasionally appearing "on the roof." He never spoke. He only fiddled. I thought he was quite effective.
Last night he put two neat quotes on FaceBook. One was from Rita Mae Brown. I'd never heard of her. She's an author of books for kids. Westley quoted her as saying, "The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you. " Pretty cute.
The other quote was from Dorothy Parker. "Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, A medley of extemporanea; And love is a thing that can never go wrong; And I am Marie of Romania." Also pretty cute.
It's been fun following these youngsters through their FaceBook posts. It keeps one young.
Last night he put two neat quotes on FaceBook. One was from Rita Mae Brown. I'd never heard of her. She's an author of books for kids. Westley quoted her as saying, "The statistics on sanity are that one out of every four Americans is suffering from some form of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, then it's you. " Pretty cute.
The other quote was from Dorothy Parker. "Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, A medley of extemporanea; And love is a thing that can never go wrong; And I am Marie of Romania." Also pretty cute.
It's been fun following these youngsters through their FaceBook posts. It keeps one young.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
More Thoughts on GM
Michael Moore wrote a piece which was a scathing attack on GM management. He said that their practice of building cars that would fall apart in two year … planned obsolesence … was what got them into trouble. He wrote, "The company which invented planned obsolesence … the decision to build cars that would fall apart after a few years so that the customer would then have to buy a new one -- has now made itself obsolete. It refused to build automobiles that the public wanted, cars that got great gas mileage, were as safe as they could be, and were exceedingly comfortable to drive. Oh -- and that wouldn't start falling apart after two years." He also talked about management fight against federal requirements for air quality, fuel economy, and safety regulations. I believe he's probably right on.
But, then he went on and said, "… (this) corporation (has) ruined my hometown and brought misery, divorce, alcoholism, homelessness, physical and mental debilitation, and drug addiction to the people I grew up with." I'm not sure that it's fair to blame GM for those kinds of things. People are responsible for the decisions they make. They have to live with the consequences of their actions.
My daughter and I were discussing the Moore piece via e-mail and she told me of a friend she had in Lansing, Michigan whose husband worked the night shift for Oldsmobile and spent most of it in a bar on the clock. And, in that kind of an environment, those workers couldn't help but build cars that would fall apart in two years.
I just know that the whole thing is sad. Hell, I was walking out of my local Meijer's store yesterday and the parking lot was strewn with trash. Where did that come from? People throw away wrappers, used cans, sales receipts, the contents of car ashtrays without ever thinking about what it's going to look like. The streets and roads in southeast Michigan, especially along the expressways and in Detroit, are a real mess. It's symptomatic of a bigger problem that has something to do with people caring about something beyond themselves.
It's tiring.
But, then he went on and said, "… (this) corporation (has) ruined my hometown and brought misery, divorce, alcoholism, homelessness, physical and mental debilitation, and drug addiction to the people I grew up with." I'm not sure that it's fair to blame GM for those kinds of things. People are responsible for the decisions they make. They have to live with the consequences of their actions.
My daughter and I were discussing the Moore piece via e-mail and she told me of a friend she had in Lansing, Michigan whose husband worked the night shift for Oldsmobile and spent most of it in a bar on the clock. And, in that kind of an environment, those workers couldn't help but build cars that would fall apart in two years.
I just know that the whole thing is sad. Hell, I was walking out of my local Meijer's store yesterday and the parking lot was strewn with trash. Where did that come from? People throw away wrappers, used cans, sales receipts, the contents of car ashtrays without ever thinking about what it's going to look like. The streets and roads in southeast Michigan, especially along the expressways and in Detroit, are a real mess. It's symptomatic of a bigger problem that has something to do with people caring about something beyond themselves.
It's tiring.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Your Huddled Masses
I went to the main Dearborn post office today to apply for a Passport Card. That would be a great place to "people watch" … maybe. Half the people in there didn't seem to be able to speak English very well. One guy had a girl with him who was translating and helping him fill out the form. The post office passport guy was very nice. I said, "I'll bet you could tell some interesting stories." He just rolled eyes.
A bit later I heard him remark to another clerk, "Here come my daily cast of thousands." The lobby was beginning to fill with people who wanted to do business with him. There were veiled Muslim women. All you could see of them were their eyes. There were swarthy middle eastern men who babbled to each other in Ararbic. They all seemed to have difficulty with the "take a number" routine the post office passport guy was using to control the situation.
I wonder where all these people want to go. And why?
Today it was announced that GM is filing for bankruptcy. I want to know WHY this happened. Was it really a case of crummy management? When I was a school administrator some of my board members would tell me that I should run my schools more like American businesses were run. I don't think I would have managed my district into bankruptcy. But, HOW? How did GM get to the point where it went bankrupt? Somebody 'splain it to me, please.
And, the other top story of the day is the missing Air France air bus that apparently went down in the Atlantic during a flight from Rio de Janerio, Brazil to Paris. There were 228 people aboard.
A bit later I heard him remark to another clerk, "Here come my daily cast of thousands." The lobby was beginning to fill with people who wanted to do business with him. There were veiled Muslim women. All you could see of them were their eyes. There were swarthy middle eastern men who babbled to each other in Ararbic. They all seemed to have difficulty with the "take a number" routine the post office passport guy was using to control the situation.
I wonder where all these people want to go. And why?
Today it was announced that GM is filing for bankruptcy. I want to know WHY this happened. Was it really a case of crummy management? When I was a school administrator some of my board members would tell me that I should run my schools more like American businesses were run. I don't think I would have managed my district into bankruptcy. But, HOW? How did GM get to the point where it went bankrupt? Somebody 'splain it to me, please.
And, the other top story of the day is the missing Air France air bus that apparently went down in the Atlantic during a flight from Rio de Janerio, Brazil to Paris. There were 228 people aboard.
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Dog is Down
"The dog is down."
I say that every time I feed Zoe. I usually also say, "That would be a great title for a book." So, how come I can think up great titles, but never put anything under them?
I bought the audio CD An Evening with Sheldon Harnick. Pretty cool. He talks about writing lyrics. That something I know something about. I continue to be amazed when the lyricist tells about writing something in ten minutes. That's happened to me. You grind on some subject for a week or so, maybe even subconsciously, and suddenly it all falls together.
Harnick got a great tune on the CD called "When the Messiah Comes." It was going to be used near the end of Fiddler, but they cut it from the show because it might be seen as "too irreligious." I think it's great.
I went on Amazon and was going to buy some of the other CDs in the Evening with series. They are all "out of print" and used copies are going for over $100. I wish I had all of them.
At The Guild it appears that I will be the Properties Governor. Nobody petitioned to run against me. So I've got to start looking for props and for people to help me.
The RedWings are in the Stanley Cup Finals for the second year in a row. They'll play Pittsburgh who are also in the finals for the second year in a row. It will be interesting.
And the Tigers continue to be in first place.
And the patio is together. It's a big job … almost like opening a camp. Julie has close to 30 pots of flowers. The yard looks great.
I say that every time I feed Zoe. I usually also say, "That would be a great title for a book." So, how come I can think up great titles, but never put anything under them?
I bought the audio CD An Evening with Sheldon Harnick. Pretty cool. He talks about writing lyrics. That something I know something about. I continue to be amazed when the lyricist tells about writing something in ten minutes. That's happened to me. You grind on some subject for a week or so, maybe even subconsciously, and suddenly it all falls together.
Harnick got a great tune on the CD called "When the Messiah Comes." It was going to be used near the end of Fiddler, but they cut it from the show because it might be seen as "too irreligious." I think it's great.
I went on Amazon and was going to buy some of the other CDs in the Evening with series. They are all "out of print" and used copies are going for over $100. I wish I had all of them.
At The Guild it appears that I will be the Properties Governor. Nobody petitioned to run against me. So I've got to start looking for props and for people to help me.
The RedWings are in the Stanley Cup Finals for the second year in a row. They'll play Pittsburgh who are also in the finals for the second year in a row. It will be interesting.
And the Tigers continue to be in first place.
And the patio is together. It's a big job … almost like opening a camp. Julie has close to 30 pots of flowers. The yard looks great.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Gazebo
We put the gazebo up yesterday, so, officially, it's summer. We bought it in 2005, so this is the fifth time we've put it up. We've gotten our money's-worth out of it.
Before we put it up we washed and rinsed the top. There were places where it was filthy. They say we live in the area of the country with the dirtiest air. I believe it.
It went up fairly easily. Fred made some devices that help short people push the top up far enough to get it on top of the corners. They worked like a charm and we had the top in place in about five minutes … maybe even less. I went around and tightened all the bolts. The whole thing was in place in less than an hour.
Julie bought the hanging flower baskets and the plants for our corner pots on Thursday. She also bought four new chairs to go around the table under the gazebo. Their black and tan color scheme goes well under there. And, she bought a new fire pit because we threw the old one away last fall. So that yard is starting to look like summer.
Today, we'll plant the corner pots, get out the wall decorations and the rockers and the bar and the rest of the birdbaths, and we'll be ready to party.
Before we put it up we washed and rinsed the top. There were places where it was filthy. They say we live in the area of the country with the dirtiest air. I believe it.
It went up fairly easily. Fred made some devices that help short people push the top up far enough to get it on top of the corners. They worked like a charm and we had the top in place in about five minutes … maybe even less. I went around and tightened all the bolts. The whole thing was in place in less than an hour.
Julie bought the hanging flower baskets and the plants for our corner pots on Thursday. She also bought four new chairs to go around the table under the gazebo. Their black and tan color scheme goes well under there. And, she bought a new fire pit because we threw the old one away last fall. So that yard is starting to look like summer.
Today, we'll plant the corner pots, get out the wall decorations and the rockers and the bar and the rest of the birdbaths, and we'll be ready to party.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wrapping Up Fiddler
The final performance of Fiddler probably was the best one of them all. It was a great way to end the show. Mike and I and the rest of the guys nailed "To Life." The "Poppa scene" got a lot of laughs. The wedding scene went very well, as did the ending stuff. Everything else in the show was good, too. As I said, "It was a great way to end the show."
Following the performance we did a cast and crew thing, giving Chagall prints to key members of the crew. The three gals that were in The Guild's original production of Fiddler gave Bob the Anatevka sign from that show. Tears were flowing.
I want to tackle The Guild basement and prop cabinets this summer. We really need the basement for rehearsal space and right now it's a mess. I'm going to have John Calder bring in a dumpster so we can throw out a bunch of stuff.
On another matter, The Guild is back in DATA again. Apparently DATA figured out a way to get the "evil" scores removed and every thing is lovey-dovey again. I'm going to skip the award ceremony.
I played golf today and was exhausted at the end of the round. I came home and went to bed and slept for three hours. I think I'm finally crashing from being Lazar Wolf. I actually played fairly well, except for one hole. I had a nine on 13. Hit a crummy tee-shot. Didn't advance the ball very far on the second. Left the third about 80 yards short of the green. Hit the next ball into the bunker. Took two to get out and another to get on and two-putted. Despite the nine, I ended up with 88 (42-46) and our team (me, Jerry Coscarelly, John Yurchis, and Dan Mandernach) won the first place money.
Following the performance we did a cast and crew thing, giving Chagall prints to key members of the crew. The three gals that were in The Guild's original production of Fiddler gave Bob the Anatevka sign from that show. Tears were flowing.
I want to tackle The Guild basement and prop cabinets this summer. We really need the basement for rehearsal space and right now it's a mess. I'm going to have John Calder bring in a dumpster so we can throw out a bunch of stuff.
On another matter, The Guild is back in DATA again. Apparently DATA figured out a way to get the "evil" scores removed and every thing is lovey-dovey again. I'm going to skip the award ceremony.
I played golf today and was exhausted at the end of the round. I came home and went to bed and slept for three hours. I think I'm finally crashing from being Lazar Wolf. I actually played fairly well, except for one hole. I had a nine on 13. Hit a crummy tee-shot. Didn't advance the ball very far on the second. Left the third about 80 yards short of the green. Hit the next ball into the bunker. Took two to get out and another to get on and two-putted. Despite the nine, I ended up with 88 (42-46) and our team (me, Jerry Coscarelly, John Yurchis, and Dan Mandernach) won the first place money.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Final Weekend
Friday Night.
The Friday night performance of Fiddler was strange. Somebody put a live goldfish in a pot or a pan that Tevye carries around in his cart. Mike saw it for the first time when he was on stage for "Richman." It threw him. He got through the song OK, but then dropped some lines in the scene with Perchik. And, between him and me, we invented a new arrangement of lyrics for "To Life." I'm not exactly sure how we got there, but we ended up the first verse with "It takes a wedding to make us say, "Let's live another day." Drink La'Chiam, to life!"
There were some other screwed up places, too. In the wedding scene, I never heard Mendel say, "… not at a wedding." So, I never said, "I have a right to talk." But, the scene is so chaotic that I don't think it makes much difference.
Saturday's performance was great and almost perfect up until near the end. Mike and I nailed the inn scene and, with the mens' chorus, "To Life." Everything else in the first act was great, too.
In the second act, only one Russian made it onto the stage with the Constable during the scene where the Jews are told they have to leave Anatevka. In the dressing room after the show, Mike said, "We (meaning the Jews) should have kicked their ass." And in the Anatevka scene, the scrim came down on Val. Bob said he looked like a weight lifter trying to keep it up. That all happened behind me. I couldn't see what the audience was laughing at. I thought, for a moment, that I had an open fly.
All in all, it's been a good run. Exhausting, but good. I think we put on a pretty good show.
The Friday night performance of Fiddler was strange. Somebody put a live goldfish in a pot or a pan that Tevye carries around in his cart. Mike saw it for the first time when he was on stage for "Richman." It threw him. He got through the song OK, but then dropped some lines in the scene with Perchik. And, between him and me, we invented a new arrangement of lyrics for "To Life." I'm not exactly sure how we got there, but we ended up the first verse with "It takes a wedding to make us say, "Let's live another day." Drink La'Chiam, to life!"
There were some other screwed up places, too. In the wedding scene, I never heard Mendel say, "… not at a wedding." So, I never said, "I have a right to talk." But, the scene is so chaotic that I don't think it makes much difference.
Saturday's performance was great and almost perfect up until near the end. Mike and I nailed the inn scene and, with the mens' chorus, "To Life." Everything else in the first act was great, too.
In the second act, only one Russian made it onto the stage with the Constable during the scene where the Jews are told they have to leave Anatevka. In the dressing room after the show, Mike said, "We (meaning the Jews) should have kicked their ass." And in the Anatevka scene, the scrim came down on Val. Bob said he looked like a weight lifter trying to keep it up. That all happened behind me. I couldn't see what the audience was laughing at. I thought, for a moment, that I had an open fly.
All in all, it's been a good run. Exhausting, but good. I think we put on a pretty good show.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Storms
It's about 0330 and Zoe is scratching at the bedroom door trying to get out. Dixie is right behind her. We're in the middle of a thunderstorm and they both hate thunderstorms.
Sam, a dog I had a number of years ago, used to bark at thunderstorms. That always worked because the storms always went away.
Now, Dixie is on the floor next to the bed in a place where it's easy for me to reach down and give her a reassuring pat. Zoe is under the dresser.
I really prefer Sam's proactive approach, although the barking did become annoying at times.
It's now 0542. Zoe is back in the bed. Dixie is still on the floor. The radar on weather.com says we're out of the woods. But, I'll bet I don't get back to sleep.
Well, I did manage to go back to sleep … right after Dixie settled down on the pillow next to my head. I finally got up about 0830. It's now 1000 and I'm thinking about hitting the sheets again.
Sam, a dog I had a number of years ago, used to bark at thunderstorms. That always worked because the storms always went away.
Now, Dixie is on the floor next to the bed in a place where it's easy for me to reach down and give her a reassuring pat. Zoe is under the dresser.
I really prefer Sam's proactive approach, although the barking did become annoying at times.
It's now 0542. Zoe is back in the bed. Dixie is still on the floor. The radar on weather.com says we're out of the woods. But, I'll bet I don't get back to sleep.
Well, I did manage to go back to sleep … right after Dixie settled down on the pillow next to my head. I finally got up about 0830. It's now 1000 and I'm thinking about hitting the sheets again.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Third Weekend
We had a great house Friday night. It must have bee close to full. They were really into Tevye. Julie says that Mike is so strong that the audience forgives the weaker parts of the show. Julie is probably right. Mike's performance is a real tour de force.
There were some bumps in the road on Friday, but, all on all, it was a pretty good show. Julie liked it and she's a legitimate critic.
On Saturday they were turning customers away and we had another full house. The show was really, really good. The audience was into it and we were feeding off of them and off of each other. I think most of the audience members were standing for the company bows.
The show was good on Sunday, too. The audience was a little smaller as it was Mothers' Day, but they gave us a standing ovation.
I think we finally know the show. It was "under-rehearsed" on opening night. The nine performances we've done have let us fine-tune it. Four more shots at it and a final chance to do Tradition at the PAGE Awards. Maybe we've got a show.
I'm glad I'm with a group that does more than two weekends of the show. You need at least six shows in front of an audience to learn about reaction, etc.
On the Tuesday after the third weekend, the Board decided to withdraw from DATA (Dearborn Area Theatre Association) because of a conflict over the adjudication of The Importance of Being Earnest. A couple of the adjudicators accused our director and producer of planting "laughers" in the audience. We don't do that kind of thing. There have been annoying laughers in the audience in most shows I've seen, and I'm probably one of them. But, I laugh at what I think is funny and well done. The folks these guys heard laughing were doing the same thing. They weren't planted. They were laughing at stuff they found funny.
This probably means that we won't do "Tradition" at the PAGE Awards next Tuesday. That's OK by me.
There were some bumps in the road on Friday, but, all on all, it was a pretty good show. Julie liked it and she's a legitimate critic.
On Saturday they were turning customers away and we had another full house. The show was really, really good. The audience was into it and we were feeding off of them and off of each other. I think most of the audience members were standing for the company bows.
The show was good on Sunday, too. The audience was a little smaller as it was Mothers' Day, but they gave us a standing ovation.
I think we finally know the show. It was "under-rehearsed" on opening night. The nine performances we've done have let us fine-tune it. Four more shots at it and a final chance to do Tradition at the PAGE Awards. Maybe we've got a show.
I'm glad I'm with a group that does more than two weekends of the show. You need at least six shows in front of an audience to learn about reaction, etc.
On the Tuesday after the third weekend, the Board decided to withdraw from DATA (Dearborn Area Theatre Association) because of a conflict over the adjudication of The Importance of Being Earnest. A couple of the adjudicators accused our director and producer of planting "laughers" in the audience. We don't do that kind of thing. There have been annoying laughers in the audience in most shows I've seen, and I'm probably one of them. But, I laugh at what I think is funny and well done. The folks these guys heard laughing were doing the same thing. They weren't planted. They were laughing at stuff they found funny.
This probably means that we won't do "Tradition" at the PAGE Awards next Tuesday. That's OK by me.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Catching Up
Well, let's see.
The economy is still in the toilet.
Unemployment is at 8.9%.
Chrysler and GM are on the verge of bankruptcy.
Dave Bing was elected Mayor of Detroit. He beat Ken Cockeral. Only 14% of the people voted. Bing will serve for the remainder of Kwame's term - seven months. There will be a primary in August and a general election in November.
Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance. Supposedly it was some kind of drug women use. Go, Manny.
A week or so ago some guy on the White House staff authorized Air Force 1 and a chase plane to do a low-level fly-over of NYC. It scared the hell out of a lot of people. What the hell were they thinking?
There was a news item yesterday which reported annual loses of $60 billion because of Medicare fraud. As an example, Medicare was paying a company that didn't exist. It paid them over $400,000 since the beginning of the year. One guy who is now in custody said he left the illegal drug business because he could make more money defrauding the government. Why isn't someone watching this? Maybe the guys that are supposed to be watching are on the take, too.
And, the Taliban are closing in on Islamabad.
"They're rioting in Africa. They're fighting in Spain. There's hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain."
The economy is still in the toilet.
Unemployment is at 8.9%.
Chrysler and GM are on the verge of bankruptcy.
Dave Bing was elected Mayor of Detroit. He beat Ken Cockeral. Only 14% of the people voted. Bing will serve for the remainder of Kwame's term - seven months. There will be a primary in August and a general election in November.
Manny Ramirez has been suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance. Supposedly it was some kind of drug women use. Go, Manny.
A week or so ago some guy on the White House staff authorized Air Force 1 and a chase plane to do a low-level fly-over of NYC. It scared the hell out of a lot of people. What the hell were they thinking?
There was a news item yesterday which reported annual loses of $60 billion because of Medicare fraud. As an example, Medicare was paying a company that didn't exist. It paid them over $400,000 since the beginning of the year. One guy who is now in custody said he left the illegal drug business because he could make more money defrauding the government. Why isn't someone watching this? Maybe the guys that are supposed to be watching are on the take, too.
And, the Taliban are closing in on Islamabad.
"They're rioting in Africa. They're fighting in Spain. There's hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain."
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
2009 - First Round of Golf
I played golf with the Trenton League yesterday. It was my first round of the year. Actually it was the first time I've swung the club. I played with Pete Duran and Jim Urbanski.
I got off to a crummy start, making triple bogey on the first. I hit the tee ball about 175 yards. I got the second through the trees and close to the green, but I chunked the third, made a poor chip with my fourth, and then three-putted.
Then I sort of got it together and parred five of the remaining eight holes and wound up with a 42. On most the holes I hit very good tee shots.
I got tired on the back. I only parred one hole and ended with 45 for a round of 87. Dick had set my handicap at 16, so I ended up with a net score of even par.
I won closest to the hole on 17 and got five bucks. Jerry beat me out on 6. Our team won four bucks a man for second place low net.
Not bad for not having swung the club since the first week in December.
It was a great day. The flowering trees are spectacular because of the long winter. The apple tree blossoms look like popcorn.
It was fun watching the baby ducks. They scurry around the ponds under the watchful eyes of their parent and almost look like the bugs they're trying to catch.
The picture? Yeah, it's a little old. Actually, maybe about 15 years old.
Monday, May 4, 2009
George Aiken
If we were to wake up some morning and find that everyone was the same race, creed and color, we would find some other cause for prejudice by noon.
- George Aiken
George Aiken was a U.S. Senator from Vermont. He was a character. I never knew him, but I knew his second wife, Lola. She was a character, too. George spent something like $26.12 in his last election to the Senate. During the Vietnam war, he told then President Nixon to "Declare victory and get out."
I think the quote above is a good one. It's probably true. We love to hate someone or some group. I guess it's nice to have people to blame for the ills of the world. I don't think I'm prejudiced against groups of people because of race, creed, or color. I do not like stupidity, arrogance, greed, lack of principles. Those are the kind of things we should be prejudiced about.
- George Aiken
George Aiken was a U.S. Senator from Vermont. He was a character. I never knew him, but I knew his second wife, Lola. She was a character, too. George spent something like $26.12 in his last election to the Senate. During the Vietnam war, he told then President Nixon to "Declare victory and get out."
I think the quote above is a good one. It's probably true. We love to hate someone or some group. I guess it's nice to have people to blame for the ills of the world. I don't think I'm prejudiced against groups of people because of race, creed, or color. I do not like stupidity, arrogance, greed, lack of principles. Those are the kind of things we should be prejudiced about.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Second Saturday
Fiddler got a late start because of the full-house. We also had a full-house on Friday night. The show seemed a little flat on Friday. I know I was down. Tired. The Friday night audience reacted to Tevye better than any of the previous houses. Interesting. The audience is the medium in which the play moves.
The Saturday show was better. I at least got all my lines right. It's funny, but I think I "over-live" the show. No two performances are ever the same. Sometimes they're not even close. I get pulled into the moment and sort of go with the flow.
Brian, on the other hand, is very consistent. His stuff doesn't vary much, if at all, from night to night. Mike is more like me. So is Sally, the gal playing Golde. Brian is the guy in the picture.
Seven more chances to get it right ... whatever that means.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Time
Today is Richard's 44th birthday. Like I wrote in his card, "How in the he'll did that happen?"
I ate lunch at Famous Hamburger. There are signs in there that proclaim, "Since 1970." That's almost 40 years ago, but it seems like yesterday.
I think maybe time accelerates as you grow older. 40 or 50 years go by so quickly and 40 or 50 years couldn't possibly go by that fast.
-- Sparrow Droppings From My iPhone
I ate lunch at Famous Hamburger. There are signs in there that proclaim, "Since 1970." That's almost 40 years ago, but it seems like yesterday.
I think maybe time accelerates as you grow older. 40 or 50 years go by so quickly and 40 or 50 years couldn't possibly go by that fast.
-- Sparrow Droppings From My iPhone
Friday, May 1, 2009
Batching It
I'm batching it for the weekend. Julie is off to Maine. The Gleason Gallery is having a one-man show of her grandfather's paintings. I'm staying home with Zoe. Actually I would have gone if I hadn't been in Fiddler, but the show must go on.
Speaking of Zoe, she's on the floor next to the bed. She must be dreaming because she's making little barking sounds. Oops, the doorbell just rang. It's the ChemLawn guy so the dream has ended.
People all over the country are worried about Swine Flu. A lot of people in Mexico are sick and people who have traveled to Mexico are getting it. I think there has been a big over-reaction to it. They've identified something like 350 people with it so far. I'll bet that on any given day there are at least that many people with Swine Flu in the country. That's less than two ten-thousandths of a percent. Now, having said that, I'll probably get it.
Justice Souter has indicated that he will resign from the U. A. Supreme Court in June. This will give President Obama his first chance to name someone to the Court. One of the names on the speculation list is Jennifer Granholm, the Governor of Michigan. After Senator Specter's party-switch this will be fun to watch.
-- Sparrow Droppings From My iPhone
Speaking of Zoe, she's on the floor next to the bed. She must be dreaming because she's making little barking sounds. Oops, the doorbell just rang. It's the ChemLawn guy so the dream has ended.
People all over the country are worried about Swine Flu. A lot of people in Mexico are sick and people who have traveled to Mexico are getting it. I think there has been a big over-reaction to it. They've identified something like 350 people with it so far. I'll bet that on any given day there are at least that many people with Swine Flu in the country. That's less than two ten-thousandths of a percent. Now, having said that, I'll probably get it.
Justice Souter has indicated that he will resign from the U. A. Supreme Court in June. This will give President Obama his first chance to name someone to the Court. One of the names on the speculation list is Jennifer Granholm, the Governor of Michigan. After Senator Specter's party-switch this will be fun to watch.
-- Sparrow Droppings From My iPhone
Thursday, April 30, 2009
A Fiddler on the Roof
In early March I was cast as Lazar Wolf in The Players Guild of Dearborn's production of Fiddler on the Roof. We opened last weekend and did a gala performance of it last night in honor of Michael Guido, the late Mayor of Dearborn. Guido died of pancreatic cancer - the same cancer that killed my father - and the gala proceeds went to a local cancer institute.
Up until we opened I wasn't sure we had a show. There were glimmers, but there were also a lot of bumps and potholes. It was something like, "One week will it ever be right, when, out of that hat it's that big first night." The show has actually gone quite well. Mike Moseley is terrific as Tevye. The older daughters, played by Sydney Dombrowski, Anna Hnatiuk, and Maura Donovan, are very good. Brian Townsend gives his usually solid performance playing Motel KamZoil. Margaret Winoweicki is brilliant as Fruma Sara. And, Val Sisto, bless his heart, is wonderful as the Rabbi. Val and I performed together in 1961 in a Guys and Dolls with the Wyandotte Community Theatre. Val is 87 now and I think it's really great that he got this role and is playing it for all it's worth.
The picture is of me in one of my Lazar costumes. I was in the properties passageway between the main dressing rooms and the Green Room in the basement of The Guild. I took the picture of my reflection in the mirror with my iPhone. I've been amazed by the quality of the pictures that this simple camera gets.
We have nine more performances of Fiddler. I hope you get an opportunity to see it.
iPhone Experiment
-- Post From My iPhone
OK. This is supposed to let me publish to SparrowDroppings on the go ... straight from my iPhone to the world. Let's see if it works.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
A Beginning
I haven't written anything in quite a while. Meanwhile, Barak Obama has been elected President and is the first person of Africian-American descent to hold the office.
Bush and company left the country in a hell of a mess. We're in a downward sprial of poor sales leading to layoffs leading to foreclosures leading to bankrupcies with no real end in sight. Congress passed a stimulus spending bill that I fear will leave my children and grandchildren with a huge debt.
There is also a growing disparity between the rich and everybody else. Some people have gross amounts of money and are able to do pretty much whatever they want. Then there are the rest of us. As my father used to say, "Come the revolution."
GM and Chrysler are on the verge of banruptcy. They want more billions from the Feds. I don't think they should get it. I also don't think the stimulus money should be used to avoid layoffs and cutbacks in schools. When the stimulus money is gone what do you do then?
Meanwhile the "war" goes on in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think we should let those people kill each other. Much of what's going on over there is being done in the name of religion. Somebody said, "With or without religion you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But to have good people doing evil things, well, that takes religion."
Bush and company left the country in a hell of a mess. We're in a downward sprial of poor sales leading to layoffs leading to foreclosures leading to bankrupcies with no real end in sight. Congress passed a stimulus spending bill that I fear will leave my children and grandchildren with a huge debt.
There is also a growing disparity between the rich and everybody else. Some people have gross amounts of money and are able to do pretty much whatever they want. Then there are the rest of us. As my father used to say, "Come the revolution."
GM and Chrysler are on the verge of banruptcy. They want more billions from the Feds. I don't think they should get it. I also don't think the stimulus money should be used to avoid layoffs and cutbacks in schools. When the stimulus money is gone what do you do then?
Meanwhile the "war" goes on in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think we should let those people kill each other. Much of what's going on over there is being done in the name of religion. Somebody said, "With or without religion you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But to have good people doing evil things, well, that takes religion."
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