tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62077033442420279662024-03-12T20:46:14.837-04:00Wild Turtle CrossingSlow: Writer at PlayUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-10330658405368546952021-02-17T18:45:00.000-05:002021-02-17T18:45:40.153-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Unpacking India...</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Back home with all my shoes, no small </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: line-through;">feat</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> accomplishment considering how many times we slipped them off on the journey.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">There’s something liberating, inexplicably comforting - even primal- to bare one’s soles. in India. With feet on the ground, boldly exposed, we kicked off our shoes right and left, out respect while visiting mosques, temples, tombs, sacred caves -- shops selling carpets and pashminas-- and the homes of friends ... <span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Ah, the touch and feel of India. Incredible India. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Details from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatehpur_Sikri"><b>Fatehpur Sikri</b>,</a> UNESCO World Heritage Site on the road from Agra to Jaipur. Palace-city of the Mughals (1571-1585) built of red sandstone, the buildings are an breathtaking fusion of influences: Indian, Persian and Islamic architecture.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The land of sacred ground and sacred cows, ancient stone cities, silks, and knotted wool, dirt floors and gleaming marble palace halls. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">The tour books call it the Golden Triangle: from Delhi (India’s capital city) to Agra, (home to the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World) we travel to Jaipur, the “Pink City” capital of the state of Rajasthan. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guardian elephants at the City Palace, Jaipur</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the City Palace Courtyard stand the giant silver urns commissioned by Madho Singh II to carry holy water from the Ganga on a trip to England.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outdoor seating in the gardens of "our palace" - the Rambaugh Palace Hotel. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our dear friend and host, PKR in thought at breakfast,</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rambaugh Palace hospitality<br /><br /><br /></td></tr>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-77851385598668219642017-12-31T18:04:00.002-05:002017-12-31T18:06:11.518-05:00Happy Now?<br />
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New Year's Eve . . . turning the page here on Blogger, just to set the site up to move to a dot com. Maybe. Beware the shiny newnest of the "theme" - a lovely photo I did not take. And a dish I did not make. (Who gives a fig, anyway?) The pretty food shot will have to do, as I can't find the code (or don't know) or have the means to change the featured image.<br />
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Much more to come in the year ahead. A big move in sight. On the way. No one here to<br />
"watch this space" . . . but will see.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-30849975315993786822015-09-08T08:21:00.002-04:002015-09-08T08:21:46.573-04:00Labor Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Of all the “holidays” on the calendar, Labor Day –
the first Monday in September, certainly seems the most elusive, almost perfunctory. A three day weekend - reason to hit the road or gather for the
last burgers on the grill for the season. Labor Day - just a breath between
summer and the return to school or the routine of the work-a-day world we
take for granted.<br />
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Gone are the days – my grandfather’s days - where worker’s rights were new, hard won and
worthy of true celebration.</div>
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Labor Day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On this
day, I think of my grandfather, Alexander (Cop) Kaplan, a labor leader from
Cleveland. Regrettably, his story I’ll never know. Can’t know, as I never knew him, have
no personal memories of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
carelessly, wrecklessly we cast away our family stories -- or the opportunities for hearing, never thinking to pursue them – or better
yet, to record more of the details of the life and times of our fathers and
mothers before us. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I can’t Google Alexander Kaplan. Other than the fine photos
I still have of him, the handsome smiling face in a vintage frame on the wall
in my dining room, Alexander Kaplan is nowhere to be found unless I really
delve beneath the surface of the 1940 U.S. Census, a citizen of a country at war, where he’s listed at 51 as head
of the household, with my grandmother, Sarah, (40) my parents, Edward (23) and
Clare<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(22) Goldman, living with them - and my mother’s younger brother, my uncle Arthur Kaplan
(20) – noting that <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Art’s twin brother, Wilbur
(Wil) Kaplan in all likelihood had already enlisted and was stationed somewhere
in the South Pacific . . . <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our families, our stories, our life’s labors. . . so many
are to be lost. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do we know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do we miss? <o:p></o:p></div>
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My parents, Edward and Clare, gone now for a decade, would
be amazed today to see their progeny, their grandchildren, grown to adulthood,
and their great-grandchildren:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zachary
and Lauren – my sister’s grandchildren now heading to their senior year in high
school . . . and a new set of children . . . ours: and here they are:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4EL9qTCvBEk/Ve4-rP2jbnI/AAAAAAAAG9c/EsiSxsXDbCQ/s1600/Mason-1623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4EL9qTCvBEk/Ve4-rP2jbnI/AAAAAAAAG9c/EsiSxsXDbCQ/s640/Mason-1623.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mason, 4 years, b. March 15, 2011<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FyQXCat05kg/Ve7PLjEWisI/AAAAAAAAG-A/I0W7YKfGoUY/s1600/Benjamin-1626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FyQXCat05kg/Ve7PLjEWisI/AAAAAAAAG-A/I0W7YKfGoUY/s640/Benjamin-1626.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Benjamin, almost 3, b. 2013</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KM7c0AhvnMQ/Ve7PojgfraI/AAAAAAAAG-E/KipxzbilAyQ/s1600/Carter-1658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KM7c0AhvnMQ/Ve7PojgfraI/AAAAAAAAG-E/KipxzbilAyQ/s640/Carter-1658.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carter, 2 years old, b. April 18, 2013<br /><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kWrBPwevHsQ/Ve7QBEYrcmI/AAAAAAAAG-Q/FMZGjOonpAE/s1600/Mila-1327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kWrBPwevHsQ/Ve7QBEYrcmI/AAAAAAAAG-Q/FMZGjOonpAE/s640/Mila-1327.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mila, 3 months, b. May 26, 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Our labors . . . of love.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br /></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-83827964387198824752014-09-03T21:03:00.001-04:002014-09-03T21:46:27.383-04:00Just Passing Through<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #3f362f; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
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<span style="color: #3f362f; font-family: Georgia;"><i><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rtDNyjid2XA/VAe4Mx0iYqI/AAAAAAAAGqg/L3qvl_zQO58/s1600/day%2Blillies-5762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rtDNyjid2XA/VAe4Mx0iYqI/AAAAAAAAGqg/L3qvl_zQO58/s1600/day%2Blillies-5762.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></span></i></span></div>
<span style="color: #3f362f; font-family: Georgia;"><i><span style="font-size: 13pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="color: #3f362f; font-family: Georgia;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">"There is a vitality,</span> a life force, an energy, a quickening that
is translated through you into action, and because <span style="font-family: Georgia;">there is only one of you in all of time</span>, this expression
is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium
and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to
determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other
expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep
the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You
have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the
channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at
any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that
keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others."</i> --from <i>The Life and Work of Martha Graham</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #3f362f; font-family: Georgia;"><i style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-myUa0SXhqPY/VAe2S6dSr3I/AAAAAAAAGp4/8DYNTHgUUwY/s1600/my%2Bstumpy%2Btree-5610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-myUa0SXhqPY/VAe2S6dSr3I/AAAAAAAAGp4/8DYNTHgUUwY/s1600/my%2Bstumpy%2Btree-5610.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
It’s been some time since I crossed my own path here at wildturtle. Something is keeping me in my shell -- even as I pour words by the thousands into my day (and night and weekend ) job tending to my duties as editor and writer of an online monthly publication (myJewishDetroit.org – if you care to take a peek). . . always working on a deadline, in a monthly cycle that keeps me anxious and ever-vigilant of the calendar, somehow I’ve left this space, <i>my</i> space – an empty space, waiting and wanting, like a lost cursor on an blank screen.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XiUSTjfrUcM/VAe2g5ZyyTI/AAAAAAAAGqA/rEvCk72WvKY/s1600/pink%2Bsunflower-0645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XiUSTjfrUcM/VAe2g5ZyyTI/AAAAAAAAGqA/rEvCk72WvKY/s1600/pink%2Bsunflower-0645.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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There is a vitality in the work that must be done everyday, and the prospect – and the inevitability - of ever stopping unnerves me. I dread to think about turning over a blank page, finally at a loss for words.</div>
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<span style="color: #3f362f; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3pemsb0IDac/VAe3onFrhcI/AAAAAAAAGqI/1HYagMtsDfM/s1600/pink%2Bsunflower-0683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3pemsb0IDac/VAe3onFrhcI/AAAAAAAAGqI/1HYagMtsDfM/s1600/pink%2Bsunflower-0683.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
As night falls on this summer day, I think of so many days and nights I’ve spent at a keyboard – tap, tap, tapping on assignment, a school paper, a advertising campaign, a television script, an annual report, an article, an interview. So many words. . . and so many well composed, but not really my own.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KHPCvyCO5L0/VAe32zt0hlI/AAAAAAAAGqQ/eqYmTOcpjIo/s1600/Bee%2Bon%2Bsunflower-0679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KHPCvyCO5L0/VAe32zt0hlI/AAAAAAAAGqQ/eqYmTOcpjIo/s1600/Bee%2Bon%2Bsunflower-0679.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
And yet. . . and yet, put all those words together and between the lines you might find me there.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C7i2Lf-tOMA/VAe4C7TsHkI/AAAAAAAAGqY/hWtRmjPLrbE/s1600/bee%2Bin%2Ba%2Bpine-5742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C7i2Lf-tOMA/VAe4C7TsHkI/AAAAAAAAGqY/hWtRmjPLrbE/s1600/bee%2Bin%2Ba%2Bpine-5742.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="background-color: transparent;">A turtle. In a shell. Crossing ever so slowly. Through my garden.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-otB1uHyUKps/VAe6GxHcweI/AAAAAAAAGqo/wApupbp8NwA/s1600/door-5766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-otB1uHyUKps/VAe6GxHcweI/AAAAAAAAGqo/wApupbp8NwA/s1600/door-5766.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
Words & Photos: Vivian Henoch</div>
<div>
Thanks for dropping by.</div>
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<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
And visit if you wish: <a href="http://myjewishdetroit.org/">myJewishDetroit.org</a></div>
</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-39241308611692945572014-01-06T22:24:00.001-05:002014-01-07T07:27:54.702-05:00The Roads (More or) Less Traveled<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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The storms had passed. Coming and going along our route of
nearly 1800 miles, we managed to miss the worst of the weather over the
holidays. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Considering the snow and deep chill blowing across the
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U-Turn to Chicago Odyssey, December 23 to January 3.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As empty-nesters in Detroit with married children and
grandchildren in Cleveland and in Chicago, we now spend holidays in a gentle
negotiation and navigation between families with in-laws located from coast to
coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must share.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Though Christmas isn’t our holiday per se, we have taken to
spending it lavishly, leisurely, deliciously: traveling. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A favorite spot the beach at Kiawah
(Charleston, S.C.) Two years ago we spent our most venturesome and memorable Christmas
ever with friends. . . in Delhi, India. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Where to this year? A last-minute, impromptu plan: We mapped
out a two week trek – setting out for points of interest on a route we had
driven many times before but never taken the time to stop and explore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Now with cameras in hand<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(and no young children for whom to break for feeding and bathrooms) we
were free to wander at will . . . and meander all day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A rare luxury, indeed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Day One:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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A gentle rain along the way hardly deterred us, by 2:00 in
the afternoon, the winter sky and light were perfect for pictures taken from
the lookout points on public trails leading to Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd
Wright’s masterpiece. Built between 1936-1939 for the Edgar Kaufmann family (of
Kaufmann’s Department store in Pittsburgh), this mountain retreat is a wonder
to behold with every changing season. Our timing couldn’t have been better. Closed
January and February, Fallingwater will open again with the spring thaw. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Two: Harpers
Ferry, West Virginia, approximately 150 miles</span></b></div>
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A bit of history here: Harpers Ferry, at the confluence of
the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is
the site of John Brown’s Raid of 1859 - considered the precursor of the Civil
War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1785 Thomas Jefferson described
the view, standing on “a very high point of land” (now known as Jefferson’s
Rock) as “perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in Nature.” A haven for
hikers today, this beautiful historic town is considered the psychological
midpoint of the Appalachian Trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you’ve never been to Harpers Ferry, go… visit, take a turn on the trail. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Three and Four:
Washington D.C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>about 70 miles</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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My husband’s hometown, with his alma mater nearby in
Baltimore. There’s no family to visit in D.C. any longer, but we had the good
fortune to reconnect with friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Choosing places we had never been, we particularly enjoyed the National
Portrait Gallery and the Newseum. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Four Christmas
Day and Day Five:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chadds Ford,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>PA,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>120 miles</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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About 30 miles from Philadelphia, Chadds Ford is “Wyeth
Country,” home to the Brandywine River
Museum which houses an extensive collection of the paintings of N.C. Wyeth, his son Andrew and grandson
Jamie. The area is also DuPont Country, home
to the vast estates of the once <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';">ü</span>ber-rich of the 20<sup>th</sup>
Century. With the expectation of nothing
open on Christmas Day, we were delighted to find Longwood Gardens in resplendent
holiday display within its 4.5 acres of heated greenhouses. The property once owned by industrialist
Pierre S. DuPont is open to the public 7
days a week year round.</div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Six: Cleveland, about 420 miles: </span></b></div>
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Grocery shopping and dinner with our son and family—
preparing to drive westward together for New Year’s in Chicago</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Seven: Northville, 180
miles </span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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A quick “rest” to pick up steam, heading for a family
reunion in Chicago.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Eight<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>through Day Twelve Chicago,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>240 miles</span><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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2 nights in Evanston with my nephew’s family, New Year’s in
Lincoln Park with the grandkids. . . worth every mile of the trip. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day Thirteen : Return to
Northville</span></b></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-35891609366190457012013-12-20T08:23:00.000-05:002013-12-20T08:33:48.416-05:00Photojourney<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nagll6ugJ5w/UrRCUso0IHI/AAAAAAAAGUk/0W0-OQcZZRc/s1600/White+barn,+red+barrel-9434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nagll6ugJ5w/UrRCUso0IHI/AAAAAAAAGUk/0W0-OQcZZRc/s400/White+barn,+red+barrel-9434.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Because . . .</span> </b>it’s time to clear the pumpkins and dreidels from
the doorstep of the “home” page, because on the Jewish calendar, our holidays
are past, and because December is drawing to a close with Christmas just a
breath away and the turning of a New Year almost here . . .</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To leave the matters of work aside <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To pack our bags<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To spend the last days of the year<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a celebration of our own making.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sounds a little crazy, but this year we’re taking a
Christmas road trip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Heading to sites where people normally see in the full bloom
of spring or the heat of summer or the changing colors of fall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmsEhL74JfE/UrRDLst5nVI/AAAAAAAAGVI/hevoBX5vMn0/s1600/yellow+house-9442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmsEhL74JfE/UrRDLst5nVI/AAAAAAAAGVI/hevoBX5vMn0/s400/yellow+house-9442.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A Winter Photojourney, we call </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Taking our cameras, because that’s what we do on the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Heading East with the rising sun, through the mountains (where
frozen roads are predicted) to Fallingwater – an architectural masterpiece
we’ve never seen, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Booking a room in an historic inn where Andrew Jackson once
slept. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just the two of us on the road, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Driving through Harper’s Ferry, perhaps to take steps (or
snap a photo or two) on the Appalachian Trail . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>. on to Washington, D.C, then back through
Wyeth Country, Chadds Ford. . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Snowbirds? Not us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not yet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-12918458382623211842013-11-10T19:33:00.000-05:002013-11-10T19:33:02.077-05:00Thanksgivukkah? Our November Dilemma<hgroup>
<h3>
<i>It's that time of year. . . and never again.</i></h3>
</hgroup><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
It’s been heralded as the holiday of a lifetime. Stranger things have happened on our calendars and in our kitchens, but it seems that the
earth has turned and the stars have aligned to create a convergence of the First Day of Chanukah (technically the second night and candle lighting) <i>and </i>Thanksgiving Day, Thursday November 28. <br />
<br />
Hence a fusion - if not confusion of menus.
What’s a cook to do as we prepare to celebrate the Jewish Festival of
Oil<i> together</i> with the American Festival of Stuffing?<br />
<h4>
<b>One mash up holiday meal</b></h4>
Any way you slice it, according to the Jewish (lunar) and Gregorian calendars, the two feasts won’t land on
the same date again for another 70,000 years. So cheers to all, let's make the best of
it and prepare our menus . . . to the max. <br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>On the menu?</b><br />
Blending the best of both frying and basting, mixing and stirring, we suggest:<br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://food52.com/recipes/17012-bubbe-knows-best-latkes" title="Bubbe Knows Best Latkes">Bubbe Knows Best Latkes</a> with Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Wine-Brined Turkey (or is that Whine and Brine Turkey)</i><br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/318719/cornbread-and-pumpkin-challah-stuffing-w" title="Sage Dressing:Pumpkin Challah Day Stuffing with Chestnuts">Sage Dressing: Pumpkin Challah Day Stuffing with Chestnuts</a></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Sweet Potato Kugel (No Marshmallows Please) </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Roasted Root Vegetables: Parsnips, Carrots, Beets with Pickled Onion</i><br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/pecan-pie-rugelach" title="Pumpkin Pecan Rugelach">Pumpkin Pecan Rugelach</a></i><br />
<br />
<i><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/335642/pumpkin-cheesecake" title="Pumpkin Cheese Cake">Pumpkin Cheese Cake</a></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Guiltless Gelt</i><br />
<h4>
<b>Bubbe Knows Best Latkes: A Recipe<br />
</b></h4>
<div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_8231" style="width: 610px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Bubbe Knows Best Latkes" class="size-full wp-image-8231" height="265" src="http://myjewishdetroit.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/latkes-and-cranberries-9266.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<div class="wp-caption-text" style="text-align: center;">
<i>Mini Latkes and Cranberry Pomegranate Relish for T-Day Appetizers</i></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
There’s nothing like a platter of potato pancakes to inspire excess
and pure joy. Plain and simple, this recipe calls for measurement in
pounds: as many potatoes as you could stand to grate, as many onions
chopped as needed to bring tears streaming to your eyes, eggs and matzoh
meal – enough to hold the ingredients together, salt and pepper enough
to taste, and if you really want to give your Lipitor a workout, add a
dollop of chicken fat to the potato mixture before frying, just enough
to enhance that indescribably heavenly Jewish holiday flavor. (Hint:
make ‘em “mini” for Thanksgivukkah appetizers.)<br />
<em><b>A recipe to serve a crowd<br />
</b></em><br />
<div>
<ul>
<li>3 pounds russet potatoes</li>
<li>6 large eggs, lightly beaten</li>
<li>2 large onions, grated</li>
<li>¾ cups matzoh meal (or panko bread crumbs for extra crispy)</li>
<li>2 tablespoons sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>2 teaspoons ground pepper</li>
<li>¼ cup chicken fat (optional)</li>
<li>½ cup peanut oil (or more) for frying</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h4>
<b>Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce</b></h4>
</div>
Here’s a Chanukah variation on a classic<br />
<ul>
<li>1 package cranberries</li>
<li>½ red onion diced</li>
<li>Seeds 1 pomegranate –</li>
<li>½ cup brown sugar or to taste</li>
<li>½ cup water</li>
<li>¼ orange juice</li>
<li>¼ cup brandy</li>
<li>Pinch salt</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
In a sauce pan, combine ingredients and simmer until the mixture thickens.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="cranberry ingredients-9176" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-8234" height="266" src="http://myjewishdetroit.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/cranberry-ingredients-9176-300x200.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<h4>
<b>A brief history of Jewish time</b></h4>
On the Jewish calendar, Chanukah comes up reliably on the same date
each year. On the secular calendar, the dates move from year to year,
most commonly falling in December.<br />
<br />
Given that the Jewish calendar repeats on a 19-year cycle, and
Thanksgiving repeats on a 7-year cycle, you would expect the holidays
to coincide roughly every 19×7 = 133 years.<br />
<br />
According to calculations by Jonathan Mizrahi, a quantum physicist at
the Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, the overlap of the two
holidays would have happened only once before in 1861. However,
Thanksgiving was only formally established by President Lincoln in 1863.
So, it has never happened before.<br />
<br />
And essentially, we’ll wait an eternity before it happens again. Why?<br />
<br />
Mizrahi explains: The Jewish calendar is very slowly getting out of
sync with the secular calendar, at a rate of 4 days per 1,000 years.
(Not bad for a many centuries old calendar!) This means that while
presently Chanukah can be as early as 11/28, over the years the calendar
will drift forward, such that the earliest Chanukah can be is 11/29.
The last time Chanukah falls on 11/28 is 2146 (which happens to be the
Monday after Thanksgiving).<br />
<br />
Of course, if the Jewish calendar is never modified in any way (which
by Jewish Law it would be required to modify to keep Passover in the
spring), then it will slowly move forward through the secular calendar,
until it loops all the way back to where it is now. So, Chanukah will
again fall on Thursday, 11/28…in the year 79,811. So go figure.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Menorah and pumpkins-9154" class="alignright size-full wp-image-8232" height="265" src="http://myjewishdetroit.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Menorah-and-pumpkins-9154.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Let’s Talk Turkey: About the Chanukah Holiday Take-Over</b><br />
<br />
Technically, let’s be clear, the first night and first candle lighting of Chanukah is Wednesday, November 27<sup>th. </sup><br />
<br />
This year’s calendar fluke placing the <i>first day of</i> <i>Chanukah</i>
on the same day as Thanksgiving has given rise to some crazy notions
that Chanukah is taking over the menu, the Parade and the true
“American” spirit of the day.<br />
<br />
Not so. According to Jeffrey Lasday, Director of Federation’s
Alliance for Jewish Education, Chanukah and Thanksgiving have worked<em> together</em>
to eclipse the original Jewish Harvest Festival of Sukkot – a
sadly-neglected eight-day holiday which in fact traces its beginnings to
the <em>Book of Leviticus</em> (23:39-43).<br />
<br />
<i>“When you have gathered in the yield of your land, you shall
observe the festival of the Lord to last seven days; a complete rest on
the first day and a complete rest on the eighth day.”<br />
</i><br />
<br />
For hundreds of years in Temple times, the Jewish people observed <i>Sukkot</i> by traveling to Jerusalem for eight days of celebration, camping out in <i>Sukkot</i> (booths/huts) around the Temple. Sukkot ruled! That is until . . . the Maccabees.<br />
<br />
Here's the story: In 168 B.C.E., the Syrian Greeks take over the
Temple in Jerusalem and forbid observance of Jewish rituals including
the holiday of<i> Sukkot</i>. A war breaks out for religious freedom.
The Maccabees wage battle against the Syrian Greeks. Due to the war, the Jews are unable to get to Jerusalem to
celebrate <i>Sukkot</i>. Finally the Maccabees vanquish the Syrian
Greeks and are able to regain the Temple in Jerusalem. The first thing
that the Maccabees do when they win back the Temple according to the
Second Book of Maccabees is to celebrate the eight-day holiday of <i>Sukkot</i>.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="rugelach-9302" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-8235" height="266" src="http://myjewishdetroit.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rugelach-9302-300x200.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<br /><br />
As Jeff goes on to explain, “This victory over the Syrian Greeks becomes known as <i>Chanukah (</i>dedication)
in remembrance of the rededication of the Temple. However, Chanukah
goes on to shine, stealing the limelight from Sukkot. <i>Sukkot’s</i> critical role in the rise of the Maccabees and <i>Chanukah </i>is forgotten. But then . . . the Pilgrims come to America.<br />
<br />
Like the Maccabees before them, the Pilgrims turn to the Bible and draw inspiration for a new holiday from <i>Sukkot</i>. Both <i>Sukkot,</i> the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles and Thanksgiving celebrate the fall harvest. Once again, <i>Sukkot</i>
serves only the inspiration. The rest, as they say is history . . . as
the turkey, the stuffing, the candles, the dreidel-spinning, the
candle-lighting, the NFL Games, and the gelt all go on to show.<br />
<br />
<br />
From our family to yours . . . Happy Challah Days.<br />
<br />
<i>(A version of this post appears in the November issue of myJewishDetroit.org - where I spend a good deal of my waking hours - and some of my sleep time - writing and editing stories on behalf of the Detroit Jewish Federation. Thanks for stopping by.) </i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Photos: Vhenoch</i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-36501735261967504672013-07-22T22:49:00.004-04:002013-09-10T14:13:06.124-04:00Detroit: Views from the Trenches<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A Conversation with Dan Gilbert</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Detroit isn’t an easy city to love. It’s a Dickens of a town, the best of
times and the worst of places. But
there’s a feistiness in its residents that keeps Motor City rolling even as the
street lights flicker. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m not a native. Born and raised in another post-industrialcity with a Great Art Museum and World-Class Orchestra- Cleveland -- three hours down the road as the time flies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A Clevelander, I never dreamed I’d be a Detroiter,
transplanted and staunchly adapted to a city so vastly wanting. Driving to work (and yes, there’s still a rush
hour here) on the morning after Detroit filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy, I
listen as a BBC report on NPR describes Detroit as a “ghost town,” an urban prairie, a curious return to wilderness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0erCjp5lrFo/Ue3kssELRyI/AAAAAAAAGFk/6wSwiEMczV4/s1600/Urban+living+room1-9923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0erCjp5lrFo/Ue3kssELRyI/AAAAAAAAGFk/6wSwiEMczV4/s640/Urban+living+room1-9923.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Easy for outsiders looking in to see the worst in Detroit, a
city I8 billion dollars in the hole with a crumbling infrastructure once built for 2
million, hanging in today with a population estimated around 600,000. At last
“count” there was something like 128,000 buildings - commercial and residential
properties - that need to be removed,
razed, cleared to make room for . . . ?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">But wait, c’mon . . . Like every place else, our world view
keeps spinning,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;">And now that we’ve hit rock
bottom, the state of the city is looking up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">According to the <i>Detroit Free Press, </i>weeks before a state financial review team found Detroit's fiscal condition so dire that Gov. Rick Snyder would soon appoint an emergency manager, Kevyn Orr, discussions behind the scenes indicated that an orderly Chapter 9 bankruptcy for the Motor City might be the best option.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;">To stop the bleeding</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #363636; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">"This is an opportunity to stabilize Detroit," stated Governor Rick Snyder, appearing on Sunday morning on NBC's "Meet the Press, "and even more importantly in the longer term, I'm bullish about the growth opportunities of Detroit. There's many outstanding things going on in the city, with the private sector, with young people moving into the city. It's got great opportunities. The last major obstacle is the city government."</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ygCZ-V6Yx8g/Ue3tcxn0MuI/AAAAAAAAGGM/mIyHkcDwvDc/s1600/Quicken+Headquarters-3814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ygCZ-V6Yx8g/Ue3tcxn0MuI/AAAAAAAAGGM/mIyHkcDwvDc/s640/Quicken+Headquarters-3814.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">Buzz feed:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"><i>Transformers 4</i> is calling all Actors, looking for paid extras. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">Detroit remains a great place to shoot movies,
by virtue of its spectacular ruins, including the abandoned train terminal, Michigan Central Station, and the Packard
Plant, both wildly popular with photographers</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">Whole Foods just opened a location downtown – a
positive sign of urban gentrification in the city core</span></li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">On Thursday morning, just hours before the city
filed for bankruptcy protection, Quicken Founder Dan Gilbert put in a bid for
an undisclosed amount </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;">to bail out yet
another chunk of the city in a deal encompassing the stalled-out Wayne County “Fail
Jail” site. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></li>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GsmHXpuUhgI/Ue3obEqkfRI/AAAAAAAAGF0/u29sp-7MmCQ/s1600/featured-dan-gilbert-600x257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GsmHXpuUhgI/Ue3obEqkfRI/AAAAAAAAGF0/u29sp-7MmCQ/s640/featured-dan-gilbert-600x257.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As everyone in Detroit knows, Dan Gilbert is Chairman and
Founder of Quicken Loans and Rock Ventures.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Drawing attention around the nation as a driving force in the new Motor
City, Dan is the man determined to transform Detroit’s urban core -</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">one building at a time.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In three years his company has invested about
$1.2 billion in 30 downtown properties, more </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">specifically
about 4 million square feet of commercial space and another 3.6 million square
feet of parking. Several of the
buildings include headquarters for Gilbert’s various companies, which have brought </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">more than 8000 employees downtown to live, work and play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: blue;"><i>“You gotta dream anyway, you may as well
dream big.” -Dan Gilbert</i></span></span><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gazing over the city on a warm summer evening from the
vantage point of the 11<sup>th </sup> floor of the Chase Building downtown, the view of Detroit holds promise. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We have come for drinks and nibbles to listen with rapt
attention to Dan Gilbert as he addresses a group of “NextGeners” – a division
of the Detroit Jewish Federation, focusing on “retaining and attracting” young
talent to the city. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For many, it’s a
first time opportunity for a look at new developments in Detroit’s urban core
from a rare, inside view of Quicken Loans’ new digs.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By design the offices in the Chase Building
look more like a creative agency or high tech firm- aptly described on the
Quicken Blog as a “mortgage banking Candyland.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are whoops and stadium cheers, as the CEO of the
Federation, Scott Kaufman warms up the audience. “The efforts
of many are driving Detroit forward,” says Scott, “but all movements need a leader, and Dan is
the leader at this moment to rebuild Detroit.
There is no place in America with a deeper connection from people to
place than here … and we are very
grateful that he has decided to put his energy here.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A hush then falls
over the room.<i> Dan Gilbert is in the house. </i><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dan has entered the room, just moments before his
introduction – accompanied by what appeared to be an entourage of staffers, some
of them wired and large enough to conceivably be bodyguards. (At 5 foot 6 inches tall, Dan’s
stature in the community has nothing to do with his height.) Choosing not to
speak at a podium, Dan takes a comfortable seat on stage, accompanied by longtime
associate and Quicken Political Operative Dave Carroll. In talk-show format, Dave lobs questions to
Dan. The following are excerpts of their
35-minute conversation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DAVE: 8000 people
downtown. 1000 summer interns. Millions and millions of dollars invested
downtown. Why Detroit?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DAN: We had a decision to make. Our leases were coming up in
the suburbs. We had three choices: To
stay in a bunch of office buildings spread out all over the suburbs; to find a piece of vacant land and build a
new headquarters; or to come downtown. <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We chose the third option for altruistic as well as business
reasons. My grandfather was born in
Detroit, my father was born in Detroit, I was born in Detroit; a lot of our
leadership in all parts of our company had generations in Detroit.<span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16pt;">"We were in a position
we felt we could impact the outcome and make a difference. We came down here with the number of people
we had and the capital we had to invest. We could at least give it a shot.</span><s><o:p></o:p></s></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><i>It was a “doing
well by doing good” strategy. </i></span><span style="color: #3366ff;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DAVE: There was something big going on today. Tell
us about Demo Days? <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DAN: A part of our engagement downtown is a partner called
Detroit Venture Partners (DVP), with
Managing Partner Josh Linkner (a serial entrepreneur whose last gig was
ePrize.) DVP had this Demo Day where all
the companies we’ve invested in are now pitching other venture capital
companies from around the country. And
interestingly enough, we had 200 people there today and 120 of them were from
VC (venture capital) firms from around the United States. Last year we did
this we only had 10 or 20. <span style="color: #3366ff; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The story here
in Detroit and in the technology corridor is that the interest from California
and New York and all over is now very strong. </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DAVE. What does opportunity
in Detroit look like. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DAN: Roll tape. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Opportunity is molded It’s built. It’s created. Opportunity, Made in Detroit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We launched (the campaign) #Opportunity Detroit for a
reason. Because we believe that there’s massive opportunity in this city and
the momentum keeps growing. It’s beyond us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We
have 8000 people down here working full time now. 45oo were hired in the last three years. 3500 lived or worked in the suburbs at one point. There’s no way we’d get the work we get done every day in four office
buildings that are spread out all over the suburbs, it just doesn’t happen that
way<span style="font-size: 16pt;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The kind of logistics and the kind of technology and
facilities, the quick action</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and
decision that takes place</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">when you’re
close together makes those</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">things
easier.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: blue;">"If you are an
entrepreneur, your
company can not excel in 2013 in a suburban
location as quickly as it’s going excel in a downtown core that’s focused on
technology, where the creative energy is, and where
those with skills and talent most want to be. Live work and play here is the word. </span></i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look: this summer we have 1000
interns with 187 colleges represented. What people don’t know is that we
received 18,000 resumes without advertising<span style="font-size: 16pt;">. </span>What that means
is there really is a national interest in Detroit. I’m sure they don’t wake up and say,
“Wow I wish I could work for a mortgage company in downtown Detroit.” That’s not the deal. That’s not Quicken Loans. We think we’re
cool, but not that cool. It’s the city
and the fact that they can make a difference. <span style="font-size: 16pt;"> </span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A QUESTION FROM THE
AUDIENCE: There are a lot of us here tonight trying to impact the outcome. What one or two points of advice would you
give us? <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DAN: You can’t just do the same thing we’ve always done and
incrementalize your way to greatness or major impact. It’s not going to work that way. There’s a saying: Incrementalism is the
enemy of innovation, and I believe that because what it means is if you improve
things a little bit or are satisfied with little bites of the apple, it doesn’t
register on the dial. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You have to take a risk. So I would say if it’s in you, if you have the dog in you, and you really
do want to make major impact and change, you have to be bold, you have to be
very determined to make that happen. No
matter what the noise is around you. No
matter who doubts you. No matter if you doubt yourself, no matter if you
fail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because (even if you
fail) you’re going to learn stuff and next time go a different direction
much quicker than you otherwise would. That's what I would say.</span></div>
<h4>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>“Y<span style="font-weight: normal;">ou’re going to think anyway, so you may as well think big.
You’ve got a dream anyway. You may as
well dream big. We’re only here for a relatively short period of time. You may as well impact positively as many
people as you can.”</span></i></span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></i></span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">Detroit photos: VHenoch, Dan Gilbert: Brett Mountain Photography</span></i></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;"><i>Portions of this article are previously posted in the July Issue of myJewishDetroit.org and cross-posted on Open Salon</i> </span></h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">Thanks for stopping by</span></i></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-61372906734082643992013-05-15T12:15:00.000-04:002013-05-15T12:38:59.657-04:00Taking a Breath(er) and a Blintz<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i4sr6SGJ_tI/UZOvzCQiXOI/AAAAAAAAGE8/ityJeCXyJ2Q/s1600/8719420888_ac990f8814_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i4sr6SGJ_tI/UZOvzCQiXOI/AAAAAAAAGE8/ityJeCXyJ2Q/s400/8719420888_ac990f8814_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know, I know. I am
in violation of the first rule(s) of blogging.
Stay current.Write. Stay
disciplined. Write, right away. Know your stuff, right?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, enough with the wordplay, like playing with the food
on your plate. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have you ever taken note in the movies how actors actually
eat in dining scenes? Imagine the
impediment of the food on the plate, how unappetizing it really is, take after
take. It’s cut! Then eat again. So what
we see on camera are just the nibbles, the tiny bites, taken furtively for the
lens. Uck. The spaghetti twills, that
never leave the fork, that plate still full. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Writing sometimes feels just like that.Tiny bites for the scene, working through a
full plate of ideas. Uck. It’s a beautiful day. Almost 10 a.m. And here I sit. At my keyboard. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we say we have a full plate, we mean too busy – a state
of perpetual distraction. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I “meant” to be out at this time, breathing deep, balancing
on one foot on a yoga mat in a class down the street. But no.
I missed the 7 a.m. window there. And I “meant” to be outdoors at this time –
digging in the dirt, pulling weeds from the garden, planning a trip to the
nursery. But not yet. Through the window in my room there’s a brisk spring breeze
stirring the papers on my desk. But here
I sit, staring at a grey screen, tapping grey words on an electronic page,
heading nowhere outside my own head, which is nowhere in particular. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some of higher mind call
this ‘the writing life.’ A form of self-imposed torture for many. For others, as necessary to life as
breathing. For me, it’s a curious kind
of give and take, more like a clinical exchange of oxygen and carbon
dioxide. I’m no writer, I would say. I’m not a “journalist!” I confessed to the 10
people interviewed last night in a roundtable discussion for an article -
an article on the “Greening of Detroit” that I will spend the next week and a
half : laboring. Writing. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve made a life writing. Like this, on days like this, meeting
deadlines, set by the parameters or obligations of work - a
job, where I sit most of the day . . . writing. Ad copy. Jingles. Press releases. Annual
reports. Video scripts. Speaker notes. Exhibits. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And now. . . in free fall, I write articles of my own
choosing, setting my own “editorial calendar,” agenda and schedule to meet a
monthly deadline, as the “founding editor” of a little e-publication of the
Detroit Jewish Federation – we call it
(because I named it) <a href="http://www.myjewishdetroit.org/">myJewishDetroit </a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now there’s a declaration: I’m Jewish. A Detroiter (albeit former Clevelander). I work for the Jewish Federation – the “engine
of philanthropy” as we say, for the Jewish community here. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You don’t have to be Jewish to understand our mission: to
care and tend to our families and the most vulnerable members of our community,
to teach our children well, to work towards the greater good, a vibrant future
for generations to come, to repair what is broken in this world. And indeed, there is much that is broken here
in Detroit, in Israel and the world over. And so we plow our fields, plant our
seeds, persist in the work and the hope. When you got a big mission like that,
well, honestly, there’s plenty of work to go around. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My work goes just as so: tap-tapping on a keyboard, melting
through hours, word by word, putting together small pieces of the Big Puzzle. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As our sages tell us – We are not obligated to complete the
work, nor are we free to desist. (<i>Pirke
Avot </i>– Ethics of Our Fathers - 2:21, if you must know.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then we get these holidays – like today is <i>Shavuot.</i> Time
out. I’m on holiday today, a holiday which I am not particularly observing, and one which seems
something of an interruption of everything I have on my plate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so here I sit at work of my own choice. I will proceed to the yoga mat and to the
garden, in due time, perhaps within the hour. But for now, as I will, and as I
must: I will post my own work<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
<i>About Shavuot</i> </h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In case you are still wondering – as most people do -- Shavuot
is the holiday that celebrates the giving of the Torah to the Jews. On the Jewish calendar, it falls 50 days after
the second night of Passover and historically marks the new agricultural
season, the Holiday of First Fruits. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The food of choice for Shavuot, is cheese (most typically
served as blintzes or <i>burekas,</i>
Israeli cheese-filled dough pockets.) Why cheese: from Scriptures somewhere in
Exodus, Israel is described as the Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3vmTVVcQk1U/UZOwaNUTo1I/AAAAAAAAGFE/v-hOROg_bx8/s1600/IMG_1279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3vmTVVcQk1U/UZOwaNUTo1I/AAAAAAAAGFE/v-hOROg_bx8/s400/IMG_1279.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because, and just
because, a recipe is in order here, I offer my link to burekas,<a href="http://food52.com/recipes/16576-eureka-burekas-stuffed-with-celery-fennel-and-potato"> posted onFood52. </a> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For better blintzes than ever I will attempt – I defer to a
higher authority: Joan Nathan on <a href="http://food52.com/recipes/21907-joan-nathan-s-chosen-cheese-blintzes">Chosen Blintzes for Shavuot.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p>Photos: Blinztes, Joan Nathan, courtesy of Food52 Burkas, VHenoch </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p> & Thanks for stopping by. </o:p></div>
<br />
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-38787830661172223382013-05-09T20:58:00.002-04:002013-05-09T21:01:11.336-04:00Missing Mother's Day<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #660000;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #660000;"><b>My mother liked to take issue with Mother’s Day.</b></span> It was her habit to pooh-pooh (her expression) the Day as a
Hallmark Holiday. ‘I’m not sentimental,’
she’d say, professing that every day was one kinda mother of a day or other.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now I have only to look in the mirror to find my mother’s
face. I am aging in the same way she
aged Much to my dismay, her face stares back at me with that same piercing
look, that perplexing expression so often mistaken as disapproving appraisal.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yikes. Have I turned into my mother. Really?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the risk of the sentimentality my mother tended to shun,
I evoke her memory, missing her still, though she’s been “gone” for nearly a
decade now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am a grandmother now – astonished to have turned into my
mother as I recall her at yet another stage of life. My mother was ‘blessed’ as they say with a
long life. Lo, not nearly long enough by
my measure. She reached the age of 86 - of sound body and nearly sound mind. Almost.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Married to my father for 64 years, a grandmother of four – grandsons
all - whom she knew through the wide expanse of their childhood through
college, growing into fine and lovely young men. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She was a great grandmother, too -- my sister’s
grandchildren -- twins, born a dozen years before my own sons married and had
children of their own. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No, I never would know the great grandmother my mother would
have been to my own little ones – three little boys – babies - who delight and
astonish me today.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So busy being a mother, I barely notice that I am no longer
a daughter. Until I blink back at the mirror.
Where is she? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In memory of Clare Kaplan Goldman and in honor of all mothers out there missing
their own Mother’s Day. . .this is a repost: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="post-header">
<div class="post-header-line-1">
</div>
</div>
<div class="post-body entry-content">
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YqcT9T5Ack8/TcNwuDbhPxI/AAAAAAAAEVk/zltj58bIKPY/s1600/Clare+in+color+scan+mode.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YqcT9T5Ack8/TcNwuDbhPxI/AAAAAAAAEVk/zltj58bIKPY/s400/Clare+in+color+scan+mode.jpg" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Clare Kaplan Goldman 1918-2004</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 10px;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>My mother never said good-bye.</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Literally. Good-bye
was not in her vocabulary. And she had a spectacular vocabulary – a
slam-dunk seven-letter-word-Scrabble-game, Sunday-New
York-Times-crossword-puzzle kind of vocabulary. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px; text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">"We
never say good-bye," she always corrected. My mother taught us: it’s
“so long.” So long for now. See you. See you again. Until next
time. It’s never good-bye. And never, never a long good-bye. In the
etiquette of “so long” there was also brevity.</span></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">
</span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px; text-align: left;">
</div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Make it short.</span></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">
</span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 10px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 10px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; min-height: 12px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 10px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; text-indent: 36px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ironically, my mother’s good-bye was painfully long when measured by her own standards of efficiency. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare’s
good-bye was, in fact, painfully short. A roller coaster ride. A nose
dive. From diagnosis to decline. A mystery to her doctors, her nurses,
her caregivers, Clare seemed clear about her path. It was going to be
just “so long” and not a long good-bye. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alzheimer’s. The
robber of memory and speech, of privacy and dignity, of vitality and
independence, took my mother by surprise. In response she defied its
course.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">"I’m too old to die,</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">"</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> she
said to me, not once but on many occasions. That wasn’t the
Alzheimer’s talking. I think Clare liked the joke, playing with the
language, pleased with the irony of that statement. </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Call
it denial. Call it defiance. She called it arrogance. Even robbed of
memory and speech, my mother had just the word for most everything. In
her last months of life, she told me how “arrogant” she had been to
think that she was invulnerable. </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Assisted </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">living? To Clare that was out of the question, impossible to imagine. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare was hard on herself, so often a mystery to us. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“I’m
no artist,” she’d say, even though she made a living at her drawing
board for more than 25 years, even though she said drawing was like
breathing to her, even though every wall in her home was filled with her
art, even though she painted portraits and drew cartoons as gifts to
family and friends, and sometimes just casual acquaintances. "I’m no
artist," she’d insist. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare
insisted on lots of things. Use an ATM machine? Never. Pay with a
credit card? Never. Pump gasoline at a service station? Never! Why call
it a service station? Vote Republican? Never. Eat MacDonalds? Never
ever. Not even once. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My
mother’s insistence was a lovely thing too. “Oh, no, I insist “– “be
my guest.” Clare had a big, generous heart. She parted with her things
easily and delighted in giving gifts. “They are only things,” she’d say,
routinely moving entire households and giving away all manners of
furnishings, valuables and clothing. It’s only money, she’d say. She
spared no expense to do or make something right. Clare gave with her
heart. </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare
liked to shop, not necessarily for bargains. She loved to cook and
entertain. The holidays and family dinners and celebrations were all
hers. We all remember vividly my mother’s resplendent tables. Paper or
plastic? Never. Wedgewood china, gleaming Waterford crystal, silverware
and fresh flowers. Dansk servers filling her long buffet tables. And
those wonderful pies. Two daughters, two weddings. Both hosted in her
home. Nothing catered. She baked and cooked and arranged everything
herself with love. And tremendous energy.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In
my heart, I will best remember my mother going full-force at
forty-something, in the prime of her life, in the robust health she was
blessed to have well into her eighties. </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare, my mother, was my best friend, my cheerleader, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">my best critic,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">my mentor, my </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ma</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ma. I still cry for her. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Seven years since she's been gone, and I look in the mirror sometimes, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">startled
to see her image staring back with penetrating green eyes, my image so
like hers, in the way my hair has turned to frosted grey, in the
expression of surprise, the furled brow, the set jaw, the tight-lipped
smile. I've turned into my mother. A grandmother now. . . and yet. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mother's
Day? Oh, don't be silly," my mother would gently chide, "You're so
sentimental," she'd say, "What's all the fuss? Don't you know Mother's
Day is just a Hallmark made-up holiday?" </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In
my mother's last days, people would tell me that the images of her
devastating illness would fade in memory. Not true. They are vivid,
and still haunt my dreams. People would say I did everything I could
for her. But I don't agree. She left me guessing, misguided, her
wishes unknown: And so I live with questions that will never have
answers. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But
I’ll always carry with me the memory of my mother's courage. With
Clare in such fragile condition over the final months of her life, in
the hands of nurses, caregivers, "strangers" to her, no one would ever
guess how forceful and strong she was. Clare was tough. A stoic.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">She
prided herself in her strength and stamina, shunned what she felt were
signs of weakness of any kind. I’m fine, she’d always say. Fine, no
matter what. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare,
indeed, was fine. Fine looking. Beautiful in her youth. A fine sense
of style and clothing. A fine, sharp intellect, a fine student earning
a scholarship to Oberlin. A fine seamstress, a fine cook, a fine
bridge-player, a Great Books discussion leader. A “working” mom, back
in the 50’s, long before working mothers were common, Clare liked to
break the mold, followed her own interests. She was athletic in her
youth and youthful for nearly the full measure of her age. She was a
tennis player in her early years. Roll back in time, before we were a
two-car family, and there’s my mother, grocery shopping with a
bicycle. And there was her passion for golf – golf chosen for its
complexity and sociability, but most of all the fact that she could play
it in Florida through the golden sunshine years with my Dad, her
Edward.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare
and her Edward. Now there’s a love story. A long story, to cherish
for another time. Ed and Clare. Married on New Year’s eve, 1939.
Inseparable, but for almost four years during the War. The great
generation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare
always defied her age, preferred the company, activities and interests
of young people. Too young to be a grandmother at 45, she insisted that
her first grandchildren, call her Clare. At 60-something, she
graciously accepted, but never fully embraced the designation
“Grandma.” Clare was blessed with three ‘sets” and two generations of
grandchildren. We should all live to see a span of grandchildren ranging
in age from 6 to 40. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-trQYmhPOfew/TcKamElCafI/AAAAAAAAEVI/Mz2dlv5cTWQ/s1600/Ed+and+Clare+in+love+refined.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-trQYmhPOfew/TcKamElCafI/AAAAAAAAEVI/Mz2dlv5cTWQ/s640/Ed+and+Clare+in+love+refined.jpg" width="425" /></span></span></a></div>
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</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare lived well, and lived long. Reason to celebrate. Without tears.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare
never cried. Privately, perhaps, but never openly. I can count on one
hand the times I’ve seen tears in my mother’s eyes. This phenomenon -
a mystery to me --she attributed to growing up with twin brothers close
in age. Never let ‘em see you cry. Later in life, she would say, I wish
I could cry, maybe I’d feel better. But I can’t. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clare was reserved. Fiercely independent. Capable, proud. And robustly healthy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So
telling are the last words I heard my father say to my mother, the week
before she died. “So long, big guy.” He knew. Partners for life,
they would soon part. Clare was my father’s rock, his shoulder, the love
of his life, the heart of his family, his Clara. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clara. As
far as I can recall, only my father called my mother Clara. Among the
nurses who cared for her, Clara was the name they most used. Her
defenses down or failing, “Clara,” the softer version of her name,
really fit her. You could barely hear her speak, but what she said
really touched everyone she came in contact with, and made an
impact. The last thing my mother ever wanted to be was a “sweet little
old lady” . . . but in her frailty she was most true to herself. Gentle
and fierce. So vulnerable and yet so fiercely private. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Clara,
my Clara” . . . I’ll never forget the response of the nurse who cared
for my mother the night she died. I was not at my mother's side. I had
left the room, but the nurse was there, and shared those last moments
with me, like a parting gift from God. "Sometimes a mother just knows,"
she told me."When the children leave the room, it's time to just let
go." And so my mother slipped quietly away, like a thief in the night,
stole a piece of me... and never said goodbye. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> In memory of Clare . . . and in celebration of Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12, 2012 </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Thanks for stopping by. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;">Photos: VHenoch </span></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-50945100977146301472013-03-27T17:31:00.000-04:002013-03-27T17:31:04.659-04:00What Should We Name the Grandma?<br />
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<i>Parental Advisory: this post may contain explicit content, strong language and drool</i></h4>
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"Call me Clare, kids." To my everlasting dismay, my mother detested the title Grandmother. In truth, at the age of 45, she was too young, too hip, too naturally frosted honey-brunette, and still too motherly, actively mothering me, to be anyone’s actual grandma, for Godsake. So she encouraged my sisters’ boys - her first grandchildren - to call her Clare.<br />
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Clare and Pop! That’s what my nephews called my parents. Two very bright and crisp sounding names. <br />
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Clare. The designation didn’t do it for me by the time my kids came ‘round. Clare in her sixties, living 2000 miles away in Florida -- seemed fine to me as Grandma. I insisted that she be grandma - and she more or less conceded. But since there were two grandmas - the other living in sunny San Diego -- my children, as soon as they were able to articulate the distinction -- started referring to their glamorously situated long distance grandparents as Grandma-and-Grandpa-in-Florida and Grandma-and-Grandpa-and-California. The distance of course took its toll. Our visits were always larger than life, vacations, holidays, never the luxury of small, ordinary, day-to-day engagements. My sons bonded to their grandparents -- dutifully, respectfully, but their memories are few and far between.<br />
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I grew up with my grandmother living two blocks up the street, a block away from my aunt, my uncle and cousins. We called my grandmother Mom. Not Mum. Not Momma. Just Mom, like our own mother. And my sister and I always understood, by the slightest inflection of our voices exactly which Mom we were referring to. We were close-knit, but like most families in the 60‘s, we sprawled further and farther apart from the old neighborhood to the newer burbs. Then my parents moved on from the burb to the life of snowbirds, then on the retirement, long distance calls, birthday cards, wistful plans to fly down for visits. They seldom came up North - our way. </div>
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<br />Today, from coast to coast, we are as near and dear to one another as our smart phones and iPads allow. There’s Facetime and Texting - communication abilities that would astonish my mother today were she with us. I recall how she used to scurry off the phone with us -- “It’s about to storm here, I must hang up.” (I never could understand the warning against talking on the phone and incoming lightning and thunder, but there it was, and so our conversations often were cut short -- and always strained when the kids were called on to get on the horn and say hello.. . . hello to Grandma in Florida, a long, long distance away.)<br />
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So here I find myself - a grandmother now. With a two-year grandson in Cleveland, a 5 month old grandson in Chicago... and one on the way in May back in Cleveland!<br />
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My husband and I are thrilled to be grandparents. Nothing news in there. We indulge in our good fortune, take pride and joy in our sons and their wives and their newfound wisdom as parents. We are enthralled by the smallest gesture of recognition from our little ones. We hang on every focused gaze, every burble and gurgle and miraculous word. And what will it be? Surely those first words will not be Grandma-and-Grandpa-in-Detroit. God forbid.<br />
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At the center of our tri-state arrangement, we have the ability and freedom to jump in the car at a moment’s notice and be with our children within 3 or 4 hours. And we do. We find ourselves on the road on weekends with great frequency these days. </div>
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But even so . . . the dance between long-distance grandparents and extended families is delicate, indeed. We must share. We must negotiate and manage our time and miles from one another. As we plan our visits and make our holidays, we need to factor in the sibs, their kids, the new blended family we’ve all become. We must prepare ourselves and our tables for either the more the merrier -- or the absence of our children from time to time, as they will and must fly on their own. <br />
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Now there’s Christmas and Hanuakah to navigate. Trees to decorate and potato latkes to fry. There’s Easter candy and Passover matzoh, which we’ve all chosen to pass over this year. There are birthdays, milestone anniversaries, the years behind us and ahead, flying by. In a blink.<br />
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Our little ones pull up in their cribs, already on on their feet, ready to run, catch and overtake us, as we chase the years gone by, gone in a blink. <br />
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What joy. To have little ones again. To peel back a generation as we change a diaper, ready a bath, cuddle and read with them, rock them to sleep. So like, and yet so different than our own sons and daughters. We scan their faces for our likeness. Is that your grandfather’s hairline? Is that daddy’s dimple? <br />
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A new generation. Our grandchildren! So new to the world and so precious to us, and ever-changing with every blink of our eye. How do we keep up?<br />
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We are a digital Face : time on a screen. We are a visitors with suitcases, bearing gifts, coming in for a quick hello and bye-bye. It’s all a dance, we must take our rightful turns, then take our bows and leave the stage, trying our best not be not to be overbearing, over-anxious or too greedy for time, more time. Together.<br />
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<br />What of this new love? This total infatuation with our new children? We bond and then part and bond back again, each visit a new mystery and revelation. Waiting for the word, the connection to be made: it’s grandma! It’s grandpa! Remember us? </div>
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It is said that we name our children, but that our grandchildren name us. So true. Which accounts for so many odd and fond names.<br />
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I love that my husband’s cousins have become CoCo and BoBo - CoCo -- so Chanel and chocolatey and BoBo, so warm and comic.<br />
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My sister, on the other hand, is Oma to her grandchildren. Strange to me because we are not of German origin - but a natural choice for her, on homage -- given that her first husband was born in Vienna, and his parents were Oma and Opa to her sons.<br />
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Personally, I’d like to be Grammy - like the the music award. But I’m fine with Grandma, mama, gamma like the rays. Gram as in weight, sounding like a cracker? Who knows how those first words will pan out and stick to us, like glue.<br />
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At a recent visit my husband elicited a word from our two-year-old that sounded a lot like UpPup - a name we found most amusing. Then came PopUp -- another delightful twist, which makes me - most appropriately MopUp.<br />
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My daughter-in-law’s mother’s name is Nan... a perfect segue to Nanna, I suppose. </div>
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So who are we? <br />
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Bubbe and Zayde? <br />
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Savta and Saba<br />
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Imma and Aba? <br />
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Grandma V and Grandpa M?<br />
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Nag and Nell? We’ll keep working at it.<br />
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Our words, words as we bathe our children in them - have their weight and meaning. What and how we choose to name ourselves in our grandchildren's young lives is a legacy we leave. We take it personally. Seriously. Lovingly. Curiously. Strangely.<br />
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A Grammy and Grampy still waiting to be named.<br />
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Photos: VHenoch (who else?)</div>
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Awww, thanks for stopping. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-66665527928623983892013-02-03T18:05:00.000-05:002013-02-03T18:05:14.118-05:00The Road Less Traveled<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Groundhog Day on Five Mile Road</span></span></h4>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6VY3oTfCPc/UQ7pphcbZxI/AAAAAAAAF90/_hwwYtMrUNk/s1600/Michigan+Snow_white+on+white-9425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o6VY3oTfCPc/UQ7pphcbZxI/AAAAAAAAF90/_hwwYtMrUNk/s400/Michigan+Snow_white+on+white-9425.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EUhYALUHLNg/UQ7qGTJm4SI/AAAAAAAAF98/g_mrey-fA-Y/s1600/Michigan+Snow_red+barn+silo-9465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EUhYALUHLNg/UQ7qGTJm4SI/AAAAAAAAF98/g_mrey-fA-Y/s640/Michigan+Snow_red+barn+silo-9465.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-troDeQ9ImjM/UQ7rxKNQKbI/AAAAAAAAF-8/GEAaHr7rBRo/s1600/Michigan+Snow_blacksmith+shed-9441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-troDeQ9ImjM/UQ7rxKNQKbI/AAAAAAAAF-8/GEAaHr7rBRo/s400/Michigan+Snow_blacksmith+shed-9441.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Northville, Michigan: from our door it’s 30 seconds to the gas station, grocery store, Einstein Bagel, CVS, Jet Pizza and Home Depot. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Typical suburban sprawl. Four minutes to the freeway, 20 minutes, give-or-take, east to the airport, or west to the campus of U of M in Ann Arbor; 25 minutes barreling across I-96 on a good day to get all the way downtown. Detroit. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and yet. . .</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">strangely, here we find ourselves on a country road,</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">so close and yet so far removed from where we live and what we know. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f2nZ_wPmzPk/UQ7qWjW_i-I/AAAAAAAAF-E/wDod8_kTIr4/s1600/Michigan+Snow_shed-9424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f2nZ_wPmzPk/UQ7qWjW_i-I/AAAAAAAAF-E/wDod8_kTIr4/s400/Michigan+Snow_shed-9424.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ni4O-9C2fA/UQ7qhaCecII/AAAAAAAAF-M/aZx4YWsY6C4/s1600/Michigan+Snow_silo+with+tires-9489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ni4O-9C2fA/UQ7qhaCecII/AAAAAAAAF-M/aZx4YWsY6C4/s640/Michigan+Snow_silo+with+tires-9489.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just 10 minutes from our doorstep, Five Mile Road turns from asphalt to dirt, a road less traveled. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-svDdAKSwQkQ/UQ7q2Y4mOTI/AAAAAAAAF-c/r9jXcHlqtfI/s1600/Michigan+Snow_yellow+house-9442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-svDdAKSwQkQ/UQ7q2Y4mOTI/AAAAAAAAF-c/r9jXcHlqtfI/s400/Michigan+Snow_yellow+house-9442.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yWU-Tag9Ank/UQ7q-u4dJYI/AAAAAAAAF-k/8Twbvi3wYkE/s1600/Michigan+Snow_white+house+w+fence-9485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yWU-Tag9Ank/UQ7q-u4dJYI/AAAAAAAAF-k/8Twbvi3wYkE/s400/Michigan+Snow_white+house+w+fence-9485.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Something magical happens in the snow here, in the camera lens and the gloaming of late afternoon. A different light. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aH7RWstKvOs/UQ7rU0qF7zI/AAAAAAAAF-s/T7XL_NfhHUY/s1600/Michigan+Snow_cemetary-9443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aH7RWstKvOs/UQ7rU0qF7zI/AAAAAAAAF-s/T7XL_NfhHUY/s400/Michigan+Snow_cemetary-9443.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The road bends as snow falling silently covers our tracks. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Heading home, in an Andrew Wyeth painting, we know we’ve been somewhere. Else. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0OjEkP4GpDU/UQ7sYIPsxeI/AAAAAAAAF_M/8EjJ1TwxUD8/s1600/Michigan+Snow_red+barn-9517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0OjEkP4GpDU/UQ7sYIPsxeI/AAAAAAAAF_M/8EjJ1TwxUD8/s400/Michigan+Snow_red+barn-9517.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-42940299069923335842012-12-12T08:08:00.000-05:002012-12-12T10:07:22.794-05:00Stash Away, Stash Away<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reed Krakoff. 'Tis the season. </td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I have this thing about bags</span>. You know, those things designed to carry your <i>things.</i> Funny thing: the more things I have, the more I lust for The One. Perfect. Bag. That one elusive object of desire I have yet to define. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And so I carry on, as carry on I must. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bag lust.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our mothers called them purses. Pocketbooks. Back in the cash-and-carry day when ladies kept white gloves in tote, along with bright red lipsticks and those things called coin purses to stash spare change inside their, uh, purses. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Handbags -- considered by Sigmund Freud to represent female genitalia in the language of dreams -- used to be little more than a stylish essential, a well planned investment one could carry for years, if not for a lifetime. My old trusty Coach a case in point. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I don’t get it</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How did the ordinary handbag slip into the status stratosphere? The term <i>It Bag </i>was coined in the 90s with the inexplicably explosive growth of the handbag market in high fashion. Logos became emblems, badges of shopping honor worn by the hip, the chic and the most fashion-forward of consumers. Designers competed for those customers, young and old around the world, to produce that One, Single Sensational iconic design to be celebrated by the press, or better yet to be seen on the Red Carpet. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Go figure </b></span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They were oversized, strappy, and frankly kinda schleppy, but among the more successful individual designs created during this time were the <i>Paddington</i> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlo%C3%A9"><span style="color: #10209a; letter-spacing: 0px;">Chloé</span></a>, @$1540 retail, now a "bargain" on ebay at $899; the <i>Motorcycle</i> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balenciaga"><span style="color: #10209a; letter-spacing: 0px;">Balenciaga</span></a>, @$1750 retail, “pre-owned" on bagborroworsteal.com at $1145; and the <i>Alexa</i> by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulberry_(company)"><span style="color: #10209a; letter-spacing: 0px;">Mulberry</span></a>, a rather baggy looking thing still hanging around Harrods in London or on net-a-porter.com</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">@$1650</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">. </span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B23ac449N4E/UMht2iryf3I/AAAAAAAAF8g/G3C_JbLEiiM/s1600/chloe-paddington-red.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B23ac449N4E/UMht2iryf3I/AAAAAAAAF8g/G3C_JbLEiiM/s1600/chloe-paddington-red.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Other creators of coveted bags that rose through the ranks: Chanel (forever Chanel), Bottega Veneta, Prada, Gucci, Ferragamo, Burberry, and the ubiquitous Louis Vuitton. All still carry on today in department stores, duty-free shops in airports and in knock-offs found and sold on the web. </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If the appeal of the IT Bag is on the wane, sorry, I’m a bit out of step, still hunting for <i>The One.</i> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Rarely do I walk through a department store without a pawing through a handbag or two on display.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Is it the supple leather, the shiny new hardware, the strappy sensual curve thrown over the shoulder? What is it that I find so seductive, so promising and yet so impossibly</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">stupid about a handbag with a price equivalent to twice the median weekly earnings for full-time working women in America?</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chloe</td></tr>
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<b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Get real </b><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">real</b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Okay, I know what you’re thinking: WTFC, “Go shop at Target, honey. Buy yourself a Burlington. Whatever. Get a life!"</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In “virtual reality,”my favorite place to shop for bags is online. Here I can lay to waste my leisure time, browse with the best, visit the swankiest sites, hit “Add to Bag,” then quietly, discretely move to the next page, credit card safely out of reach.</span></span><br />
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<b style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The black hole theory</span></b><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What feeds this obsession? What could possibly be missing in my life that compels me so to shop without purchase? Go figure. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On a day to day basis, I carry a serviceable if not lovely black shoulder bag of fine (enough) leather. Trouble with a basic black bag, things get lost. Hunting through those deep dark recesses and crevices of its multiple pockets, I need a flashlight to find car keys, cell phone, that red lipstick and oh, yes, that occassional stray black glove. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And so my virtual shopping obsession has yet to staunch my desire for IT. I hold the flame still burning for The Mother of All Bags. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh, how I carry on. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My latest jag for bags is the designer Reed Krakoff. Not the most expensive designer on the block, but no slouch, even so for a slouchy hobo kinda bag. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In search of the perfect evening bag, an accessory for a wedding</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">, I was smitten by a small leather woven box with a clever little knot clasp. Ah yes,</span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> The Knot! </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> Perfectly tied and true. A clutch known in better circles as a classic Botttega Veneta. A collector's item, a handbag of heirloom quality. Tempting as a BV may be, there’s no way I could spend that much for a bag designed to hold nothing more than a compact and credit card. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YEr0aHntnwY/UMfwDhufnRI/AAAAAAAAF7c/kcD8pjOBOfc/s1600/113085_v2212.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YEr0aHntnwY/UMfwDhufnRI/AAAAAAAAF7c/kcD8pjOBOfc/s320/113085_v2212.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vintage Bottega Veneta Circa Whoknows</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Chanel? A little stodgy quilted affair on a chain? That too, out of the question! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Another designer bag that’s gotten under my skin is Chloe. My niece(-in -law) just came back from Vegas with a Chloe.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Nice winnings.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Good for her!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">There but for the grace . . . but anyway . . . so it goes with bag envy.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ADD TO CART</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Handbags aren’t the only category of bags that appeal to me. Unfortunately. There are camera bags -- bags with specific requirements: to have and to hold multiple lenses, batteries, memory cards, just what you “need.” </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There’s the laptop bag, with it’s little accessory bag, now supplanted by the iPad case. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The things we carry. So much baggage.</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And don’t get me started on<i> luggage.</i> I’ve never met a Tumi I didn’t love. There’s the day tripper, a weekender, a voyager, the sojourner, the wanderlust bag, not to mention the packing cubes and clever bag-in-the-bag organizers.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yhHblyvRKOU/UMfwXObCoAI/AAAAAAAAF7k/9J-oWaUQE3k/s1600/pTUMI1-14273149v194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yhHblyvRKOU/UMfwXObCoAI/AAAAAAAAF7k/9J-oWaUQE3k/s1600/pTUMI1-14273149v194.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Bag lady that I am, I’ve now spread the bag bug to my husband! Like codependents we have encouraged our bag habits. And now at last, in his inimitable competitive style, my dear husband (the love of my life?) has found The One. A </span>bag<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> I would never imagine we’d need. The Bag to End All Bags. A bag worthy of a Dr. Seuss book, if only Theodore, himself, were with us still to write it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Behold: the Biknd Helium Bicycle Travel Case</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">A </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">bag for a bike! You know: the thing most people ordinarily ride on two wheels? </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Who’d imagine a bag so clever as to carry a bike? </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">The Helium. <i>Only </i>24 pounds. Big enough for a human stowaway, albeit somewhat dismembered. T</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ough ballistics nylon on the outside, comfy, cozy pockets and sleeves on the inside. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">And no,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">it’s not filled with helium. The case comes with inflatable pneumatic padding. And its own pump. Just 70 poofs per side and it's ready to fly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Utilitarian Biknd design that it is, the Helium offers storage for not only for two, but </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">four </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">wheels. (“Go ahead,” the copy invites, "Take your </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">aero </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">wheels </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">and</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> your lightweight wheels for the days when you'll be high in the mountains.) </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">How high </i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">in the mountains? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh, the places we'll go with this.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Bags packed. Jingle bells. . . all the way. </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P7L3SFlJfUY/UMfxDjMoMpI/AAAAAAAAF78/PKsFZGedtRc/s1600/SuperStock_4193R-1460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P7L3SFlJfUY/UMfxDjMoMpI/AAAAAAAAF78/PKsFZGedtRc/s200/SuperStock_4193R-1460.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span>Photos: Bagged, borrowed and stolen off the Web</div>
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(Thanks, SuperStock, Tumi, Chloe, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Saks, Reed Krakoff, Coach and Target. )</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-57586259457472337392012-12-06T07:23:00.000-05:002012-12-06T07:23:46.399-05:00Old Dog, Wise Soul<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><b>Photo of the Day</b></i></span></h3>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UfuWea9n_vQ/UMCNWtEYn5I/AAAAAAAAF6Y/NPGnhXXlmlw/s1600/old+dog-6212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UfuWea9n_vQ/UMCNWtEYn5I/AAAAAAAAF6Y/NPGnhXXlmlw/s640/old+dog-6212.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5:00 in the morning. Up and at’em, hands poised over the keyboard at this early hour, on the pretext that this is my habit. Writing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I would just as soon roll over, settle back undercover, into the familiar warm depression and tangle of bedding. Close eyes and let sleep take over until sunrise. Another two hours to rest. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But no. No rest for the weary, sleepy, happy, dopey or grumpy, as they say. Seems it’s off to work I go, tapping on keys. “Beating the daylights out” (wondering where that expression comes from), readying myself for the drive uptown later this morning. . . headed to another desk in the office where I’m employed, the place I will spend the entire day in the same posture, the same activity as now, tapping away at a keyboard. Writing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Writing.</span></span></h4>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is what I do. I have no wish to do otherwise today. I like my work, I am deeply habituated to it. I have no plans to retire, though the age looms and there will be decisions to make and a transition to navigate. Soon. Sooner or later. Not now. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Moments ago I opened an email from my brother-in-law, announcing his retirement. A short plat planner for the city of Seattle, he’s been working that one gig for thirty-five years, or something like that. He’s had no other job to my knowledge. One place, all those years. Steady work. Steady worker. Working right up and through the holidays, retiring with lunch at noon on December 31 with many Happy new years ahead. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Steady. I would say that describes my work-style, as well. I have worked nonstop since the summer I graduated from college. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How many jobs have I had? </span></span></h4>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Never counted. Let’s see: a dozen or so: </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Four short “apprenticeships” as a copywriter and art director of sorts in retail, working in-house at department stores (good for the development of a fashion sense and shopping discounts) </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two short passages and two long journeys home as a writer and creative director in ad agencies. (Had my fun.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A seven-year stint as a public relations writer for a non profit org. Good, serious hard work. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Four years of smoke, mirrors and alchemy as an exhibit developer for a science museum, until it closed its doors a year ago. (No worries, the museum is reopening after Christmas.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One year as a web content developer, writing and editing a monthly newsletter. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Seems I’m an old dog. Still learning new tricks. Still running in the park, well, figuratively speaking. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you’ve ever owned a dog, one you’ve raised as a pup, groomed and nurtured as “one of your own” dear members of the family, then you know, it takes many dog years to cultivate that mutual unconditional love which can exist between species, human and canine. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Old dogs are the best. </span></span></h4>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Long-time employment ain’t so bad either. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The pace of my new job is supposedly slower - a three-day work week gives me time and space to roam, to write, to pick up a camera and play. Old working dog that I am, I’m loyal, tenacious. Throw me a bone, I’ll chew on it for days. Still working with a purpose, on the short leash of people to reach and deadlines to meet. Sit. Stay. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I laugh when I think of my past work-lives. Bad dog! Running-crazy dog. Bitch. Ad show dog, Barking at strangers. Chewing up the furniture. Tearing up newspapers. Working in advertising, I had my run. I had my pups. I won some medals. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What irony: I’m a far better dog, an older but wiser writer now than I ever was back then, in the day. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Old dogs. Dang, if they don’t just keep getting better! </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>About the dog in the photo</b>: he’s not my pooch. I just caught his eye and he stayed to chat with me as I poked my hand and camera through his gate during a walk down his street in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Photo taken September 2012. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks for walking by. </span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-89081868739676376882012-12-02T13:26:00.003-05:002012-12-02T13:26:22.848-05:00My Digital Playpen: Out of Site, Out of Mind<br />
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<i>What's Up on the Desktop?</i></h3>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Promiscuous with my words, eclectic in my interests and tastes, I maintain a digital presence far too wide and unwieldy on the web. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The effect has been a cumulative and disturbing bogging down of my attention; an increasing disability to keep up any sense of participation in the various “communities” which I have </span>“joined” <span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">so enthusiastically </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> at one time or another. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To enumerate the sites where I have left my identity, maintained, if not curated profiles, and invested precious time, I am struck dumfounded by the actual count:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Let’s see: </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">There’s <b>Blogger:</b> this is my mainstay, the blogspot where I began on a dare from a friend four years ago. There we started a writers’ collective we called Artist’s Wayfarers. (Too cute!) There we giddily blogged for the very novelty of the act, until we all ran dry. Still scribbling, dismayed to lose the company of my friends on AW, I set out on my own to wildturtlecrossing.blogspot.com (a site from which I still launch all my posts). Wild turtle crossing. I own the domain, have yet to turn it into my own dot-com. That’s another story.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Open Salon:</b> three years ago, I dropped into Open Salon by happenstance, after reading a rant from Salon.com book editor, Laura Miller, on the absurdity of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month.) On OS - as insiders call it, I discovered a chummy and chatty (sometimes deliciously catty) company of writers of all stripe. Here I suddenly found I had “readers” with a running commentary, a social media site at its best. Here I had a community of “virtual friends” - though I’ve never met a single one of them in person. We entertained one another with with an endless supply of advice, accolades, opinions, recipes, photography, poetry and bouts of tribal wisdom. Our writing was sometimes rewarded with an “Editor’s Pick” that extended our audience to the <i>Big Salon</i>, a pet name for Salon Magazine, a site I have followed for years. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sadly, OS appears to be in shambles of late. Navigation is painstakingly slow, spammers are rampant, my “virtual buddies” are abandoning ship, fleeing to a new site called Our Salon.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Slow to rile, I’m sticking with Open Salon for now because I have hope that it’s not going down. (Please say it’s so.)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Our Salon:</b> this one’s new to me. A robust site with lots of functionality (is that even a word)? Our Salon is “busy busy” as the most recent email from the site describes, listing the new tabs and drop down menus, all designed to ‘simplify my online experience.’ The site literally chirps, cheerfully indicating members online - a feature that compels me to hit the mute on the computer. Plenty of “sharing opportunities” with Facebook Twitter and Pinterest, all good social media tactics make the site downright friendly . . . but a little <i>too</i> busy-busy for my tastes. Anyway, on I go, and here I am. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Food52:</b> this is a drop-dead gorgeous food site, arguably the best spot for food on the web.<i> “Because if you cook, you’ll make others happy, you’ll make your home an important place in your life.” </i>I remain in awe of founding editors, Amanda and Merrill - the heart, soul and brains behind this site. Lots of humor, beautiful photography and genius recipes. Then there’s the “crowd-sourcing" aspect of the site. Cooks, pros and amateurs alike, are invited to post and maintain recipes and to jump into a biweekly recipe contests. Proud to say I've earned a “Community Pick” or two. Below are results from the test kitchen for my<a href="http://www.food52.com/recipes/19185_crab_mac"> Crab Mac, </a>with photography a lot more polished than the photos I submitted. Fun stuff. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>LinkedIn: </b> I don’t spend a lot of time here, but it’s an invaluable spot for keeping track of colleagues, companies, jobs lost and found, gossip. It’s astonishing how much useful information just flows into my email box on a daily basis just keeping pace on Linkedin. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Facebook</b>: Ugh. I resisted this one for a long time. Now as a web content developer for a nonprofit, I’m now obliged to partake. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Twitter</b>: I was an early adopter, have been on Twitter before I had any idea what I was doing on the site. Truth be told, I still haven’t a clue, but sure enough, I have followers.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Smug Mug: </b>A fine place to upload, store and share photos. Got a zillion reasons to use the site as it easily works with the Lightroom software on my computer. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>National Geographic: MyShots </b>My camera skills aren’t much, but I compensate with a good eye, a love of interesting faces and spaces, and the chutzpah to shoot strangers on the street. I get lucky sometimes. Just started posting my favorite shots on the site, for nothing more than the sheer pleasure of seeing my stuff under the National Geographic banner.</span></div>
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<b style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Library Thing:</b><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> a great place to catalog a book collection. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Unfortunately I can’t and so I haven’t kept up</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Noting Books: </b>another great place to track and document what you’ve read - with short reviews. As much as I (want to) read, I have a bit of catching up to do on the site. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>myJewishDetroit.org </b>This is where I spend most of my time: my day job, writing and editing the community online pub, powered by the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Visit if you dare. . . for articles on for every taste, from old Detroit to young startups from urban gardens to Yeshivas kindergartens, from Eastern market tours to missions to Israel. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That's it. At least that's all I admit to following. My top 12 sites. And my 1000 words and pictures for the day. Appalling! Where <i>does </i>the time go? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So, where do you live online? What are you doing here? And<i> geeesh</i>, isn’t it <i>about time</i> to get up and <i>stretch</i>, take a break, take a breather, go outside, enjoy the rest of your day, whatever is left of it?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Photos: Vhenoch</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">James Ransom: Food52</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Thanks for stopping by</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-46859757705438559012012-11-30T11:37:00.000-05:002012-11-30T17:06:14.489-05:00On Zester, On Muddler, On Bundt Pan, On Roaster<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oy, before it’s Christmas, I need to wrap up Thanksgiving. Truly, dearly I love each and every member of my family, but honestly, we went a little over-the-top this year. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Starting with thirty people for dinner,</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">eleven houseguests, divided among three households </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5 cooks</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3 cats </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 infants including a newborn. . .</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and a party planner. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Making our pilgrimage from Boca Raton and Sarasota, from Cleveland and Detroit, from Dallas to Lincoln Park. . . and on to Evanston, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">we carried cakes on planes, packed coolers with pastry and produce, stuffed diaper bags with sippy cups, graham crackers and blankets. . . all to convene in my nephew’s kitchen, armed with recipes and carving knives.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Because we could, we did: cook, bake, baste, simmer, stew and stir way-out-of-control. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not only did we roast a turkey, we grilled a breast, and bought a smoked turkey, too, because really you can never have enough, can you?</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We shared the wealth (and expense) of an extravagant menu. We took obsessive and compulsive trips to the grocery -- remembering and forgetting item after item. One at a time. Berries for the Bundt cakes. Limes for the margaritas. Rosemary for the birds. Cream for the pies. Celery for the bloody merry drinks. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Because we needed to, we divided our labors, disrupting three (no, make it four) kitchens, each according to the household where we were guests.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a flurry, we divvied up the meal-prep, two-by-two and much-too-much of everything in proportions that could feed Noah’s Ark. Two kinds of stuffing, two kinds of potatoes, two cranberry relishes, two vegetable casseroles. Appetizers, breads, pies, cakes and sweets in multiples too numerous to mention. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Because we dared, we set the table in the finished basement of my nephew’s elegant home in Evanston. We rented tables (two-by-two), rented dishes and linens and even hired a designer to make the setting outright spectacular. And it was. Candles glowing. Silver and crystal gleaming. A chandelier hanging over the serving buffet? A Thanksgiving banquet table (and fire hazard) worthy of a state occasion - a royal feast -- far, far from the original intention and gesture of our founding fathers and Native Americans. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Ah well, so much for the Norman Rockwell version of our story, here’s what really happened. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Control freak that I am, I served as the self-appointed sous chef, researched and devised a menu out of the pages of <i>Bon Appetit</i> and the website <a href="http://www.food52.com/users/recipes/38095_vivian_henoch">Food52</a> (where I now collect my recipes). I “assigned dishes” to each of the participating cooks, each according to their preferences and culinary strengths. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A little pretentious and intimidating? Ya think? </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susan</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Expecting the Clash of the Titans in the kitchen, my nephews steered clear of our menu choices while their mother - my sister, Susan - and I hashed out our plan to tackle most of the meal, starting with separate runs to Whole Foods on Tuesday. Susan (my only sib) and I have the longest history in the clan as it stands today. I know from vivid memories of Thanksgiving Days past that she can be accident prone with a knife, so I know not to mess with her head. Nonetheless, Susan and I think in perfect synch when it comes to cooking and together we whipped up our part of the meal quite compatibly and amicably -- and quite well, if I must say so myself. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QuGZAIBEiF4/ULjN7R6xq2I/AAAAAAAAFz4/UlvwNLhRnyk/s1600/matt+wendy+and+mason-8422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QuGZAIBEiF4/ULjN7R6xq2I/AAAAAAAAFz4/UlvwNLhRnyk/s400/matt+wendy+and+mason-8422.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt, Mason, Wendy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KccWA7WiQ2o/ULjP2No0tcI/AAAAAAAAF0Q/0Nnru-sVbUI/s1600/Jeri+Ben+Andy2-7880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KccWA7WiQ2o/ULjP2No0tcI/AAAAAAAAF0Q/0Nnru-sVbUI/s400/Jeri+Ben+Andy2-7880.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeri, Ben (Ben & Jeri!) and Andy</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Our gracious, most generous and patient hosts: Douglas --</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">my hyperkinetic nephew - and Ellen, quite the opposite in temperament -</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">started the tradition of our</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">family Thanksgiving Extravaganza a few years back.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">The table has expanded and extended again and again, as our family has grown, now to include a new generation of married cousins</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">- their babes in arms and in-laws, too.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Add my husband’s cousins - and you have a houseful of us, before we even get started with Doug-and-Ellen’s family and friends.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UDIRA-MOadQ/ULjPWK7MgfI/AAAAAAAAF0I/1-cmVbzwi1M/s1600/Ellen2-8075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UDIRA-MOadQ/ULjPWK7MgfI/AAAAAAAAF0I/1-cmVbzwi1M/s400/Ellen2-8075.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ellen</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">In all the clamor of a loud Jewish family,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Ellen is Irish and gently ribs us for carrying on the way we do about food.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Why can’t we ever keep dinner to one simple choice of each thing - why all this megillah?</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">And all the calls and emails back and forth. . . on and on for a month it goes.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Ellen claims no specialty for the holidays -- but she’s fine “for perfect comfort food” in her own right, and quietly bakes the most beautiful pies I’ve ever seen or tasted. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHTV3PjxANU/ULjQC_3fSAI/AAAAAAAAF0Y/g_hEUMdmnCk/s1600/apple+pie-8078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RHTV3PjxANU/ULjQC_3fSAI/AAAAAAAAF0Y/g_hEUMdmnCk/s400/apple+pie-8078.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caramel apple cranberry pie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hX0wD1RrsNw/ULjNE0-jpOI/AAAAAAAAFzo/QIIJ8Di7ynk/s1600/Sandy2-8253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hX0wD1RrsNw/ULjNE0-jpOI/AAAAAAAAFzo/QIIJ8Di7ynk/s400/Sandy2-8253.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandy and flight-worthy chocolate cake</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Douglas -- everyone should have a Douglas in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day -- on any day for that matter.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">We joke about the “Douglas gene” - lament that it’s recessive in our children, and attribute it to my father who was the family neat-freak, running the vacuum after guests even when they were still in the house. Douglas has inherited the trait to extreme. Okay, maybe he’s a little OCD, but in a good way.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">He trails you in the kitchen like Smokey the Bear stamping out forest fires; with wet towel in hand he mops and wipes and polishes surfaces, clear of every spec and splatter of grease and flour. Doug alphabetizes his spices -- removes them from their carrossel and wipes the bottles clean after every use. His refrigerator, his cupboards, his drawers are all wonders of organization.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">And yet, as tidy as he keeps his home, he’s a good sport, ever-so-welcoming of people who come in to his kitchen, tear through his cupboards, - abusing his pots and pans, sharpening his knives, scorching his burners on a new stove, no matter.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">He’s with you - and with his God -- rag in hand, cleaning up the aftermath. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4NjzZ3G9YnQ/ULjQLGYYvPI/AAAAAAAAF0g/I5xHZVCh2kM/s1600/doug-8072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4NjzZ3G9YnQ/ULjQLGYYvPI/AAAAAAAAF0g/I5xHZVCh2kM/s400/doug-8072.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Douglas in his element: kitchen</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">My husband, Mal: the turkey roaster. For as long as we’ve been making Thanksgiving dinners together -- and that’s a long time now -- he’s bee the designated hitter for the task. Because he’s never overcooked the bird - not ever, it’s always done to perfection. As a physician, he’s seems the natural for the job of carving . . . even though he's not a surgeon, and so it’s done. (Truth be told, on Thanksgiving morning, if he had his druthers, he’s be out there riding a bike along Lake Shore Drive; he doesn’t even care for turkey - we roast exactly one bird a year and that’s it.) </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ve7XsCcKetQ/ULjQU-G0o1I/AAAAAAAAF0o/KePbuiHR_8Y/s1600/Turkey+Maker+Mal-8164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ve7XsCcKetQ/ULjQU-G0o1I/AAAAAAAAF0o/KePbuiHR_8Y/s400/Turkey+Maker+Mal-8164.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malcolm, turkey-roaster</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s-J_y0L3iNQ/ULjRx1IrcAI/AAAAAAAAF04/8bfbOxCAtZM/s1600/David2-8207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s-J_y0L3iNQ/ULjRx1IrcAI/AAAAAAAAF04/8bfbOxCAtZM/s400/David2-8207.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David, Doug's bro</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">My nephew David: another welcoming and gracious host and fine cook - accommodates our family from out of town in his condo.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">David is always ready, willing and very able to fill in, shop, cook as needed. . . I’ve never seen him break a sweat -- that is, until this year, when his oven went out on Thanksgiving morning.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">He had undertaken the prep of all the veggies, as well as the menu choices of his house guests - my husband’s cousins, Sandy and Robert, who traditionally bring the gravy, soup and a surprise dessert.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_rU62X17OP8/ULjTwete2oI/AAAAAAAAF1g/DprFbK4HDbM/s1600/DavidZach+and+Lauren-8213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_rU62X17OP8/ULjTwete2oI/AAAAAAAAF1g/DprFbK4HDbM/s400/DavidZach+and+Lauren-8213.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David and twins, Lauren and Zachary</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPQ_3GfW2ko/ULjQbnDuMXI/AAAAAAAAF0w/5xuY8VFZ1pE/s1600/Robert-8130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xPQ_3GfW2ko/ULjQbnDuMXI/AAAAAAAAF0w/5xuY8VFZ1pE/s400/Robert-8130.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert, gravy-maker</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Without the oven, there was quite a flurry and change of venue</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">- whereby Doug and David “commandeered” the neighbor’s kitchen next door -- the neighbors being good friends and out of town. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1AFM4scwAPg/ULjSmpaiBpI/AAAAAAAAF1Y/BNDJMGaV2iI/s1600/nan-8120.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1AFM4scwAPg/ULjSmpaiBpI/AAAAAAAAF1Y/BNDJMGaV2iI/s400/nan-8120.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fihAfP_hXVc/ULjSANIdW1I/AAAAAAAAF1A/2kPp4lXdrqs/s1600/matt+and+mason-8103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fihAfP_hXVc/ULjSANIdW1I/AAAAAAAAF1A/2kPp4lXdrqs/s400/matt+and+mason-8103.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt and Mason, learning A-OK</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zB0nI1xmh7g/ULjUEoV3i2I/AAAAAAAAF1o/0v4pMQSolPA/s1600/lauren+and+mason-8191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zB0nI1xmh7g/ULjUEoV3i2I/AAAAAAAAF1o/0v4pMQSolPA/s400/lauren+and+mason-8191.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren and Mason</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Long story short, it was a mess at times and much-too-much of a fuss, but the result and the family who came to the table made it all worth it.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> Of course! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">We may have alarmed the in-laws</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">with all our antics in abundance, but hopefully we didn’t scare them away.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">For the first time, we got to share the pure joy and wonder of our grandchildren together - twins Zach and Lauren, toddler Mason and new baby Ben!</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Really, it doesn’t get any better than that:</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q2o0ywPMWgc/ULjXHAFHl7I/AAAAAAAAF2Y/gS2WytlJ-GI/s1600/helene-7777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q2o0ywPMWgc/ULjXHAFHl7I/AAAAAAAAF2Y/gS2WytlJ-GI/s400/helene-7777.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great grand mom, Helene</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SgmRQKyK3HQ/ULjVn-3Jc7I/AAAAAAAAF2A/P__amAdeMLI/s1600/carin+and+ben-7764.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SgmRQKyK3HQ/ULjVn-3Jc7I/AAAAAAAAF2A/P__amAdeMLI/s400/carin+and+ben-7764.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carin and Ben</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PMlTFzXXNxo/ULjVeNJy7JI/AAAAAAAAF14/bjTdT7tZisc/s1600/ben2-7924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PMlTFzXXNxo/ULjVeNJy7JI/AAAAAAAAF14/bjTdT7tZisc/s400/ben2-7924.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben, rarely seen in PJs. . </td></tr>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FfEUnpQOpbI/ULjUbXn9HYI/AAAAAAAAF1w/L3xAuXHLqac/s1600/Welcome+Benjamin-7915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FfEUnpQOpbI/ULjUbXn9HYI/AAAAAAAAF1w/L3xAuXHLqac/s400/Welcome+Benjamin-7915.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Until next year.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The players:</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Hosts: Doug and Ellen</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Cooks: Susan, VH, David, Mal, Sandy, Robert, Carin</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Kids: Matt & Wendy, Andy & Jerry, </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Grandkids: Lauren & Zach, Mason and Benjamin</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Grandparents: Susan, Jeanne, Mal, VH, Carin, Drew, Nan, Helene, </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Good Friends: Bob, Jean, Michael, Allie, Preston, Dwayne, Gina, Cameron, Evan</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jvvbmh31mUA/ULjWCmZJZ2I/AAAAAAAAF2Q/3z5hDytaV6k/s1600/susan+and+bob-8260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jvvbmh31mUA/ULjWCmZJZ2I/AAAAAAAAF2Q/3z5hDytaV6k/s400/susan+and+bob-8260.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bob and Susan</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">(A funny wrap-up email</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">from Doug in response to our search of a zester</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> i</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">n his kitchen: )</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now seriously…I’m fine with my two Bundt pans and I’m also fine with my 2-rack ovens. I do acknowledge that our bar was not complete without a muddler, so I purchased one…along with a new-fangled can opener…I dare anyone to try to use it successfully next time you all are here.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But to have been accused of not having a zester when I was quite positive I had one…now to THAT I took exception. And worse, I was told it had to look like a rake or some such gardening tool…now that had me all muddled. So upon inquiry at Williams-Sonoma for a proper zester, what do they bring me to? Well, have a look yourselves at the attached pictures. It’s a bird, it’s a (micro)plane, it’s Ultimate Multi-Zesteur! Now in one of the pictures, if I might please bring your attention to the end of the handle on the left…see right there…those circular doo-hickies…two sizes no less! With those you may make your citrus peel curls in, not one, but two sizes. </span></i></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So I am writing to exonerate myself of the accusation that I did not have a zester. To the contrary…I had quite the zester. It seems it was not I, but everyone else that was muddled over my zester.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now I am still in search of a proper roasting rack…so far all the ones I have found come with a roaster, of which I already have 3. Thanks, Doug</span></i></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CIH8tfUW4XA/ULjZCz1bk9I/AAAAAAAAF2g/lB8zRghmjRI/s1600/2012-11-28_21-34-12_933.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CIH8tfUW4XA/ULjZCz1bk9I/AAAAAAAAF2g/lB8zRghmjRI/s320/2012-11-28_21-34-12_933.jpg.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zester in question</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-46910062748270519852012-11-29T16:49:00.000-05:002012-11-29T16:49:23.844-05:00To Write. Or Not. Every Day. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RyfmLIgC7cI/ULfWt1gofNI/AAAAAAAAFyw/Nd-vEiomeQQ/s1600/Scrabble-8537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RyfmLIgC7cI/ULfWt1gofNI/AAAAAAAAFyw/Nd-vEiomeQQ/s400/Scrabble-8537.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If it’s not a New Year’s resolution, it should be. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If it’s not a habit, then it’s a good one to start. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If it’s not something you care to do, then stop. For god-sake, stop. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But if you’re a writer -- a real writer, then you <i>know</i>. You <i>must.</i> Write. Just keep the hand moving across the keyboard, no matter what or how painful the process. Keep the brain working. No matter how foolish or dull you feel or how much drivel it seems you can produce. You must. Write. Write every day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I do. For the most part. Almost every day, there’s an an article or some project waiting for completion on my desk. It’s <i>work</i>. Nice work if you can get it. But the fact that I’m working as a writer <a href="http://www.myjewishdetroit.org/">on assignment</a> for others is still my cop-out. . . one vainglorious excuse for<i> not</i> writing for myself. Every day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In my book, (and no, I am <i>not </i>working on a book) writing on assignment doesn’t count for writing that’s true and fine and. . .and who am I kidding? What I have here - staring back at me in black and white print - is not indeed true or fine. It’s a complaint. . . a<i> kvetch, </i>a rant about <i>not </i>writing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By my own admission - and negligence - I have a “blog” that’s run dry, gone fallow lo these many weeks. Blogger's block. Like Peter Pan visiting Tinkerbell at her last gasp, I must "clap, clap if I believe" in fairies and tap-tap on the keyboard - my launchpad - from which perhaps someday I will take flight for good and write, <i>write </i>as if my very life depended on it. Puzzling in a tumble of words. Letting them spill forth. Perhaps one day I’ll have enough scrabble pieces to fill the board. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or not. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For here and now, blogging will have to do the trick. Turning over a new page Every day. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It may not be the best, but it’s certainly not the worst way to pass the time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And thanks again for stopping by. </span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-79730631558796983642012-10-24T08:53:00.000-04:002012-10-24T08:53:33.043-04:00You should live so long<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SJPNJuP0okI/UIfiflh4CbI/AAAAAAAAFxY/aPh6fn2sBmY/s1600/MaryK2-7035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SJPNJuP0okI/UIfiflh4CbI/AAAAAAAAFxY/aPh6fn2sBmY/s400/MaryK2-7035.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Other than the fact that I snapped her photo as part of an interview in her apartment last Friday afternoon, the lady pictured here is of no relation to me.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And yet, as I processed her photos the other day and study them now more closely, I see how easily she could be my own grandmother. Her smile, her laugh, the sparkle still in her eyes, her spry little body, her energy, the way she carried herself, the natural instinct she had to hug and kiss me goodbye, all reminds me how long it’s been since I sat in an apartment chatting with my own mom, and my grandmother before her . . . how the years just melt away, as we live so long. </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tedjdKbt5tg/UIfiogO6IfI/AAAAAAAAFxg/UOeOXWEb_Io/s1600/MaryK1-7055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tedjdKbt5tg/UIfiogO6IfI/AAAAAAAAFxg/UOeOXWEb_Io/s400/MaryK1-7055.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m reminded, first with a jolt, then a laugh:</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I’m on my own path, now a grandma, myself.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Were she still alive, my grandmother Sarah would be 114 - give or take a year, as she never quite divulged her exact age to us. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The woman in the photo is Mary Kantor, remarkable in her own way at the age of 102. A resident of “Jewish Apartments” - an assisted living campus in Oak Park, a suburb of Detroit - Mary has lived in those apartments “aging in place,” as the industry is given to saying, for more than 20 years. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When asked how many grandchildren she has, Mary needs to stop and think. Six grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren? Or is it the other way around, sixteen grandchildren and. . . no matter, Mary has a lot of descendents, as she enumerates with her own daughter, sitting beside her on the couch. It’s Mary’s daughter who uses the walker we find parked next to the couch in the living room. Mary’s daughter is visiting - from another “senior apartment” where she lives nearby. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“You should live so long.”</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-54oQU9zlGNw/UIfjhUOINQI/AAAAAAAAFyI/p270CvaL7aA/s1600/MaryK6-7135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-54oQU9zlGNw/UIfjhUOINQI/AAAAAAAAFyI/p270CvaL7aA/s400/MaryK6-7135.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The expression is Yiddish in origin. “You should live so long,” is generally used to convey nuances of skepticism - sarcasm, affectionate ridicule. . . </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Excuse the expression (another Yiddism) but you should live so long means. . . don’t wait forever, because it will never happen. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And yet, here’s Mary, alive and living well enough, living through a century of life. We ask what’s “the secret” of her longevity. A loving family, a caring social network? Good health, good meds? Yogurt, wheat bran, a daily walk in the garden, meditation, faith? No. Mary answers that she keeps no secrets. I’ve lived a normal life,” she says, “Who knows, I guess I’m just blessed.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Come May, the Jewish Apartments supported by caring families and the philanthropic dollars of the Detroit Jewish community will celebrate “Older Adults Month.” There will be a luncheon in honor of those “most senior” among us, ranging in age from 95 years (the “youngsters” of the group) to 108, or whomever remembers the count this year. Each year the party gets a little bigger, a little giddier as the number of invitees and their offspring keep growing. Older and older. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iwTKa0VaTo8/UIfjFwhz-qI/AAAAAAAAFx4/qCc8DhGCmP8/s1600/MaryK5-7119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iwTKa0VaTo8/UIfjFwhz-qI/AAAAAAAAFx4/qCc8DhGCmP8/s400/MaryK5-7119.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It is estimated that by the year 2050, (we should all live so long!) the number of centenarians worldwide will reach nearly 6 million. Some say that half the babies born in the U.S. today will live into the 22nd Century. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Imagine. The miracles of science and medicine. The advancement of industry and the workplace. The world a better place? With more to life? Or just more living in apartments for the “aged.” With more discrepancies. More decrepitudes and imbalances. More social insecurities.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Most everybody wants a good long life, or to live for as long as possible. Given the strides made in medicine and the healthcare during the past 150 years, our life expectancy at birth has nearly doubled: from 40 years to 75. With the oldest among us living well past 100 years, some reaching 115 and onward (or so we’re told) it’s not surprising that we’re starting to believe in our own invincibility, that we too can be. . .curiously, deliciously, wonderously, insufferably long-lived. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">May we all. Live. So long. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fCm5GVZjn8Y/UIfjp8Uhi9I/AAAAAAAAFyQ/bxo61tL9Zzk/s1600/MaryK4-7104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fCm5GVZjn8Y/UIfjp8Uhi9I/AAAAAAAAFyQ/bxo61tL9Zzk/s400/MaryK4-7104.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Photos: VHenoch</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Thanks for stopping by.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-19413939839261123092012-10-06T15:49:00.001-04:002012-10-06T15:49:40.400-04:00Screeching to a halt: state of the blog<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not hits, no runs, no posts</span><span style="font-size: 14px;"> . . . no excuses, but it’s been something of a dry spell, here. Crossing the road on Blogger and Open Salon. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I’m reminded of the words I first put under the banner of the blog I started here two years and nearly 150 posts ago. . . </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's still is a wild turtle crossing. My wildturtlecrossing. </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Writers in the blogosphere now travel in unfathomable numbers. We are told -but who’s counting - that there are an estimated 450 million active English language blog sites today. How many blogs are there <em>really?</em> How many are long abandoned empty shells? The numbers vary wildly according to marketing sources, no doubt in favor of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google, Pinterest and so forth and so on and on. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The thing about social media is that you dare not stop, lest you lose</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your face on Facebook</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your feed on Twitter</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your interest on Pinterest</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your links on LinkedIn</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your circle of readers on Blogger, Word Press, Open Salon</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">No matter how tight or small, that circle closes the moment you stop</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your fidgeting at the keyboard,</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your commentary</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your responses</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">your writing, no matter how trivial or profound, </span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It all comes down to getting down to it every day. Write.</span></span></div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hit “publish” or perish. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">And so . . here we are. Here we go. Such mind-boggling traffic. So many speeding tires. So many turtles. Why follow? And where to?</span> </span></div>
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<img alt="turtle3-6701" hspace="5px" id="cid_4274794" src="http://open.salon.com/files/turtle3-67011349537705.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="285" /></div>
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<strong style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><em>"All the turtles are free.</em></strong></div>
<span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><em>As turtles, and, maybe,</em></strong></div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><em>All creatures should be."</em></strong></div>
</span><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><em>-Dr. Seuss</em></strong></div>
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</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></span><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<img alt="turtle1-6696" hspace="5px" id="cid_4275033" src="http://open.salon.com/files/turtle1-66961349537844.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="285" /></div>
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<img alt="turtler-6697" hspace="5px" id="cid_4275789" src="http://open.salon.com/files/turtler-66971349538344.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="285" /> </div>
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<span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong><em>Do you believe it? </em></strong></span><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">I can't verify the stats below (nor their date of entry), but I find them of relative interest: their source?</span><a href="http://www.jeffbullas.com/2011/09/02/20-stunning-social-media-statistics/" style="border: 0px; color: #0d2980; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">jeffbullas.com</a></div>
<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">One in every nine people on Earth is on Facebook ( This number is calculated by dividing the planets 6.94 billion people by Facebook’s 750 million users)</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">People spend 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Each Facebook user spends on average 15 hours and 33 minutes a month on the site</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">More than 250 million people access Facebook through their mobile devices</span></li>
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<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">More than 2.5 million websites have integrated with Facebook</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">30 billion pieces of content is shared on Facebook each month</span></li>
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<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">300,000 users helped translate Facebook into 70 languages</span></li>
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<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">People on Facebook install 20 million “Apps” every day</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">YouTube has 490 million unique users who visit every month (as of February 2011)</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">YouTube generates 92 billion page views per month (These YouTube stats don’t include videos viewed on phones and embedded in websites)</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Users on YouTube spend a total of 2.9 billion hours per month (326,294 years)</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wikipedia hosts 17 million articles</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Wikipedia authors total over 91,000 contributors</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">People upload 3,000 images to Flickr (the photo sharing social media site) every minute</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Flickr hosts over 5 billion images</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">190 million average Tweets per day occur on Twitter (May 2011)</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter is handling 1.6 billion queries per day</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Twitter is adding nearly 500,000 users a day</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Google+ has more than 25 million users</span></li>
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<ol style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: outside; margin: 18px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li style="border: 0px; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 12px; font-style: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Google+ was the fastest social network to reach 10 million users at 16 days (Twitter took 780 days and Facebook 852 days)</span></li>
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<br style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Read more at <a href="http://www.jeffbullas.com/2011/09/02/20-stunning-social-media-statistics/#Uo0H5OH3MwtVfWMV.99" style="border: 0px; color: #0d2980; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.jeffbullas.com/2011/09/02/20-stunning-social-media-statistics/#Uo0H5OH3MwtVfWMV.99</span></a></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<img alt="State-of-Blogging-in-2012" hspace="5px" id="cid_4272256" src="http://open.salon.com/files/state-of-blogging-in-20121349535550.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="285" /></div>
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Infographic: blogging.org</div>
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Photos: <em>Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories</em> by Dr. Seuss,</div>
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Random House, 1950 </div>
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Thanks for slowly stopping by</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-70944610825374074472012-09-28T09:11:00.000-04:002012-09-28T09:11:15.856-04:00The Quickening of Detroit<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A stroll along WEBward Avenue</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b>
<br />
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</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--X_0rdB6Oyg/UGN4eytZhNI/AAAAAAAAFuQ/OrPp38Gv46c/s1600/you+are+here-3775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--X_0rdB6Oyg/UGN4eytZhNI/AAAAAAAAFuQ/OrPp38Gv46c/s400/you+are+here-3775.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">In
Detroit there are the dreamers. </span>And there are the doers: those who dare
to make a difference: to “walk the talk,” as they say, turning and
returning to “The D” as a destination, a place of choice and new
opportunity. . . to live, work and play.<br />
<br />
Much has been written, spoken, tweeted, tagged, liked, linked and noted about our remarkable comeback city.<br />
The
seeds of renewal and revitalization are deeply rooted in Detroit’s very
nature. Out of adversity has come the commitment to change - a
compulsion to replant, to regrow, to rethink and to re-create.<br />
<br />
And
so we find ourselves – Motor City at the crossroads. Captivating
national interest. Shifting our attention back to the city, where
opportunity abounds. Detroit, a model laboratory of urban renewal, has
“beautiful bones” . . . a downtown with a world-class architectural
infrastructure, that’s accessible, walkable, affordable and wide open
for transformation.<br />
<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i>“New ideas need old buildings."</i></span></span> <span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i style="font-size: x-large;">-</i> Richard Florida, Urbanist, Author, <em> Atlantic</em> Senior Editor on <a data-mce-href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/special-report/detroit-rising/" href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/special-report/detroit-rising/" title="Detroit RISING">Detroit Rising.</a></span></span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<br />
Attracting
young, creative talent to the city is no longer that impossible dream.
They’re here, they’re coming back or coming to the city for the first
time to explore. They get it. They’re not waiting for a distant future
or perfect conditions to arise, they’re coming now in droves with their
own ideas and plans, with an entrepreneurial spirit, the heart and
desire to be a part of the rebirth of a great American city.<br />
<blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #4c1130;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><i style="font-size: x-large;">“You'll see it when you believe it.”</i></span>–<a href="http://www.quickenloans.com/press-room/leadership-team/dan-gilbert">Dan Gilbert,</a> Founder and Chairman, Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans, Inc.</span></blockquote>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OQ0-wQUNz6E/UGOxLDP4g0I/AAAAAAAAFv4/r0LMRIPtFTc/s1600/Window+shopping-3794.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OQ0-wQUNz6E/UGOxLDP4g0I/AAAAAAAAFv4/r0LMRIPtFTc/s400/Window+shopping-3794.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Gilbert effect: Rockin’ Detroit</span></b></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
One
of the champions of the new Detroit, its chief visionary, primary mover
and biggest booster is Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of <a href="http://bedrockmgt.com/family.php">Rock Ventures, </a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1495668006"></span>Quicken Loans,<span id="goog_1495668007"></span></a> principal at <a href="http://detroitventurepartners.com/portfolio/">Detroit Venture Partners</a> and
Majority Owner, Cleveland Cavaliers. Starting with the relocation of
Quicken headquarters to the Compuware Building, a decision that brought
1,700 Quicken Loans team members downtown in 2010, Gilbert has played a
key role in developing a creative tech-focused urban core. Over the past
two years, Rock Ventures – Quicken Loans' umbrella entity that oversees
Gilbert's investment and real estate - has moved full-steam ahead,
purchasing and repurposing prime properties, totaling more than 1.7
million square feet of office space and three parking garages downtown.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3lpN8jNfwJs/UGOtS_uZViI/AAAAAAAAFvQ/J-gK-mYG9Hk/s1600/M%2540dison+Theater+building-3778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3lpN8jNfwJs/UGOtS_uZViI/AAAAAAAAFvQ/J-gK-mYG9Hk/s640/M%2540dison+Theater+building-3778.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Building momentum</span> </h3>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8izDbU2RFo/UGOvfkPJJBI/AAAAAAAAFvg/Cli1Ys_7tgY/s1600/Twitter+Office-3716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8izDbU2RFo/UGOvfkPJJBI/AAAAAAAAFvg/Cli1Ys_7tgY/s320/Twitter+Office-3716.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
In
2011 Rock Ventures purchased the historic Madison Theatre Building and
began transforming it into a collective tech hub to incubate start-ups
and to encourage partnership among entrepreneurs. Early this year, the
tech giant Twitter moved into the building, signaling the real change
taking place, a growing tech industry forming at the heart of the city
along the new “WEBward Avenue” corridor. In July Rock Ventures' Title
Source moved into downtown Detroit’s First National Building, bringing
another 1,500 employees downtown. By year’s end, Rock affiliated
companies will have more than 6,500 team members working in Woodward’s
technology district surrounding Campus Martius.<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The buzz</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></h3>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RLb9l0oP79o/UGN5yoJOJHI/AAAAAAAAFug/-u-mK8On7Ro/s1600/Bruce+Schwartz-3697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RLb9l0oP79o/UGN5yoJOJHI/AAAAAAAAFug/-u-mK8On7Ro/s320/Bruce+Schwartz-3697.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Ask<a href="http://www.detroitchamber.com/participation/5527-bruce-schwartzs-biography"> Bruce Schwartz</a>, Detroit Relocation Ambassador at Bedrock Real Estate
Services, (Rock Ventures' commercial real estate team) for a tour of the
M@dison Building and he’s likely to begin with an invitation the 10<sup>th</sup>
floor of the Compuware Building where Quicken Loans' offices showcase
panoramic views of the city and a colorful, creative work environment,
clearly designed to inspire collaboration and innovation. A high-energy
guy, high on Detroit, Schwartz and his team have recruited an impressive
number of regional, national and international companies to Detroit.
“The word’s getting out. Detroit is selling itself,” he tells us. This
past summer, Quicken Loans had 8,700 applications from 157 colleges and
universities for 600 full-time internships. “Our magic is starting to
work,” Schwartz observes. “Students with an eye on a high-tech future
are choosing Detroit, not only for a great work opportunity, but also
for a great taste of the city.”<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Power block</b></span><br />
From the
Compuware Building, a power walk along Woodward Avenue takes us past
recent Rock Ventures building acquisitions, where reconstruction and
transformation are well underway. “What the city needs now is more
residential space - more affordable places to live, and we’re working on
that too,” Schwartz explains. “Right here, we’re looking at new lofts
and apartments, a new restaurant, new cafes, new pop-up retail and
shops.”<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d4JEStHiY9E/UGOtlP0c6mI/AAAAAAAAFvY/-TRCFmMaZEc/s1600/At+work+%2540M%2540dison-3733.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d4JEStHiY9E/UGOtlP0c6mI/AAAAAAAAFvY/-TRCFmMaZEc/s400/At+work+%2540M%2540dison-3733.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
Around the corner at 1555 Broadway, we enter the <a href="http://vimeo.com/35652615">Madison Theatre Building,</a> now known at M@dison. The bold neon signage at the
doorway says it all: YOU ARE HERE. We have arrived . . . The concept
is simple. And brilliant. Put the best and the brightest together, and
create a hive of activity in a collaborative work space, designed to
inspire, launch and accelerate new ideas and entrepreneurial enterprise
in the heart of Detroit.<br />
<br />
The
building is a breathtaking $12 million makeover, now home to 29
high-tech, creative and entertainment companies. From its fifth-floor
rooftop terrace, with a party capacity of 200, the M@dison offers a
spectacular view of Comerica Park. At every turn, one finds the
signature whimsy, bold graphics, artwork and sculpture, and cool office
design of the Quicken Loans brand of workspace style.<br />
<br />
First
recruit, moving its 20 some employees from Royal Oak, the design
company <a href="http://www.skidmorestudio.com/">Skidmore Studio </a>became the anchor for the M@dison Building.
“Collaboration. Sounds simple, but it means everything to us,” says
Skidmore CEO Tim Smith. “Moving into this space, returning to Detroit,
represents a commitment to building and flourishing in our city.”<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RJr6VIR3i80/UGOwiEhfO8I/AAAAAAAAFvo/-v_fHjddqkg/s1600/Andew+Landau-5884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RJr6VIR3i80/UGOwiEhfO8I/AAAAAAAAFvo/-v_fHjddqkg/s320/Andew+Landau-5884.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
A
newcomer among the third floor tenants, Andrew Landau, along with his
brother Ryan, recently launched a company called Chalkfly, to change the
experience of buying office supplies online. “The Chalkfly team has had
an incredible experience working in the M@dison Building,” says Landau.
“Leaders like Dan Gilbert and Josh Linkner have laid the groundwork for
an entrepreneurial renaissance that is taking place in Detroit. The
creative energy and collaborative spirit of the M@dison Building creates
the perfect atmosphere to build a successful business.”<br />
<br />
Back
on the street, on a noontime stroll to Campus Martius, you can’t miss
the fact that the city is not only alive and kickin’, it’s hot. It’s a
sunny new day, unseasonably warm on a July afternoon, the kind of
afternoon that drives the office crowd outdoors. The streets and
restaurants are filled with people and you notice: the jazz band playing
in the park, the variety of new restaurants, the chatter at outdoor
cafe tables, the long lines forming at the new food trucks, the
hustle-bustle of pedestrian traffic, bike-riders, dog-walkers, young
professionals, families with kids. There’s a new pace and heartbeat on
the street. It’s the heat, the energy and enterprise of the city on the
rise, a new Detroit, coming to life.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Rock Ventures Portfolio</span></h4>
Over the past 25 months, more than <a href="http://www.quickenloans.com/press-room/companies-that-have-joined-rock-ventures-in-downtown-detroit">60 companies </a>have moved to downtown Detroit in a number of <a data-mce-href="http://rockventures.net/" href="http://rockventures.net/">Rock Ventures</a>-owned buildings.<br />
These businesses include:<br />
<h4>
1528 Woodward (45,146 sq. feet; former Arts League Building):</h4>
1. Sachse Construction: Offering premium commercial construction services nationwide.<br />
<h4>
M@dison Building (50,000 sq. feet; 100 percent occupied):</h4>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph38xvcQhMY/UGOwvratLpI/AAAAAAAAFvw/XDTABDttbpE/s1600/Bizdom-3721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ph38xvcQhMY/UGOwvratLpI/AAAAAAAAFvw/XDTABDttbpE/s400/Bizdom-3721.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
1. Twitter: A real-time information network that connects people to the latest stories, ideas, opinions and news<br />
2. Skidmore Studio: A leading creative design firm occupying an entire floor in the building<br />
3. Detroit Venture Partners (DVP): A venture capital firm specializing in funding early stage technology businesses<br />
4. Detroit Labs: A leader in the development of Android, iOS and web-based applications<br />
5.UpTo: A new social platform focused on the future tense, allowing users to easily share calendar events<br />
6. Chez Zara: A full-service espresso bar that specializes in exceptional espresso drinks and organic teas<br />
7.
Bizdom: A non-profit entrepreneurship accelerator for budding web and
tech-based startups in Detroit and Cleveland (Bizdom Detroit was
previously housed in Wayne State University’s Tech Town)<br />
8. Are
You a Human: The answer to frustrating CAPTCHA entries, Are You a Human
uses fun games to verify the authenticity of people completing online
forms<br />
9. Doodle Home: An online interior design destination serving customers, designers and manufacturers of luxury home furnishings<br />
10.
hiredMYway : A company disrupting the traditional “job board” concept
that provides an exceptionally better value and experience for both job
seekers and employers<br />
11. TextsFromLastNight (Detroit office): An
accidental startup born out of a viral sensation, now one of the leading
user-generated content sites for 20-somethings<br />
12.FLUD: A
news-reader application for iPad, iPhone and Android devices that helps
users save time by delivering content they’re most interested in<br />
13.Marxent Labs: Creator of ShopWith.It, a new app for social shoppers that makes it easy to take your Facebook friends shopping<br />
14. Ludlow Ventures: An angel and seed-stage venture capital firm investing in web and digital technologies<br />
15. Aria Ventures: A company specializing in developing and funding startup ventures<br />
16. 313 Ventures: Stock trader-turned-angel investor, partaking in the rebuild of Detroit, one deal at a time<br />
17. Vineyard Capital: An investment firm for later-stage private companies<br />
18. Roqbot: A social jukebox app that lets you be the DJ at your favorite bars, restaurants, gyms and stores<br />
19. Savorfull: Monthly samples of allergy free, nutrient dense foods, delivered right to your doorstep<br />
20. EBLI: A proprietary system that teaches people of any age and skill level to read to their highest potential<br />
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21. Exxodus Pictures: A production company whose first feature film, Jinn, is now in post-production<br />
22.
GreenLancer: Web-based company that provides businesses a model for
cutting development and engineering costs in clean energy projects<br />
23.
GumShoe: A game where players compete against friends and a community
of sleuths to solve mysteries, and earn awards, social cred and the
occasional real life cache along the way<br />
24. Quikkly: Short-term deals exclusively for college students<br />
25. Wedit: A fun, easy and affordable way to capture, edit and share wedding memories through the use of HD Flip cameras<br />
26. Tapjoy: A mobile ad network that lets you discover apps and get in-app rewards when you engage with ads<br />
27. Thrillist Detroit: Free weekly email that finds the best of what’s new in your neighborhood and on the web<br />
28. Facility Matrix Group (FMG): The area’s pre-eminent provider of office furniture<br />
<br />
<h4>
Chase Tower (505,000 sq. feet; 100 percent occupied):</h4>
1. Quicken Loans: The nation’s largest online mortgage lender<br />
2. In-House Realty: A real estate services company matching Quicken Loans clients with pre-screened agents in their community<br />
<h4>
First National Building (800,000 sq. feet; 93 percent occupied):</h4>
1. Title Source: The largest independent provider of title insurance, property valuations and settlement services in the nation<br />
2. Aerotek: A leading staffing agency that matches qualified candidates with top companies worldwide<br />
3. Roasting Plant: New York-based coffee company with unique Javabot roasting technology (opening in late 2012)<br />
<br />
<h4>
Chrysler House (Former Dime Building; 320,000 sq. feet; 92 percent occupied):</h4>
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1. Quicken Loans: The nation’s largest online mortgage lender<br />
2. Chrysler Group LLC: Automotive company that produces Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Mopar, SRT and Fiat vehicles and products<br />
3. Just Baked: Specialty cupcake shop and bakery<br />
4. Rehmann: A company offering accounting, tax planning and financial consulting services<br />
5. Allied Printing Company: Provides printing, information management, and warehouse and fulfillment services<br />
6. Hubbard Snitchler & Parzianello PLC: Provides world-class legal service<br />
7.
Professional Movers.com: Moving company that specializes in providing
local, long distance and international relocation services for people
and businesses<br />
8. Elite Fire Safety: A one-stop-shop for fire safety needs<br />
9. EverStaff: Recruits the most skilled and qualified professionals for organizations of all sizes<br />
10. FNC Holding Company: Provides insight into the property backing a loan with its data and analytic solutions<br />
11. GSI: A company specializing in security, network and system integration<br />
12. Metro Consulting: A full service civil engineering and land surveying consultancy<br />
13. Reliance One: A full service staffing firm<br />
14. SCI Marketview: A lead management company for automotive dealers<br />
15. Corby Energy: Providing construction, engineering and support services to utilities and related businesses<br />
16. Campus Commandos: Connects clients with the college demographic through the use of student brand ambassadors<br />
17, Core Merchant: Easy and convenient credit payment solutions for businesses<br />
<h4>
Compuware (1,088,000 sq. feet; Rock Ventures leases four floors; 100 percent occupied):</h4>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ATEV8MaKV9Q/UGOyBSc60qI/AAAAAAAAFwI/WlsIksEqtY0/s1600/M@disonWall-5827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ATEV8MaKV9Q/UGOyBSc60qI/AAAAAAAAFwI/WlsIksEqtY0/s400/M@disonWall-5827.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
1. Quicken Loans: The nation’s largest online mortgage lender<br />
2.
Rock Ventures: An umbrella entity formed to provide operational
coordination, guidance and integration of Dan Gilbert’s portfolio of
companies, investments and real estate<br />
3. Fathead: The Real.Big. brand of officially licensed sports and entertainment graphics products<br />
4.
Bedrock Real Estate Services: Rock Ventures’ full service property
management firm, specializing in purchasing, leasing, financing,
developing and managing of commercial space<br />
5. Rockbridge Growth
Equity: A Detroit-based private equity firm that invests in mid-stage
financial and business services, consumer-direct marketing, and sports,
media and entertainment industries<br />
6. Rock Gaming: A gaming
partnership formed with an initial focus to develop full-service casinos
in two of Ohio’s largest cities, as well as to explore other potential
gaming opportunities elsewhere<br />
7. Rock Companies: A real estate
investment, development, construction and management company focusing on
commercial, residential single and multi-family investments in Florida,
Michigan, North Carolina and Ohio<br />
8. Quizzle: Website that gives consumers a complete understanding of their credit so they can make better financial decisions<br />
9. Cup of Zup: Uniquely amusing pop-culture e-newsletter and website<br />
10. Picket Report: An online neighborhood research tool<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Photos: Vhenoch</div>
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Blogger's note: "The Quickening of Detroit" appears in the October issue of <a href="http://myjewishdetroit.org/2012/10/the-quickening-of-detroit_a-stroll-along-webward-avenue/"><b>myJewishDetroit.org,</b></a> a monthly publication of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit ( VHenoch Writer & Editor) </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-9833083187132580642012-09-26T13:38:00.000-04:002012-09-26T16:55:17.266-04:00Fast Break<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">According to the Jewish calendar it is the year 5773 and</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">today is the tenth day of the month of <i>Tishrei</i>,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, a day of reflection, prayer and fasting in conclusion of the Days of Awe.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is customary in Jewish circles to wish one another a Good<i> Yom Tov</i> - a good day and an <i>easy fast</i>, for a 25-hour period from sundown-to-sundown</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The concept of an easy fast - fast and easy - can be confusing. Fasting would indicate some form of deprivation and discomfort - a disconnect between two ample and often lavish holiday meals. But in Jewish circles the greeting, "Have an easy fast,” is generally understood to mean a concern for one another’s health and wellbeing. Our way of saying: be safe, be well. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Somber as it may seem, Yom Kippur is after all a celebration, a cessation of work, a spiritual cleansing and liberation, a wiping of the slate, a time for repentance both public and private, a time for forgiveness. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Altogether, it’s a good day. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DIj7SPTneSk/UGM5b913Y7I/AAAAAAAAFtE/40XgHmn81oQ/s1600/blackeyed+susan-6040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DIj7SPTneSk/UGM5b913Y7I/AAAAAAAAFtE/40XgHmn81oQ/s400/blackeyed+susan-6040.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yom Kippur is a holiday, a day ultimately set aside for rejoicing, marking the fall of leaves, the turn of another season in our lives, the harvest from the seeds we’ve planted, and the ingathering of family and friends to break-the-fast.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And then we feast.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are those of us who spend the day in synagogues, in the fold and good fellowship of our congregations. And there are those who for one reason or another find themselves observing the holiday of their own accord, on their own terms. . . sitting at a computer, for instance, writing. Or alone. Or surreptitiously at work. Attending to business as usual. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jews. We’re a complicated people. We come in many flavors. There are many streams of observance. We live in many nations. Some would think of us as a nation unto ourselves, which has never been the case, not even in ancient times. There are those who think of us as a threat to peace today. . . those who would prefer to spread the seeds of fear and paranoia, in a misspent form of chauvinism of one people versus another.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On this day, if we could pray for just one thing, on this day, our day of atonement, perhaps it would be for a turning back. . . a return to moderation. </span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Imagine. The rise of power . . . of moderates. What a revolution that could be. </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a0Abd3eDHlg/UGM6fUZCjRI/AAAAAAAAFts/FVCmN8p09yc/s1600/burning+bush-6051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a0Abd3eDHlg/UGM6fUZCjRI/AAAAAAAAFts/FVCmN8p09yc/s640/burning+bush-6051.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On that theme, let me direct you to the moderate view of Thomas Friedman’s piece on the Opinion Page of the New York Times today. </span></span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/opinion/friedman-backlash-to-the-backlash.html?hp"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Backlash to the Backlash.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></b></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Wishing you a <i>Yom Tov</i>. . . and an easy fast reading. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span>Photos: vhenoch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks for stopping by. </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-34826388980617930722012-09-20T09:13:00.000-04:002012-09-20T09:13:53.248-04:00Uneasy Rider<br />
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<i style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">I</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">nto the woods, and outta the woods, and home before . . . dark.</span></i></h4>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Oziy2QK-a4/UFsGTCuVzuI/AAAAAAAAFo0/Cy0JADk1q4c/s1600/Redwood1-4761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Oziy2QK-a4/UFsGTCuVzuI/AAAAAAAAFo0/Cy0JADk1q4c/s400/Redwood1-4761.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Who says: </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">it’s like riding a bicycle. You never forget.</span></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Seems I forget. With disturbing regularity. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’ve never been as apprehensive to take a vacation as this time around, but clearly I was not in in the right frame of mind and body to take “The Explorer” Six-Day Bike Trek through Sonoma and Napa Valley the last week in August. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Yes, the trip sounds idyllic enough. Come, “saturate your senses,” the website beckons, “with the sights, sounds and smells in one of the world’s premier bicycling regions.” </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Umm, sounds yummy. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“A blend of panoramic views.” True.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Flavorful wines.” Indeed.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Quaint towns.” (Sure ‘nuf, where the art of tie-dye can still be found.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Quiet back roads.” Not! </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">( I note that those California tax dollars have not been at work on the roads of late.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Cycling -- spinning miles over hill-and-valley for hours on end on a road bike -</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">that’s my husband’s passion, not exactly my idea of recreation.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">As far as I’m concerned, biking is hard work.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Hard on the legs, the shoulders, the hands and the butt. It takes my full concentration, and a bit of psyching out,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">to stay up, stay on . . . and yes, to stay alive in traffic whizzing by on those “twisting byways.”</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I confess, I don’t sleep well the night before a ride. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Okay, I’m a wimp, a fair-weather cyclist. But I’m a good sport, game for a good ride. In shape - and just barely fit for a jersey - to join my husband for a bike tour. All the better, just so long as wine and fine dining are somehow involved on a daily basis. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NMnMuFUHoS8/UFsNc4ChHNI/AAAAAAAAFqM/ruPL9Ht-cW8/s1600/jimtown+store-4565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NMnMuFUHoS8/UFsNc4ChHNI/AAAAAAAAFqM/ruPL9Ht-cW8/s640/jimtown+store-4565.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">And so I ride. Within reason.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I know my limits. And I’m not afraid to impose them. I prefer corn fields and quiet (abandoned) country roads to scenic winding climbs and heart-pounding descents on hills. I’m good to go for 20 miles, 30 if absolutely necessary to get to the nearest lunch break. Like a mule, or a horse trained for the trail, I tend to speed up on the last homing miles, at the sight of the barn, the finish line, the town center where shops and refreshments can be found. I favor average speeds of 12 miles per hour - Only under duress or rare moments of confidence in the saddle, do I let out the brake to speeds past 20 mph. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hate traffic. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Exhaust. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Busy intersections. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Red lights. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Left turns.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Potholes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Garbage trucks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Speeding cars. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ditches. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I deplore wearing latex. </span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Just give me a quiet, newly paved asphalt road . . . or a beach and a cruiser. Or a golf course and a beer.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wi8UXSbvXFI/UFsNOz0pj9I/AAAAAAAAFqE/5c0g3j_Rq10/s1600/trek+at+rest+again-4286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wi8UXSbvXFI/UFsNOz0pj9I/AAAAAAAAFqE/5c0g3j_Rq10/s640/trek+at+rest+again-4286.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But proof that I am open to just about anything in the spirit of travel adventure, I gamely agreed to one more “cycling trip of a lifetime,” - our second trip with Trek Travel - (the first being to Tuscany, where we thoroughly enjoyed the countryside, the weather, the pasta, and the weekend in Florence). </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-plXIEyOdsKY/UFsOIob-7zI/AAAAAAAAFqk/STDx-h3mR5I/s1600/more+grapes-4118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-plXIEyOdsKY/UFsOIob-7zI/AAAAAAAAFqk/STDx-h3mR5I/s640/more+grapes-4118.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I remained encouraged that the experience would be good, if not for our long and happy marriage, than at very least for “bragging rights,” road stories recounted over cocktails, photos sent to friends, new knowledge of California wine, not to mention a long-overdue post, noting that I’m almost out of practice, having abandoned my post(s) here at "Wild Turtle" lo these many weeks. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dgw0ogq6XUA/UFsOSgMotEI/AAAAAAAAFqs/zUj3nZAKVnk/s1600/tire+swing-4104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dgw0ogq6XUA/UFsOSgMotEI/AAAAAAAAFqs/zUj3nZAKVnk/s640/tire+swing-4104.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">So with my apologies for rusty beginnings and endings, let me at least offer a glimpse of the “last leg of our trip,” on the trails through Armstrong Redwood National Forest where I spent the day, not on a bicycle, but happily and mercifully on foot, with camera in hand.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u8Lw_k8_QGo/UFsUWUzDqFI/AAAAAAAAFsE/P024kY0deQM/s1600/rideragain-4848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u8Lw_k8_QGo/UFsUWUzDqFI/AAAAAAAAFsE/P024kY0deQM/s400/rideragain-4848.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">At my (un)graceful - yet grateful age, slightly north of 60 now, there are things I should carefully consider before embarking upon, bicycling being close to the pinnacle of the list, along with parasailing, skiing and scuba diving. But no, I tend to keep getting back up on the bike, (even as I tend to take repeated spills, caught up in the toe clips on downward slopes). Sporting scraped knees and bruised shins and sore thighs like a 12-year old, I go on, old bones unbroken, wondering why and whoever said riding a bike is just like . . . riding a bike. God only knows how. . .you never forget. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Photos: Vhenoch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0px;">With thanks for riding by</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-54045604166597558052012-07-06T16:17:00.000-04:002012-07-06T16:17:41.325-04:00Line's Busy<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Eahu1qVCsw/T_c7jW-Lu2I/AAAAAAAAFnw/ngF7-x00f8c/s1600/englander-1788.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--Eahu1qVCsw/T_c7jW-Lu2I/AAAAAAAAFnw/ngF7-x00f8c/s400/englander-1788.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How busy am I?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Busy enough.</span></div>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Busy enough to have taken the day off yesterday.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Busy enough to be working today, on my “day off.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Busy enough to be working “part-time” 60 hours a week.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">okay, bohoo for me, you get the idea.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m lucky, I suppose. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I have a three-day gig: <i>writing. </i></span></div>
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As always. </div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m always writing. One thing or another. </span>Usually on deadline. I have been writing for a paycheck one way or another all of my worklife. </div>
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Writing. The bane and joy of my life. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Writing copy and ad campaigns. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Writing proposals, press releases, speeches, tv spots and video scripts, jingles!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Writing: for medical science exhibits at a children’s museum.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Writing: a monthly e-<a href="http://myjewishdetroit.org/">newsletter</a> for a large nonprofit org - currently driving a new social media vehicle in which I am editor, writer, web content developer and manager. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How <i>busy (lazy) </i>am I?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Busy. Lazy. Writing. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Writing always takes its own time. Navigates and negotiates its own hours.</span></div>
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Writing: wrestling a sentence down to the page, struggling with an idea or the slightest notion of a thought that crosses my mind can send me into a state of deep consternation or distraction, yielding a well turned phrase. Or a hopeless knot of words to untangle. Writing sends me to the refrigerator, to the shower, to yoga practice or to bed with a headache. Unless, you’re Stephen King, one never knows just how busy one can be writing. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">How busy (lazy) writing am I today? This minute? Not too. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Blogging. Instead of writing.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Procrastinating on the “real” writing assignment I’ve given myself today, I’m blogging.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Blogging is like writing on muscle relaxers. Breathe in. Breathe out. Blog in. Blog out. Roosting and pecking at a line here and there. No worries about the eleven readers who will actually reach this point in the page. Everyone scans. No one actually reads, nor cares. Too damn busy! </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RWo8PZdti3A/T_c9cEXQ_lI/AAAAAAAAFoQ/v_ukePWqvjE/s1600/nightstand-2317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RWo8PZdti3A/T_c9cEXQ_lI/AAAAAAAAFoQ/v_ukePWqvjE/s400/nightstand-2317.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sensory overload. Even as I write. Write here. Incoming email chimes in. Distractions on the desktop abound. The page recedes. My train of thought halts to a stop. Browsing now. Googling next books to read that I'll buy and not touch. YouTubing nonsense topics: Susan Boyle's Overnight Success. Holley Mangold, 323-Pound Weightlifter, Dreams of Olympic Gold. How busy am I? Watching outdoors temperatures rising, grass browning, 101 degrees at three in the afternoon in Michigan. Only the air conditioning is busy working, but just barely. What’s in the news of the hour? Job growth remains tepid. What’s playing at the movies? Savages. Oliver Stone. The afternoon drifts in the heat of the day to the weekend ahead. What’s for dinner? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Busy writing. I go on. Oh, how I go on!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m at a stage in my worklife (do I actually call it a career?) when I might consider un-busying myself with things like gardening and grandchild care and vacations.</span></div>
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Gardening? It’s work. And for some reason I’ve made my beds and now have to dig and weed and prune in them. Writing is such relief from the hot sun. </div>
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Grandparenting? Lovely work if you can get it. My children are one state over in two directions - respectively a 3 and 4 hour drive as the crow flies. And how busy can you be caring for and entertaining a 16-month old? Spend a day with an infant and it’s good for your heart and soul, not to mention your legs and back. Spend a weekend grandparenting - and you peel back a whole generation of memories, instincts, visceral worries, keeping your mind alert, awake . . . very busy,indeed.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qErpGeDVg1w/T_dCadod9-I/AAAAAAAAFoc/0V3UwVTtYqM/s1600/mason+at+the+zoo-2035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qErpGeDVg1w/T_dCadod9-I/AAAAAAAAFoc/0V3UwVTtYqM/s640/mason+at+the+zoo-2035.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Vacationing? Leave it to us - my husband and I - to plan a vacation requiring stamina and a degree of training to ride some 35 to 60 miles a day on a road bike on a hilly countryside. Sounds fun? Idyllic? My husband thinks so. Busy on that bike, I’ll be writing, eyes on the road, mind somewhere in the clouds. . . tracking the miles to release. Relief. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Writing. Busy thinking. Of the next words. Going nowhere. Very fast. </span></div>
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Photos: VHenoch</div>
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Thanks for stopping by. </div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-8041957864991525632012-07-04T21:32:00.000-04:002012-07-04T21:41:38.608-04:001WTC: The Freedom Tower<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Photos of the Day</i></span></h4>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czAn6rBU_LY/T_TrEApS9NI/AAAAAAAAFnM/8UtARZqdqr4/s1600/Freedom+Tower_May16-4404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czAn6rBU_LY/T_TrEApS9NI/AAAAAAAAFnM/8UtARZqdqr4/s640/Freedom+Tower_May16-4404.jpg" width="425" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I can’t say what corner I turned, or what street I was walking along in TriBeca on that early morning in May . . . when suddenly there it loomed into view. Breaking through low-flying clouds, eerie in its ghost-like image, it was breathtaking to see. Under construction, but approaching its full height,<a href="http://www.wtc.com/"> One World Trade Center </a>now rises to reclaim its dominance on the Manhattan skyline, an affirmation of the City’s resiliance and American optimism.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rBaoRil0Gmo/T_TrW21VxYI/AAAAAAAAFnU/9BRVpELdRo0/s1600/Freedom+Tower_Street+scene-4407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rBaoRil0Gmo/T_TrW21VxYI/AAAAAAAAFnU/9BRVpELdRo0/s640/Freedom+Tower_Street+scene-4407.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It’s been a decade in the planning, the subject of much scrutiny, heartache and debate - even some 11th-hour re-design. As of April 30, the steel superstructure - so called the Freedom Tower - technically surpasses the height of the Empire State Building and is currently the second tallest building the in the USA. Upon completion in 2013, the official height of the building with its spire will be 1,176 feet with over 2.6 million square feet on 105 floors. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyQI2erFR0c/T_Trg5zxHOI/AAAAAAAAFnc/qBKG4EIVKUs/s1600/Freedom+Tower_Street+scene2-4414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZyQI2erFR0c/T_Trg5zxHOI/AAAAAAAAFnc/qBKG4EIVKUs/s640/Freedom+Tower_Street+scene2-4414.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">- Architects: David Childs; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill<br />- Developer: Port Authority of New York & New Jersey<br />- Owner: Port Authority of New York & New Jersey</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jXCbZK8sVuI/T_Trte7abiI/AAAAAAAAFnk/Rsk98DvK0A8/s1600/Freedom+Tower_closer-4422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jXCbZK8sVuI/T_Trte7abiI/AAAAAAAAFnk/Rsk98DvK0A8/s640/Freedom+Tower_closer-4422.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I’ve been meaning to post these photos for some time now -- “too busy” with other matters. With only another hour or so of daylight in the sky here in Michigan, with fireworks starting to boom in the distance (or is that thunder?) it seems appropriate to post the photos today, as the sun sets on the 4th of July 2012. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As we like to say. . . let freedom ring</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Photos: VHenoch</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thanks for stopping by. </span></span></span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207703344242027966.post-50137043345543776092012-07-03T08:10:00.002-04:002018-02-04T10:14:09.932-05:00Last tweet and testimonyIf I knew you were coming, I woulda baked a cake, howcha do, howcha do, howcha do.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WS20WTR9Hwc/T_LeuNzAK6I/AAAAAAAAFm8/HGS8mUny4ao/s1600/IMG_6869art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WS20WTR9Hwc/T_LeuNzAK6I/AAAAAAAAFm8/HGS8mUny4ao/s400/IMG_6869art.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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omg. thumbs up & outta here, not with a bang, but a twit, twid.dle-d-d. tweet chirp. this is what we're coming to? Twits and tweets, bits and pieces, all thumbs at 140 keystrokes or less, attention spans of hummingbirds.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">Greetings today from Wild Turtle Crossing at Open Salon </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">in response to an "Open Call" to Bloggers, Doodlers, Twiddlers, all - composing "final tweets" for the day. For more (if you care) go to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;"> Open Salon and blog on.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "times"; font-size: small;">Thanks for dropping by?</span></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0