how did I end up in a parade

First there needs to be a parade. July 4 provides many opportunities.

I’m not a big fan of parades. I don’t care for crowds. Often it has rained on my parade (or snowed).

I guess I need (you might not need this incentive) a smiling little granddaughter who had her mom (our daughter) decorated her wagon with the red, white and blue.
I also had back-up support from another daughter (little one's favorite aunt I've heard).

I don’t run but I don’t mind some walking. Pulling a granddaughter who is enjoying waving to everyone was not work, just fun. She got out and walked a few blocks of it too. She definitely scored high in the waving category.

check the blog header - it's easy to pick me out

I was feeling alright

Saturday evening our small village held it’s first Ale Fest. The $40 entrance fee seemed a bit high. They were cautious in operating the festival. You couldn’t wander around the streets but needed to stay in the designated area. They also put a limit on the attendees. I was surprised that it sold out just a couple dozen of people after me at the ticket booth.

Your ticket included a souvenir pint glass that had the sample size marked on it and card worth 18 samples (works out to be about 3 pints). If you enjoy craft beer then these events are the best. 40 different breweries had their brew there for sampling. Most of the breweries were offering two or three types. A few types ran out.

I thought the best named beer was one from Urban Legend called “I’m Coming to Join You Elizabeth”. By the time I went over there to try it, it was gone but I found another good one called “God’s Country”. The strangest sounding creation for me was a coconut curry hefewiezen. I often buy hefewiezen but I passed on this one even though one sampling fellow I met suggested twice that I try it. I probably would not buy a pumpkin ale either, but he did convince me to try one which was ok.

The weather was great and they had a decent blues band.

Old man walking

At the end which was not that late, I strolled over to our train station and called home for someone to pick me up. While I waited on the bench at the train station I struck-up a conversation with a young man that was sitting there (I probably talk more when I'm feeling a little buzz). I thought he might have been at the Ale Fest too but he was not. He was here on business from Sweden. I find talking with people outside of US often provides insights and knowledge that you just won’t find otherwise.

daytime shot of a train at our station

By the time it was over, I was feeling alright.

friday fragments fail to be final

tweedle tweedle little tweet
how I wonder why it’s not sweet
up above social media so high
like a stick in my eye
tweedle tweedle little tweet
how I wonder what will compete

(how many know the original whole poem/song?)

I don’t think Friday Fragments will ever be final. How could fragments end? Would they just trail off to a sentence then a word and finally a letter?

Unknown Mami is still IT for the FF host. She is hiding out on the west coast waiting for links to wash up on her shore. (or is it waiting for someone to wash up the links?)

Oh I finally decided my future lies beyond the yellow brick road. Instead I should just walk the beach. I’m going to repeat a picture of the beach and our granddaughter I used in a post earlier in the week. 

 

Is there a blog rhythm? Do you read blogs at a regular time during the week?  I admit I don’t visit all the blogs on my list everyday. Many events can and probably should interrupt blog browsing. This past week I happened to post twice in the same day. It appears the first post of that day didn’t get much attention. I wonder if delaying the second post with the schedule feature would have been better overall. 

 

Now I am thinking many of you smartphone packing Sallies and Sams don’t bother with the insides of a bank lobby but I'm here to tell you, they still exist. They even still have a teller or two working.

Recently I tried to get quick cash (many don’t bother to carry cash anymore too) from the drive-up ATM. Apparently, I flipped some digits on my pin so no cash for me. I tried a second time being careful to enter the correct sequence. Refused again, I parked the car and went into the lobby.

Three tellers working and all three occupied. (when did bank lobbies become a senior citizen hang-out?)  Two of the three positions were serving senior citizens one of which was telling a story and the other seem to keep changing the transaction details. Finally the third opened up and was able to withdraw some cash but not check the ATM card status (of course many would view me as a senior citizen too). Another trip outside and in again was needed before it was fixed.

Conveniences turn into nuisances when they fail.

 

A couple of summers ago my wife discovered a series of weekly outdoor concerts at the Morton Arboretum. We had gone to about 5 that summer.  Not so much this year.

The weather doesn’t always cooperate. Your ticket gets you a free wine taste and they have an abundance of cheese, crackers and veggies to munch on. She remembered it this week and the weather was perfect. A band of two, Frank and Dave, performed old and new songs. From the Eagles to Phillip Phillips.

caught the blues yesterday

I caught a train leaving town yesterday. Destination Union Station Chicago.

Crossing under the 'L' which forms the Loop and over to Grant Park for the Chicago Blues Fest.

great comfortable weather, 
variety of Blues music, 
and not too crowded - It was a good day to catch some blues.

I met these two Chicago ladies on my walk back to train. They didn't say a word just stared.

Check out a variety of photos from around the blogs at Unknown Mami's place.

damn

My motto here at “A Few Clowns Short” is lighten-up. 

A 9/11 remembrance. 

Damn the motto for this post. Nothing to lighten-up about given the enormous sadness that filled that September week and lingered like a dirty film on the days that followed. 

The heroes were a bright spot. The coming together of strangers seeking to help others provided hope to keep many going. 

The tragedy reminded us that an awful dark side exists in enough people that we need to be aware. 

Painful. 

Forgetting about it doesn’t mean it didn’t happened. 

I don’t have some hero story of my own, but I found myself working with someone who was pulled into the tragedy. Her name is Lisa Jefferson. It forever changed her life.

The week previous to that Tuesday, I had interviewed for a job at GTE Airfone (name was changed to Verizon Airfone months later) and I was still waiting get an offer.

We live near the flight paths for both O'Hare and Midway airports. It’s very common to see and hear airliners flying in and out. Those September days following 9/11 had a noticeable empty sky above us.

The small act of kindness we were able to provide that day was helping Johnny, our daughter’s friend who was stuck at O’Hare airport. We picked him up and gave him a place to stay for a few days.

I flew a flag. I talked with family. I watched the news. I cried. We all cried.

I took that job offer from Airfone. It was a great job. Airfone (yes it’s spelled with a ‘f’) was the company offering a public phone in the seatback of a few airlines. United Airlines was one of our biggest customers/partners. Flight UA 93 was the hijacked plane that did not hit the terrorist’s target.

The passengers and crew learned after contacting the Airfone operator that other planes were hijacked that morning. A group of passengers decided not to allow the terrorists to use their flight. The flight ended in a fiery crash in a Pennsylvania.

While at Airfone, I worked with Lisa Jefferson and her husband who also worked there. She was a calm and peaceful lady. I don’t pretend to know her well, but all my interactions with her tell me she is a wonderful kind person.  She passed along Todd Beamer's last words, "Let's roll".

Someday 9/11 will be another history lesson like Dec. 7, 1941. If we are lucky some will learn from it. The National Geographic Channel has a site dedicated to it’s remembrance.

I want to leave this post with a better word than it began.

Peace.

soak up the sun

I was surprised to learn that my childhood town was selected as a venue for Sheryl Crow.

I bought the tickets many weeks before the world was predicted to end. Remember that big joke? One of my end thoughts was the refund policy on this concert if that prediction was true.

When I left Joliet back in the 70’s, it was starting a decline. One big change that came along in the 80’s was riverboat casinos. I can see the effects all around the town of the money that was put back into the city from that. I played at one of the casinos once or twice.

Sheryl Crow played at the downtown Rialto Square Theater which was built in the 1920’s. As a teen, it was my choice place to go see 007 save the world.  I recall the bus fare to get there was about a quarter.  Also, on a lucky day I might  make-out with a girl while who-cared-what was on the screen.  My luck was better at catching the bus.

The Rialto looks much better today than it did when 007 played there. The floors are no longer sticky. It was restored to its past grandeur.

A couple of pics before the concert:

We found out that our niece is a bigger fan than I. Or just has more expendable income (?). She bought an expensive meet-and-greet ticket. We saw her down in the second or third row before the concert.

I asked her about the experience. She wrote:

ugh. it was 30 seconds, shake her hand and they took a picture that was it. I wasn't allowed to take pics..

Since Sheryl has a book, a cookbook, being lucky enough to catch a book signing would have been better.

As you probably know, Sheryl is extremely skinny. Too thin IMHO but what do I know? So I wonder if she eats much of the recipes found in her cookbook. I’m sure she has tasted all of them but probably never gets seconds.

Here’s picture from the concert that her team posted on FB:

We happened to catch another concert earlier this year, Jackson Browne. Comparisons of concerts are very subjective so with that in mind, the Sheryl Crow show had much more energy flowing into the audience.

Since she became a big hit in the 90’s, I thought the audience would be dominated by much younger fans. It appear to be a good mix of all ages. While we were certainly in the older half, our parents would have met people their age there.

As I writing this I thought of a great name for the aging fans of Sheryl Crow - crowsfeet

***+++***

Jene of the blog, "The Original Bean" has her latest music challenge up.  This time we need to post about our favorite road trip music.

Road trip music should be uplifting, energizing, wake-you-up, type of music.  Driving while sleeping does not go too well.  I have a number of CD mixes I play on road trips and many contain Sheryl Crow songs.  Here's a favorite for a summer road trip:  (oh she played this one at the concert too)

Chicago Blues pictures

It was a busy day that reminded you how hot and sticky it can be in Chicago.  Did you hear about the Blackhawks and Stanley Cup?  No way, could you miss the news if you went down to the Loop.   

Those flags are at the bottom of this building that changed its name but we still call it the "Sears Tower".

It's a tradition to decorate the Art Institute lions.  I wonder what their artist would think.

On the other side of the Art Institute the guitar riffs and harmonica shaking started to fill the air.

That's Cafe R&B on stage.  The singer, Roach (must be an interesting history to that name) could really strut her stuff and belted out a powerful song.

And there was beer, food ($$) and free cranberry stuff.

Otis Taylor sounded great.  He had a excellent fiddler.  She is in the white outfit.  Her name is Anne Harris and she plays a mean hot fiddle.  She probably liked that big fan blowing on her.

The people watching was great too.  I might threaten the family that I'm going to dress like this guy (not the one with the tie).

If you came here via UnknownMami, who I understand blogs barefoot, then I thank-you for following the link here. If you don't know what I'm talking about then click the button below and check out more of her Sunday offering.

you can't take it with you but

YOU CAN STILL BE MAKING IT after you're gone.

Yesterday (and still big coverage continues) the world lost two big celebrities - Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.

They are gone but they will still be making money.



The world lost two legends which is sad. Both of them impacted my past and its memories. However, neither of them were much of an influence on me.

During this extensive coverage I picked-up on an unusual Forbes list. The Top-Earning Dead Celebrities list.

NOT a list I want to be on. (also if you're on it do you know?? --- that's a discussion for another time)

I was very surprised by who came in number five on the list. Want to guess?
I will put the answer in the comment section.

Did you know (probably not since I don't know of any celebrities reading my blog) there is a 1984 law dubbed The Dead Celebrities Act, that grants posthumous rights for 70 years? So even after you're DEAD you still need a LAWYER!

That Forbes list (2007)

OH - somewhat related thought to yesterdays events -
I heard the MJ news in the late afternoon. Later that night I was checking a favorite blog over in Australia and read a post that started:

"It's kind of sad to wake up today and hear about the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett ...."

That got me thinking about the international date line and events. For example, the tragedy 9/11 was a Tuesday. However, it was Wednesday the 12th in say Sydney.

So if a celebrity from North America dies in the Far East (not much past the date line) which day does history record his death? I would assume the local time but I bet his close friends and family near his home would remember the previous day as the event.

The big conference that established this date line was held in October 1884 so I think we would be used to it by now.

Mother's Day praise and laughs

For all of you, supermoms out there - have a great Mother's day.

Do you know who Anna Jarvis is? She is credited with founding Mother's Day in the US. I think she would be shocked and upset if she were here for Mother's Day 2009. She was angered by printed cards back in her day (hand written was the proper way). Can you imagine what she would think of an e-card?

Not sure, but I suspect there are more mommy blogs than daddy blogs. Well on one of them I came across this Mother theme site called Mamapalooza. It looks fun.


On the Mamapalooza site I found this funny clip - enjoy Happy Mother's Day.




Share a smile

dance dance party party

- A special activity just for ladies -
Dance Dance Party Party

Do live in Chicagoland?
If yes, then you might be interested in this. Also, it has spread to other cities.

I know the co-founders, the Jenn's, of this weekly activity. Of course, being the wrong gender I never have witnessed one of these Dance Dance Party Party events. However I have seen the Jenn's dancing at some weddings. They get into their own little world on the dance floor.

But my lack of rhythm and dance ability would not matter because that's the idea here. It's like dancing in you living room but with some other living room dancers. No rules, no men, max dance absurdity

Depending when you read this you might be able to go free.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15th & SUNDAY, APRIL 19th... the Chicago chapter of Dance Dance Party Party will be FREE to ALL

Here's some links about DDPP
a blog
a site
a public radio piece on Chicago's DDPP

The following explains why guys are NOT allowed in



Click Here For Funny Images at GraphicsHunt.com
Funny Crazy Dance

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Turn off the lights for earth hour

There are really big BIG problems in our world.

When we join together in common interest we can combine together to become very big too. Earth hour is an idea that will have an impact if it keeps spreading.

Here's the earth hour page for Chicago.
Last year we did our small part - here's the post about it

Ok on a less serious note here's another example of combining individuals to make something big. Hey it's a big ad.

did you play in the dark

I heard about this earlier on the radio but to be honest I probably would have forgot if not for the Google search page. I actually liked the black version better.

We turned out the lights at home and played a board game by candle light.

Now in one fairly wide spread article on this, the Irish seem to be getting slammed some. Here's a quote from the AP article I found on the Chicago Tribune site:

Ireland's more than 7,000 pubs elected not to take part -- in part because of the risk that Saturday night revelers could end up smashing glasses, falling down stairs, or setting themselves on fire with candles.

IMHO - probably the alcohol has more to do with this problem than the lighting.