Good Times

What was it Dicken's wrote? "...the best of times, the worst of times..." With the passing of this year, and this decade, I suspect Dickens summarizes my feelings about both the past year and past decade.
I've had some amazing experiences this past decade. I realized my goal of seeing all 50 states before I turned 50, and in so doing, repeatedly went back, again and again, to many of my favorite places. In fact, I've traveled so much that I've kind of lost my wanderlust for travel. But I'm grateful for good health and resources that allow me this, I've enjoyed what I've seen and learned. Travel has enriched my life. I've learned so much that I wouldn't have otherwise. For example,
when I was born, Leonard Bernstein was conductor of the New York Philharmonic. It would be some 40+ years before I actually saw the Philharmonic perform in person. Lorin Maazel was the conductor, I came to enjoy his concerts whether in New York City or when the Philly comes to Vail, Colorado for their summer residence concerts. So I was pleased this summer then, to see the premiere concert of new conductor Alan Gilbert. As tradition goes, I have just finished watching the New York Philharmonic on PBS, Live at Lincoln Center. Gilbert promises to be equal to the task. I'm glad I'm connected to this amazing symphony, the New York Philharmonic has a certain cache' that I appreciate and enjoy.
Equally interesting was seeing/hearing the famed Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra and their 28 year old conductor Gustavo Dudamel perform at Chicago Symphony Hall last Spring. To learn thereafter that he had been appointed the newest, and youngest, conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and then to see him at the new Getty-designed stainless steel Los Angeles Disney Concert Hall in his premier concert, was likewise enjoyable. My travels have allowed me to meet interesting actors/actresses,(stage/film/t.v.) musicians, historians, and authors. Unique people, yes.

But none compare to the unique and wonderful new person in my life: our grandchild.
We just returned from the Pacific Northwest where we had so much fun with her. It was great to be with her and her parents, albeit a horrid 4 hour/20 mile drive in a freezing rain and snow storm on Interstate 5. (Oregon drivers were very patient.)

However, I'm glad to be home. It's very cold here, bitter cold. But without the bitter humidity that I experienced this past week (and the week before that in Chicago.) As I've gotten older, I prefer the quiet and peace of our small town. I enjoy nightly hot tub soaks in the patio. It's silent. I look up thru the lattice roof where I see stars and hear jets flying over head, without the crowds of people that are found in large cities. As beautiful as the Northwest is, I thrilled to be in Colorado Springs en route to home today. Cheyenne Mountain, Pikes Peak...... ah, it's a beautiful city that equals, for me, beautiful Victoria, British Columbia.

So yeah, the last decade, the last year.... the worst of times, the best of times. Here's to the New Year, the New Decade.
Be well, do good...

Christmastime in Chicago

Back to the Windy City for history workshops, I managed to take in some of Chicago's cultural advantages recently. "A Christmas Carol" at the Goodman Theater was good. The Chicago Symphony was very good. And "The Nutcracker" by the Joffrey Ballet was amazing, an extremely well-done presentation. Annually, the Joffrey includes a disabled/challened person in the cast. This year it was a young parapalegic, doned in Victorian era children's clothing and era-accurate wheel chair. After the intermission he and his mother were seated behind me. I was able to get glimpses of him excitement from time to time. Pretty cool. "The Auditorium" theater is in and of itself an equally amazing place.
The weather was bitter cold. I lived along Lake Michigan when I was a younger man, for 2 years. I knew from that time how humidity can make "cold" penetrate. I had forgotten. I was glad to be back home. Our -14 pales in comparison to their -14.

I've had a Ryobi Table Router for a while, but just recently have begun to use it. I find working with wood, most of the time, to be enjoyable. But learning to use this router is going to take some time.
Be well, do good...

Flavor Graveyard at Ben and Jerry's

One of the many fun places I've been to, a couple of times actually, during my many travels in last decades "See All 50 Before I turn 50" goal, was Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Factory and Tour in Stowe, Vermont. There, back behind the building, on an isolated hill, is a wonderfully humoristic white picket fence "Flavors Graveyard". Tombstones listing the name and years in existance of no-longer-made, down-the-toilet ice cream flavors are listed. It's a great place. I had taken photographs to remember some of these flavors.

In my teaching kids how to write, I opted to use recently, these very flavors as a prompt for their writing, and then embellishing, obituaries. This out-of-the-box idea was fun for them, and for me. I seldom include anything on this blog that is work-related, but yeah, this was fun, so I'm sharing it. By clicking on the photo, the tombstones before the obituaries were posted next to them, the enlarged screen allows for reading the headstones. Have fun. I did.
Be well, do good...