Monday, March 04, 2019
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Once a year, whether you need it or not
Apparently I have fallen back into my infrequent posting ways on this blog. It has been a little over a year since my last post. I have been writing quite a bit but it has been on my other blogs.
I was writing a travel column for Examiner.com, but in the middle of last year they closed their site. So I started by own travel narrative web site. The Path Less Chosen is about travel that's just a bit off the beaten path. I write about non-touristy spots, as well as how to make the most of the heavily trafficked tourist locations. My hope is for it to eventually be advertiser supported while giving me an outlet for my travel bug.
I was writing a travel column for Examiner.com, but in the middle of last year they closed their site. So I started by own travel narrative web site. The Path Less Chosen is about travel that's just a bit off the beaten path. I write about non-touristy spots, as well as how to make the most of the heavily trafficked tourist locations. My hope is for it to eventually be advertiser supported while giving me an outlet for my travel bug.
Wednesday, January 06, 2016
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Great Athlete? Not me.
I am not a great athlete. The highlight of my high school basketball career was coming off the bench for two minutes at the end of a blowout game during my JV season. I took a surfing lesson a few years ago. The total time I was able to stand up on the surfboard could be measured in milliseconds. I once crashed my bicycle and broke four ribs because the front tire slipped off the edge of the pavement. So no, I am not a great athlete.
However, I love to play sports. I have played basketball, volleyball, softball, and football. I have gone rock climbing, kayaking, back packing, and wind surfing. I have done things athletically that most people would never do. Riding 100 miles in a single day through Death Valley. Hiking along the Italian coast to five fishing villages. Playing basketball against the Detroit Lions. A quick aside: They make a better basketball team than football team.
The reason I bring this up is that I am working on a book. A travel narrative. I am considering using the different sports I've participated in as chapter headings. I have some fun ideas for how to make that work, but I'm in a quandary over whether I should. As I said earlier, I'm not a great athlete, so why would I have the gall to talk about travel for an athlete's perspective. I could also be seen as the everyman, creating great adventures without being naturally talented enough to do so.
Going all the way back to high school (where we wrote using stone tablets) the hardest part of writing for me has always been the initial idea. Once that has crystallized in my head the actual writing just flows. While I have a bunch of ideas for my book, the main theme has yet to emerge. That's why I'm toying with the sports motif. It gives me a structure that will drive the writing forward. Who knows, perhaps this post will morph into the introduction of the book.
However, I love to play sports. I have played basketball, volleyball, softball, and football. I have gone rock climbing, kayaking, back packing, and wind surfing. I have done things athletically that most people would never do. Riding 100 miles in a single day through Death Valley. Hiking along the Italian coast to five fishing villages. Playing basketball against the Detroit Lions. A quick aside: They make a better basketball team than football team.
The reason I bring this up is that I am working on a book. A travel narrative. I am considering using the different sports I've participated in as chapter headings. I have some fun ideas for how to make that work, but I'm in a quandary over whether I should. As I said earlier, I'm not a great athlete, so why would I have the gall to talk about travel for an athlete's perspective. I could also be seen as the everyman, creating great adventures without being naturally talented enough to do so.
Going all the way back to high school (where we wrote using stone tablets) the hardest part of writing for me has always been the initial idea. Once that has crystallized in my head the actual writing just flows. While I have a bunch of ideas for my book, the main theme has yet to emerge. That's why I'm toying with the sports motif. It gives me a structure that will drive the writing forward. Who knows, perhaps this post will morph into the introduction of the book.
Wednesday, July 01, 2015
Happy 10th Anniversary
Apparently I missed the 10th anniversary of this blog. I started it in March of 2005. You can click here to read that thought provoking first post. In 2011 I changed the name of the blog. I have no memory of what the original name was. In looking back over ten years of posts I noticed that I am very erratic in writing on this blog. It seems that I post frequently for a time and then go months, or even years, with nothing. I'm not sure what causes this odd behavior. I consider myself something of a writer. I know that writers need to write on a regular schedule in order to hone their craft. I feel like I do write quite a bit, just not here. I now feel like I'm babbling. Welcome to stream-of-consciousness writing.
Monday, January 26, 2015
National Chocolate Cake Day
Tuesday, September 02, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
The Tyson Brothers
My old buddy Roy Dodman and I were talking the other day and came up with a funny idea involving two celebrities with similar names. See the result below.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
The N Word, the R Word, and the NFL
The National Football League has proposed a new rule that would make use of the N word on the field a 15 year penalty. A player that utters that word a second time would be ejected from the game. There has been much discussion on sports talk radio about whether this is a good idea or not. On one end of the continuum is the group that says the N word is vile and degrading and should be removed from our language entirely. On the other end are younger players who say that the word carries a different meaning today and the NFL's edict is unnecessary. I'm not going to discuss the NFL's motives or people reaction to this new proposed penalty. Instead, I'd like to discuss the NFL's hypocrisy.
The NFL feels that the N word is offensive to African Americans and should be banned. And yet the team in this nation's capitol goes by a name that is offensive to Native Americans. While it's true that in college football certain teams are named for Native American tribes; the Florida State Seminoles and Central Michigan Chippewas, for example. But those tribes are indigenous to the area and are supportive of the colleges using the nickname. "Redskin" is a derogatory term for all Native Americans. The is no "Redskin" tribe and no support for the name by anyone it purportedly describes.
A case could also be made that this situation shows an institutional racism in the NFL. As one former NFL player said on a morning talk show, white players don't use the N word on the field or there would be a fight. Players of African American descent use it among themselves. 70% of the players in the NFL are of African American descent. 100% of the owners are white. Team nicknames are decided on by the owner. Other owners could put pressure on the Washington franchise to change their name. They have not.
I understand that there is a long tradition in Washington of using the "Redskins" name. I am here to offer a solution. Keep the name, but change out the mascot. Instead of a caricature of a Native American the new mascot could be a redskin potato. The team could keep their colors and their name. Think of the promotional tie-ins. Redskin Potato Fries. Redskin Heads (think Green Bay cheese heads). And in the luxury suites, Redskin Potato Vodka. I've even taken the time to create a new helmet design.
No need to thank me, a couple of season tickets to the New Redskins will suffice.
The NFL feels that the N word is offensive to African Americans and should be banned. And yet the team in this nation's capitol goes by a name that is offensive to Native Americans. While it's true that in college football certain teams are named for Native American tribes; the Florida State Seminoles and Central Michigan Chippewas, for example. But those tribes are indigenous to the area and are supportive of the colleges using the nickname. "Redskin" is a derogatory term for all Native Americans. The is no "Redskin" tribe and no support for the name by anyone it purportedly describes.
A case could also be made that this situation shows an institutional racism in the NFL. As one former NFL player said on a morning talk show, white players don't use the N word on the field or there would be a fight. Players of African American descent use it among themselves. 70% of the players in the NFL are of African American descent. 100% of the owners are white. Team nicknames are decided on by the owner. Other owners could put pressure on the Washington franchise to change their name. They have not.
I understand that there is a long tradition in Washington of using the "Redskins" name. I am here to offer a solution. Keep the name, but change out the mascot. Instead of a caricature of a Native American the new mascot could be a redskin potato. The team could keep their colors and their name. Think of the promotional tie-ins. Redskin Potato Fries. Redskin Heads (think Green Bay cheese heads). And in the luxury suites, Redskin Potato Vodka. I've even taken the time to create a new helmet design.
Monday, February 17, 2014
5 Reasons to visit Beer City USA this week
The Winter Beer Festival is happening in Grand Rapids this Saturday. I wrote an article for Examiner.com about the 5 Reasons to visit Beer City USA this week.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
I haven't mused about music in a long time. According to the sub heading on this blog that's one of things I'm supposed to do.
I was doing chores and web stuff around the house this evening. I often have music on when I do this kind of thing. Tonight I was listening to the adult alternative music channel on Comcast. (We can discuss the horribly named catch-all genre later.) Anne Lennox singing "Why" came on and stopped me in my tracks. I have always enjoyed her music. In fact, I think Anne Lennox has one of the best singing voices in the world. On this track her voice is clear, strong, and full of emotion. The song is from her 1992 album "Diva". That was 22 years ago. That's amazing. Sometimes music transports us to an earlier time and fills us with old memories. (Perhaps that explains the popularity of oldies stations.) But tonight "Why" made me live in this moment. There was something about it that just seemed to envelop my entire being. The song started, I stopped what I was doing and just sat down and listened.
I was doing chores and web stuff around the house this evening. I often have music on when I do this kind of thing. Tonight I was listening to the adult alternative music channel on Comcast. (We can discuss the horribly named catch-all genre later.) Anne Lennox singing "Why" came on and stopped me in my tracks. I have always enjoyed her music. In fact, I think Anne Lennox has one of the best singing voices in the world. On this track her voice is clear, strong, and full of emotion. The song is from her 1992 album "Diva". That was 22 years ago. That's amazing. Sometimes music transports us to an earlier time and fills us with old memories. (Perhaps that explains the popularity of oldies stations.) But tonight "Why" made me live in this moment. There was something about it that just seemed to envelop my entire being. The song started, I stopped what I was doing and just sat down and listened.
Saturday, January 04, 2014
Grumpy old man rant
Now that's it's finally snowing I'm going to start my rant about the weather forecasters. Or should I call them "The Legions of Apocalyptic Doom."? Seriously, every change in the weather does not have to be greeted with hand wringing and teeth gnashing by the TV weather dudes and dudettes. Last week one of the stations announced a Winter Weather Advisory for parts of southeast Michigan. "Better pay attention" I said to myself, "this could be the big one." The forecaster then went on to predict that the area could receive 1" of snow. 1"? One inch? Since when do people in Michigan have to be warned about a single inch of snow? In January? If this was Texas than an inch of snow is news. In Michigan we don't even get out the shovels for an inch. I can sweep that up with a broom.
A quick aside. Several years ago we were in Texas over Christmas and on the day we were leaving it snowed an inch. The Texans freaked out. To be fair, they have no snow removal equipment and no one down there knows how to drive in the snow. So an inch of the white stuff was a pretty major concern. On the radio they were telling people to stay off the roads. Which was good for us, we made it to the airport easily. Unfortunately, the snow "storm" delayed flights and rendered the elevated shuttle trains at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport inoperable. We almost missed our connecting flight, even though we had a three hour layover.
As I said, an inch of snow in Texas is cause for concern; in Michigan, not so much. In the last few years school days and evening events have been cancelled based on the forecast of bad winter weather. It seems like at least half the time the anticipated storm is much less fierce than predicted. The gloom and doom forecasters need to dial back the gloom and doom. Now if they are tracking a hurricane or a tornado has been spotted that's a different thing. But predicting snow in Michigan in the winter is like predicting sunshine in southern California in June. It's just going to happen so, no pun intended, chill out.
The main reason this annoys me is the "boy who cried wolf" effect. If we keep getting winter warnings for minor (or non-existent) storms, pretty soon viewers will stop believing the weather people. Then, when a serious storm does threaten, people will ignore the forecast. This could lead to injury or death. So, weather people, do this grumpy old man a favor, ease up on the overly histrionic forecasting. It's winter so don't worry about the couple inches of snow. We expect that on a daily basis. If we are going to get 6" of snow in less than 24 hours, make that an advisory. A warning should be reserved for a foot of snow in 12 hours or less. This is just my suggestion. Excuse me now. I'm going to make a hot toddy, cover up in a blanket, and watch the snow fall outside my window.
A quick aside. Several years ago we were in Texas over Christmas and on the day we were leaving it snowed an inch. The Texans freaked out. To be fair, they have no snow removal equipment and no one down there knows how to drive in the snow. So an inch of the white stuff was a pretty major concern. On the radio they were telling people to stay off the roads. Which was good for us, we made it to the airport easily. Unfortunately, the snow "storm" delayed flights and rendered the elevated shuttle trains at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport inoperable. We almost missed our connecting flight, even though we had a three hour layover.
As I said, an inch of snow in Texas is cause for concern; in Michigan, not so much. In the last few years school days and evening events have been cancelled based on the forecast of bad winter weather. It seems like at least half the time the anticipated storm is much less fierce than predicted. The gloom and doom forecasters need to dial back the gloom and doom. Now if they are tracking a hurricane or a tornado has been spotted that's a different thing. But predicting snow in Michigan in the winter is like predicting sunshine in southern California in June. It's just going to happen so, no pun intended, chill out.
The main reason this annoys me is the "boy who cried wolf" effect. If we keep getting winter warnings for minor (or non-existent) storms, pretty soon viewers will stop believing the weather people. Then, when a serious storm does threaten, people will ignore the forecast. This could lead to injury or death. So, weather people, do this grumpy old man a favor, ease up on the overly histrionic forecasting. It's winter so don't worry about the couple inches of snow. We expect that on a daily basis. If we are going to get 6" of snow in less than 24 hours, make that an advisory. A warning should be reserved for a foot of snow in 12 hours or less. This is just my suggestion. Excuse me now. I'm going to make a hot toddy, cover up in a blanket, and watch the snow fall outside my window.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
The holly and the ivy by Thomas Scheidel · 365 Project
Click on the link below to see my latest 365 Project photo. You can also click through to look at almost a year's worth of pictures. 12 more days until the end of the project for me.
The holly and the ivy by Thomas Scheidel · 365 Project
The holly and the ivy by Thomas Scheidel · 365 Project
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
The 365 Project
About a year ago I noticed that one of my friends would occasionally make posts on Facebook from something called The 365 Project. The basic concept is that he would take a photo and post that photo every day for a whole year. 365 days in a year, thus the name. I was intrigued by the concept and decided to start my own 365 Project on January 1, 2013. To this day I have taken a photo every day and posted it. Some days, like if I'm on vacation, I take lots of photos and it's hard to pick just one. And some days it's 11:00 p.m. and I realize I haven't taken a photo yet. Those are the moments of forced creativity. Or maybe that's just a shot of a plate of bacon.
The project has been very interesting. There are people involved from all over the world. It especially fun looking at the photos from Australia. It's springtime down there right now and they're getting ready for summer as those of us in the northern hemisphere are taking photos of red and orange autumn trees.
Taking a photo everyday doesn't sound that hard, but it really has stretched me as a photographer to try and come up with unique images. The daily deadline also is helpful. On some days it would be very easy to say "I'll just take two pictures tomorrow". But that's outside the rules. That being said, I'll be glad when December 31 rolls around. The 365 Project has been fun, but I'm ready for it to be done.
Click here for a link to a recent shot I took at ArtPrize. Below are some of my favorite photos from the the past 10 months.
The project has been very interesting. There are people involved from all over the world. It especially fun looking at the photos from Australia. It's springtime down there right now and they're getting ready for summer as those of us in the northern hemisphere are taking photos of red and orange autumn trees.
Taking a photo everyday doesn't sound that hard, but it really has stretched me as a photographer to try and come up with unique images. The daily deadline also is helpful. On some days it would be very easy to say "I'll just take two pictures tomorrow". But that's outside the rules. That being said, I'll be glad when December 31 rolls around. The 365 Project has been fun, but I'm ready for it to be done.
Click here for a link to a recent shot I took at ArtPrize. Below are some of my favorite photos from the the past 10 months.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Disaster Tourism
The west Michigan area has had quite a "spring". I put that last word in quotes because with the exception of the last couple of days April hasn't been very spring-like. In fact by the 18th we had set a rainfall record for the entire month. Over 9 inches of rain had fallen. Then on Saturday it snowed. All this moisture has caused many of the rivers in the area, particularly the Grand River, to burst their banks. Record flood levels were reported on the Grand, Thornapple, Flat and Rouge Rivers. Many city streets, homes and businesses were flooded out. This is what leads me to the title of this article - Disaster Tourism.
We went to downtown Grand Rapids on Sunday to look at the overflowing Grand River. My unscientific estimate is that several thousand other people did as well. In Lowell, which is situated where the Flat River empties into the Grand River, Main Street saw bumper to bumper traffic of "flood tourists", at least until city officials closed the street due to high water levels. I understand that this is a once in a lifetime event, a true life depiction of the "100 year flood plan" we keep hearing about. But isn't it a bit perverse to go out and watch areas being devastated by Mother Nature? Perhaps I'm putting too strong a point on it. As far as I know no one has been killed by the flood, so we're only talking about property damage. Still I think about when Superstorm Sandy slammed into the East Coast and the breathless news coverage. We seem to love a good disaster, whether it's in the movies or, better yet, real life.
I'm not condemning anyone for checking out the flooding, heck, I was doing it. It just struck me as a bit odd to see so many people out and about "enjoying" the flood.
 |
| The Grand River is four feet over flood stage. Notice the street lamps in the middle of the water. |
We went to downtown Grand Rapids on Sunday to look at the overflowing Grand River. My unscientific estimate is that several thousand other people did as well. In Lowell, which is situated where the Flat River empties into the Grand River, Main Street saw bumper to bumper traffic of "flood tourists", at least until city officials closed the street due to high water levels. I understand that this is a once in a lifetime event, a true life depiction of the "100 year flood plan" we keep hearing about. But isn't it a bit perverse to go out and watch areas being devastated by Mother Nature? Perhaps I'm putting too strong a point on it. As far as I know no one has been killed by the flood, so we're only talking about property damage. Still I think about when Superstorm Sandy slammed into the East Coast and the breathless news coverage. We seem to love a good disaster, whether it's in the movies or, better yet, real life.
I'm not condemning anyone for checking out the flooding, heck, I was doing it. It just struck me as a bit odd to see so many people out and about "enjoying" the flood.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Riding to Cure Diabetes
For the past nine year's my wife Mary and I have been participating in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Ride for a Cure. Three year's ago our then 15 year old son Ian joined us. Each year we ride train by riding hundreds, in some cases thousands, of miles to be ready to do an epic JDRF ride. Six times we've ridden in Death Valley, once in the mountains of Vermont, and last year all the way around Lake Tahoe. This year's ride will be in Nashville, Tennessee and will require the most climbing of any ride we've done. But all the bicycle riding is only half the story. The real reason we are out there is to raise money to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes. Our older son, Jake, was diagnosed with Type 1 sixteen years ago when he was only six years old. As a family we are committed to do everything we can to help him fight this life threatening disease.
This is where you come in. Since our first ride in 2005 our family has raised over $72,000 for diabetes research. This year we have a goal of $12,000. You can help us reach that goal by clicking on this link and making a donation. All amounts are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for your support.
This is where you come in. Since our first ride in 2005 our family has raised over $72,000 for diabetes research. This year we have a goal of $12,000. You can help us reach that goal by clicking on this link and making a donation. All amounts are welcome and appreciated. Thank you for your support.
 |
| Tom, Ian and Mary at the start of the JDRF Lake Tahoe Ride in September 2012. |
Monday, January 28, 2013
Have a beer
There are over 100 craft breweries in Michigan. The state is becoming well known for it's exceptional beers. Grand Rapids shares the title of Beer City USA with Asheville, North Carolina. Recently I decided to visit as many as possible. This means actually going to the establishment, not just drinking their beer in a bar or at the Winter Beer Festival next month. So, in no particular order, here is a list of the Michigan brewers that have had the pleasure of having my butt in one of their seats.
Founder's, Grand Rapids
New Holland, Holland
Grand Rapids Brewing Company, GR
The Hideout, GR
Harmony, GR
Brewery Vivant, GR
Hop Cat, GR
Saugatuck Brewing Company, Sauagtuck
Arbor Brewing Company, Ann Arbor
Arcadia, Battle Creek
B.O.B.s Brewery, GR
Perrin, Comstock Park
Old Boys Brewhouse, Spring Lake
Olde Penninsula, Kalamazoo
Waldorff, Hastings
Mountain Town Station, Mt. Pleasant
I noticed a few things when compiling this list. First, there are a few breweries that I left off because they no longer exist (i.e. Mackinac Brewing Company). Second, even though I've had a lot of their beer I've never actually been inside Bell's in Kalamazoo. That will need to be rectified soon. Finally, it looks like I still have plenty of places to visit.
Cheers!
New Holland, Holland
Grand Rapids Brewing Company, GR
The Hideout, GR
Harmony, GR
Brewery Vivant, GR
Hop Cat, GR
Saugatuck Brewing Company, Sauagtuck
Arbor Brewing Company, Ann Arbor
Arcadia, Battle Creek
B.O.B.s Brewery, GR
Perrin, Comstock Park
Old Boys Brewhouse, Spring Lake
Olde Penninsula, Kalamazoo
Waldorff, Hastings
Mountain Town Station, Mt. Pleasant
I noticed a few things when compiling this list. First, there are a few breweries that I left off because they no longer exist (i.e. Mackinac Brewing Company). Second, even though I've had a lot of their beer I've never actually been inside Bell's in Kalamazoo. That will need to be rectified soon. Finally, it looks like I still have plenty of places to visit.
Cheers!
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Looking back at 2012
This past year has been an interesting one, full of new adventures and opportunities. The economic downtown of the last couple of year's adversely affected my business, driving sales to their lowest point ever. In 2012 things picked up a bit and stabilized. We're still not back to pre-2010 levels, but things are moving in the right direction. On the other hand Mary's business, Connie's Cake's, is doing fantastic. She found a new space in Eastown she really liked and spent a good portion of the last year planning and negotiating and then in November signed a lease. Build out started and is scheduled to be completed in the first week of January. The new shop is at 1416 Robinson Road in the historic Kingsley Building.
One of my passions is traveling and we got to investigate some new places this year. In August we spent a few days at The Headlands in northern Michigan with Mary's brother, sisters, in-laws and mom. The Headlands is located on the shore of Lake Michigan near Mackinaw City. It is an international Dark Sky Park, so the theory is that the lack of light pollution allows you to see the stars well. Unfortunately, during our visit there was a full moon that pretty much washed out the entire night sky. We did see a spectacular blood red moon set at 4:00 a.m. one morning. We also brought our mountain bikes and rode the trails in the park. The whole group spent a day on Mackinac Island. Mary and I did a lot of hiking on the island, visiting some very old cemeteries, churches and forts.
In September we did our annual JDRF bike ride. This year we opted for the ride at Lake Tahoe instead of our usual Death Valley excursion. To say it was a glorious ride would be an understatement. The weather, scenery, and atmosphere were all perfect. The people we rode with were a lot of fun and we raised a lot of money for the cause. You can read more about it on my other blog More Than 100 Miles.
Speaking of JDRF we presented the 8th annual Jake's Music Festival in April at Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids. It was our most successful event ever raising over $6,000 for Type 1 diabetes research. The band line-up seems to get better every year and we have high hopes for the 2013 edition, which takes place April 13th.
To jump back to the travel for a moment, I attended a public relations conference in Chicago in July and took Mary along with me. We've been to Chicago a lot but this was a unique experience because we didn't have the kids with us and we we're staying in a very nice hotel, the Marriott on Michigan Avenue. We spent one evening with our Chicago friend's Susan and Elvin. We also went to a couple of parties sponsored by conference vendors. One was on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building. Great views from way up there and we had a special elevator to get to the top. The next night's party was at the House of Blues. That was big, loud fun. We even got Blues Brother style sunglasses to wear for the evening.
I could write another entire post about what the kids did in 2012 and perhaps I will at a later date. Although given the frequency I post to this blog, don't hold your breath.
See you on the other side.
One of my passions is traveling and we got to investigate some new places this year. In August we spent a few days at The Headlands in northern Michigan with Mary's brother, sisters, in-laws and mom. The Headlands is located on the shore of Lake Michigan near Mackinaw City. It is an international Dark Sky Park, so the theory is that the lack of light pollution allows you to see the stars well. Unfortunately, during our visit there was a full moon that pretty much washed out the entire night sky. We did see a spectacular blood red moon set at 4:00 a.m. one morning. We also brought our mountain bikes and rode the trails in the park. The whole group spent a day on Mackinac Island. Mary and I did a lot of hiking on the island, visiting some very old cemeteries, churches and forts.
In September we did our annual JDRF bike ride. This year we opted for the ride at Lake Tahoe instead of our usual Death Valley excursion. To say it was a glorious ride would be an understatement. The weather, scenery, and atmosphere were all perfect. The people we rode with were a lot of fun and we raised a lot of money for the cause. You can read more about it on my other blog More Than 100 Miles.
Speaking of JDRF we presented the 8th annual Jake's Music Festival in April at Wealthy Theatre in Grand Rapids. It was our most successful event ever raising over $6,000 for Type 1 diabetes research. The band line-up seems to get better every year and we have high hopes for the 2013 edition, which takes place April 13th.
To jump back to the travel for a moment, I attended a public relations conference in Chicago in July and took Mary along with me. We've been to Chicago a lot but this was a unique experience because we didn't have the kids with us and we we're staying in a very nice hotel, the Marriott on Michigan Avenue. We spent one evening with our Chicago friend's Susan and Elvin. We also went to a couple of parties sponsored by conference vendors. One was on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building. Great views from way up there and we had a special elevator to get to the top. The next night's party was at the House of Blues. That was big, loud fun. We even got Blues Brother style sunglasses to wear for the evening.
I could write another entire post about what the kids did in 2012 and perhaps I will at a later date. Although given the frequency I post to this blog, don't hold your breath.
See you on the other side.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)