A Yellow Lab with A Heart of Gold

Thank you to everyone that has asked about Claire and Shia since the column appeared on Thanksgiving Day. While not every day is a "good" day, there are more now than there were. As you can see, Claire is very happy with her companion and it does seem true that the dog and owner start taking on each other's appearance. Two beautiful girls.
Shia is a purebred Yellow Lab who was trained by Julianne Taylor of Working Class Dogs. She trains the dogs primarily for children with autism and autistic-like conditions. The dogs are helpful in keeping the children more focused, provide companionship, and often serve as an ice-breaker in social settings. For more information go to the Working Class Dogs website.

A Girl and Her Dog: The More Complete Version

I can't believe that I am only able to write for this site every couple of weeks lately. There is so much going on in the world, but like many people, I am caught up in my own world and that of my family and work. The following is the column that was scheduled to appear in The Journal-Standard on Thanksgiving Day, but I went well over my alotted word count. So here in full is the original column as it would have appeared. I hope you enjoy and I'll try to get a picture of Claire and Shia on this site, once I become tech-savvy enough to figure it out.

A Girl and Her Dog

by

Roland Tolliver

"Will you put me to bed, daddy? I’m tired."

Sure, Claire. Let’s get ready. I’ll take Shia out, first.

"Where’s Shia, daddy?"

Right here, honey. Go to bed, Shia.

Shia jumps onto the bed and lays at Claire’s feet.

Pillow, Shia.

And Claire’s service dog, Shia, stands up, walks to the head of the bed, and puts her head down on the pillow next to Claire. They will sleep like this for the next eight hours on a good night. Occasionally, Claire will wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and dad will put her and her dog back to bed. Some mornings we wake up and find them in the bed next to us. Shia is very quiet and light on her feet for a 60 pound yellow lab. Claire has learned over the years how to "sneak" into our bed and snuggle under the covers for the last hour or so before we have to get everyone up and ready for school.

It hasn’t been this way for most of the past ten years. When Claire first started having seizures at age two, nights were the worst. Her most severe seizures lasted between 2-4 hours. Yes, that is hours, despite anti-seizure medications given at home and emergency room treatment. I, being the much lighter sleeper between my wife and me, found that there were few nights that I was able to sleep through the night. I would stir at the slightest sound. A cough and I was up. A slight cry and I was in to look in on her. A gagging sound and I would spring into high alert, as that was the sound that would most often precede a seizure.

Five years ago this month Claire and I spent five days in the UW-Madison Hospital for a video-monitored EEG (a test to determine brain activity and the type of seizures she was having). It was then that we found out she was having seizures continuously and that these worsened at night when she went to sleep. The doctor recommended a change in her anti-seizure medications. Within one month we learned during a follow-up EEG that the seizure activity had decreased by 40%. Last year we learned at another follow-up that the activity had decreased another 50% and primarily affected the front lobe of her brain.

Claire, who was only given three to five years to live when she was two years old, will be thirteen in six weeks. Our little girl, who we held, cried over, prayed for, and constantly wondered whether the next seizure would take her from us, will soon be a teenager. The frontal lobe, which affects a person’s behavior, is still affected by low-grade seizure activity and brain damage. We still have no answers as to why or what caused the condition in the first place.

Claire, who looks like your typical twelve- year-old girl at first glance, has a wonderful smile, infectious laugh and long, beautiful eyelashes, is so much more. Her social and psychological behavior seems to have been arrested at about the four- year-old level. She still throws temper tantrums, often at the most inopportune times, like in the grocery store. She repeats much of what she hears, so we hear some words that are better left out of any of our children’s vocabulary. She attends special education classes at Carl Sandburg Middle School and now participates in the after-school program that was started in conjunction with the YMCA, Malcolm Eaton Enterprises and Freeport School District 145.

And there is one other major change for Claire and our family this year...Shia.

"How’s the dog?"

"How are your daughter and the dog doing?"

"How’s the dog working out?"

Great. I tell most people. I’m actually getting to sleep through the night more often.

"Does she sleep with Claire?"

Yes, she does. I’ll usually find Claire with her arm wrapped around Shia in the morning, when Shia hasn’t already gotten out of bed for her morning "better hurry" routine outside.

"Does she go out with the family?"

Yes. Shia has gone to church with Claire and the family on a regular basis. They’ve gone to the movies, to a few restaurants, to the grocery store, Blockbuster, Wal-Mart, and Farm and Fleet. She’s even greeted the cashier at the gas station, who didn’t even realize there was a dog in the store.

"What can she do? Does she obey many commands?"

My wife, Irena, is the primary handler. She endured the two full weeks of training, learning the 70-80 commands that Shia responds to, how to handle her in public, what to say to those that question bringing a dog into a place of business, and how to care for such a precious being. The rest of the family get to benefit from the love that Shia shows toward all of us, especially Claire.

Shia is a beautiful dog. She is sleek, almost deer-like, in her appearance and in her movements. She glides, instead of walks. She bounds, instead of jumps. She’s playful like a kid. And she is loving to a fault. Of course, we haven’t learned all of her cues, yet. So, there is the occasional "mess" to clean up and a sandwich (especially peanut butter) that may go missing from the table. She’ll usually only bark on command, unless egged on by our other dog, Bijay, who barks at any sight or sound. Many times during the day we’ll find the two dogs laying next to each other in the sunlight or on one of the kid’s beds.

"Does the dog go to school with Claire?"

No. Claire has an aid in school and someone would have to go through the training in order to be a handler at school. She stays home until Claire returns, though she does go on trial training runs with my wife sometimes. Just look for a lovely lady with a yellow lab wearing a blue pack around its shoulders.

It has changed our lives, having a service dog in the family. Many people ask if Claire is blind or unable to walk. We answer "No" to both questions. Claire walks, though usually she runs. She sees fine, often more than we want her to. Shia was trained to be a companion for Claire. Shia is a friend, a buddy, a sleep mate, and has become a member of the family. We waited over three years to finally have a dog like her come into our home. And now that she is here, we can’t imagine what it would be like without her.

"Daddy, is Shia my dog?"

Yes, Claire. Shia is your dog.

"Does Shia love me?"

Yes, Claire. Shia loves you very much.

"I love Shia so much, too. Good night, daddy."

Good night, Claire. Good night, Shia. God bless both of you and keep you through the night.

"I love you, daddy. Shia’s my dog, right?"

Yes, Shia’s your dog. I love you, too, Claire. Sleep well. I’ll see you both in the morning. Yes, I will.

On this Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful to God for my family, for friends, for Claire’s teachers, aids and care givers, for all of you who have asked about Claire and Shia and especially for all of the prayers that have been said for Claire over the past ten years. Mostly, I am thankful that Claire is still with us and growing into a beautiful young lady. Each and every day is a day to give thanks for our many blessings.

For more information on service dogs, please go to:

http://workingclassdogs.com/

Working for a Living

I've been away from this site for a while now. Okay, almost an entire month. You'd think that I had been overwhelmed by the departure of Joe "Say it Ain't So" Galli from Newell-Rubbermaid. In reality time has been short, or at least any extra time, and while there have been numerous happenings in the news, there wasn't much to catch a young or old man's fancy. I would like to recommend to all local readers (and you know who you are) to get out and get tickets for "Working" the play based on the writings of Studs Terkel which will be performed at Freeport High School starting tomorrow (November 17th) and running through Saturday (November 18th) at 7:30 each night.
I know, you're saying to yourself about now, "Why should I go see a high school play if my kid isn't in it?" The short answer is because you should. The longer answer is because it is a play that has never been performed in Freeport, because the performers do an exceptional job, and because in these trying economic times in Freeport and Northwest Illinois there are some universal truths about working and workers that are displayed in this emotional, thought-provoking, entertaining show.
If you do read this or my column in tomorrow's Journal-Standard, then call the business office and reserve your seats or show up at the box office and buy your seats there. Either way you should be impressed with the level of talent at the high school level and the excellent job that the actors and musicians do with this material.

So, It Wasn't So, Joe?

When Joe Galli decided to persuade the board of Newell-Rubbermaid to leave its corporate headquarters behind in Freeport I published the following column in The Journal Standardon February 20, 2003.

Say it Ain't So, Joe
by
Roland Tolliver


The sky is falling. The sky is falling. Chicken Little

It is not the Black Sox scandal. It is not the second coming. It is not the end of the world as we know it. It is one company announcing that they are moving their corporate headquarters. Illinois' government and the big business community rejoiced about two years ago when they found out that they had won the Boeing headquarters' sweepstakes. Millions in tax incentives were offered. There was wining and the dining by the corporate elite in Chicago. The key to the city and hobnobbing at Chicago's famous museums were a part of the process. We'll generate millions we were told. The tax incentives will pay for themselves in no time. We've heard that before. The headlines in Chicago acted as if there was no other news in the world. "Ho hum", said the rest of the population in Illinois. Boeing's aircraft are still manufactured by the hard-working citizens of Seattle and other cities with plants in the aeronautical industry. Meanwhile, about 150 executives relocated to Chicago and few words have been heard since then.

Now it is our turn. A few weeks ago we learned that Newell/Rubbermaid's corporate offices will move to Atlanta. How do we compete with Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport? How do we compete with the Peachtree city and the proximity to Wal Mart's corporate headquarters? Why would Joe Galli move out of Freeport for the southern climate and hubbub of Atlanta? Oh, wait, that's right, Joe Galli never lived in Freeport. He spoke to the Chamber of Commerce once, I believe, but I don't think that makes us his permanent residence. Joe, I hope he doesn't mind us being on a first name basis, once said that "But as important as company culture is, it's never set in stone. Culture takes its direction from the goals the company sets and the body of people working to achieve those goals." The corporate compass is currently pointing to a goal south of the Mason-Dixon line. In 1962 that corporate compass pointed northwest of Chicago to the county seat of a mostly rural county when when its companies consolidated into a single corporation in Freeport, Illinois. Sixty years earlier that corporate headquarters was founded in Ogdensburg, New York. Does anybody here know where that is?

When I was looking up the history of Newell/Rubbermaid one word repeatedly showed up in the descriptions. That word was "acquired". We are proud of "our " Newell's acquisitions as "our" Newell became a Fortune 500 company with offices and manufacturing plants throughout the world. We claimed pride in ownership of the "little company that could", which was located right here in the heart of Stephenson County. We cringed with any downsizing and rejoiced with any new emmployment opportunities. People in the area spent entire careers at Newell Window Furnishings. It was a job for life with dividends and stock options. Somehow we grew bigger than our borders through stategic buyouts and corporate mergers and then we became the Ogdensburg of the Midwest. The newspapers' headlines read in large, bold letters that Newell had forsaken us for Atlanta. The Chicago Tribune came hunting for a story and found that in Freeport it was business as usual. No immediate jobs were affected. The centralized corporate functions in Freeport were to be unaffected by the move of Galli's Army (Fortune December 31, 2002) to Atlanta. Our manufacturing base, distribution center and corporate employees were to be like the other 46,000 out of 48,000 employees who are working for Newell/Rubbermaid worldwide. Basically, for the time being, the earth will continue to spin on its axis and people will contiunue to go to work.

Ninety percent of all new jobs are created by the small business sector of America. Over fifty percent of those businesses are started by women. Some small companies become big companies. Most stay small, while many go out of business or start another company. I don't hear too much about them in the city council meetings. I don't hear much about tax breaks or tax increment financing districts. You know the people. There are the accountants, doctors, lawyers, and architects. There are also the plumbers, electricians, coffee shop owners and those that open boutiques or beauty salons. Do you know a massage therapist, owner of a car dealership or store owner? How many people are employed by these people? How often do you see these individuals in the grocery store or at the bank? When was the last time you saw the CEO of Allied Signal/ Honeywell walk into the local Culver's? When was the last time that the CEO of Goodyear spoke to your Kiwanis or Rotary club?

I know that there is a lot riding on future decisions made by the "big three" in Freeport. It will affect all of us in a worse-case scenario of "trickle-down economics." The tax base suffers leading to a loss of school funding and decreased monies for the city's infrastructure. The ancillary services like the hospital, community college, doctors, lawyers, accountants, home-builders, realtors (well, maybe not in the short run), hair salons, and various other businesses lose their client/patient/customer base. Why don't we hear more from our local governing entities about investing in the small business future of our community? Why are we so myopic in our desire to court large businesses in this fragile economy? Illinois was third in the nation in lost jobs last year, and yet, we offer one of the highest rates of tax incentives to big business. I don't see where the long term payoff is. I realize that families can sometimes be uprooted in the corporate world and community spirit can dwindle along with charitable donations and community services. To hear some tell it, we are already there.

There are some things in Atlanta with which we cannot compete. I don't think we'll see a Boeing 767 arriving at Albertus Airport any time soon. We are not near major interstate highways, but I do hope that we see a four-lane highway heading toward Iowa and Interstate-35 in my lifetime. Newell/Rubbermaid has given back millions to our community. The Ferguson Cancer Center and the Freeport Public Library are two prime examples. We are grateful for their contributions and nothing says that their donations are going to dry up any time soon. Honeywell and Kelly Springfield have also made major contributions, along with most of the businesses in our community. Without the individuals who make up the work force, however, none of this is possible. We all give to a community we believe in to the best of our abilities and resources. As for the "quality of life" that the news release said Atlanta offered the company, I believe that it is the quality of the people in a community that determines the "quality of life". In that respect, I'll enjoy the life I have here.

I don't want to sound too Pollyannaish, but I see that we have much potential in our little neck of the woods. There is an underlying spirit in this community. It is the spirit of the people that we see every day in the people that are our neighbors and friends. It is the spirit of those that see the glass as half-full, not half-empty. It is the spirit of those that call Freeport and northwest Illinois home and are proud of that fact. I see it in the thousands of volunteer hours by retirees, churches, service groups and individuals. I see it in the people that are employed and those that are employers and both of these groups' families. I see it in all of the people that donate their time, money and resources to make our community a better place to live. I see it in the people from all walks of life from the boardrooms to the stockrooms and all points in between. These are the people that I am honored to know in a community that my family and I are proud to call home.

It looks now like Mr. Galli is no more the "Whiz Kid" of corporate restructuring than any one of a number of executives who come in highly-touted and then ruin the image or integrity of a company. Freeport, apparently, wasn't good enough for Mr. Galli. He went for the glamour of Atlanta with its busy airport and CNN tower. He came in cutting and slashing jobs and divisions within the company and to what gain. A loss of confidence among the people and companies that had gained trust in the "Newell Way." There was a time when employee morale was high and there was great pride in the company and its products. It still exists, but where it does, it appears to be in spite of Mr. Galli, not because of him. When a family has run a company for years and a family atmosphere exists, it seems counterintuitive to bring in an outsider, who may know business, but doesn't know squat about the people, the history and the way a company does business.

Growth through intimidation ( the'you must work so many hours and produce so much in a day to be successful mentality' may play in New England, but the core of this company and its fortunes were firmly rooted in the Midwest with midwest ethics of family and work as separate, but more equal entities) was counterproductive. And now Mr. Galli of Black and Decker and amazon.com fame, is another statistic, albeit a rich one, in the corporate merry-go-round of those executives who sell themselves to the highest bidder. In the end the burden of the cost is directly on the communities that suffer from their short-sightedness and profit over people mentality.

Say it ain't so, Joe, but it wasn't just a dream and all will be as it was. It was more like a nightmare and our community suffered because of your ineptitude and inability to realize the real worth of the company, the people who worked there because they had a couple of traits that you seem to be in short supply of, integrity and loyalty.

Drip, Drip, Drip

There hasn't been much in the news lately about the slowly dissipating job force here in Pretzel City. Another 50 jobs or so are scheduled to be "outsourced" from Honeywell by March. I don't know, but I feel that a great deal of the problem with business these days is that it has dehumanized the people who work for the major companies. Perhaps it has carried over into the smaller companies, especially those that want to be like the big companies, but the choice of language used in business takes away from the human aspect.

No one is "fired" anymore. Instead, a person is "downsized," "right-sized," "outsourced," "doesn't fit in anymore," or is lost through "attrition." Of course, much of this occurs on short notice when someone is called into a meeting and given just enough time to "clean out your desk." How much courtesy is given or trust to people who in many cases have given many years of their life to a company. Loyalty is fast becoming a virtue of the past. It is still irksome when some CEO makes millions in salary and bonus for what? Letting people go so that the shareholders will be happy with another two cents per share profit?

It is not only the people that are "let go" that are affected, but it is the entire community. It is the morale of a community. It is the school districts and the health care system. It is the impetus to establish more jobs or to develop greater real estate opportunities. It is the non-profit organizations that suffer along with the smaller mom-and-pop businesses that rely on the steady salary of the local citizens to keep their doors open. It is the lending institutions and the tax base that erodes. It is the drip, drip, drip of a community hemorrhaging good employees, citizens and people until the area is anemic. And when there is insufficient prospects for new jobs, it is as if there is no source for transfusion to reinvigorate the community. We put on band-aids to stop the visible bleeding, but it is the deep, internal bleeding that goes unnoticed for months, years, decades before someone realizes that there is an unkown source of the blood loss or job loss, if you will. We can speculate about the source, but until it is discovered we treat the symptoms, but not the cause.

Former publisher of The Journal Standard, Mr. Gary Quinn, informed this community that we would not be able to rely on the Big 3 of Honeywell, Newell, and Goodyear for many more years. He said that the area was too heavily dependent on its manufacturing base and that it would slowly erode over the next 10-15 years. His prognostication was right on the money. And yet, here we are with nothing to replace the jobs that are leaving, except the occasional retail store and the promise of a hog processing plant. We are not alone in our current state of affairs. Many small towns in the Rust Belt are looking for ways to draw in new employers, whose jobs allow people to maintain a decent standard of living. How many are out there, though, that are not sending the lion's share to Mexico or Third World countries that work for low wages and produce products that are not always up to the standard that is acceptable by U.S. standards? But then again, have our standards been lowered to the point that we will continue to put up with these changes as long as we have access to cheaper products?

We may not be on life support, yet, but the patient is nearing critical condition.

Here We Go Again

We are embarking on the early election season. It is easy to tell because the money is starting to flow, mostly into Chicago where the majority of the voters reside in this state.

Governor Blagojevich has released almost $200 million into the state's hungry coffers. Voters, I mean recipients, will no doubt be happy, including our local park district for the SK8 Park. $50,000 is nothing to sneeze at and it does go for a project that was partially supported by independent donors, but... I am often reminded of the story of Dr. Faustus or its American equivalent, The Devil and Daniel Webster. It feels like somebody has sold their soul when money is put into projects when it is obvious that the timing suggests, "Look at me. I gave you money. Now, can I count on you for your support at the voting booth?" Multiply our small amount by a few thousand and you get the idea that, hey!, there is money to be had, jobs to fill, and support for the incumbent Governor "Reform, What Reform?!" Blagojevich.

Somewhere soon in a prison cell near you (though obviously not in Thompson, which remains a $40 million boondoggle of unused cells), former Governor Ryan, must be laughing his backside off. All politics is about cronyism and believing that we, the citizens, haven't a clue about what the big boys do in the state capitol of Chicago. OH, wait, that has only become the seat of our state government since the last gubernatorial election. Somewhere in Springfield there sits a mansion, which we pay for through taxes, used as a showcase for the waste that many in our government figure that we have to put up with because we have no choice. How much pork will be doled out before the primaries? How big will Blago's war chest grow before it begins to burst at the seems, or Hillary chooses him to be her running mate? Or will she take a chance on the rising star of the Democratic Party, Barack Obama?

Illinois may be like a lot of other states, but we don't live in those states. Here we see that it is business as usual with our state politics. Daley and the Boys get their pork and we get the rinds, all fluff, no substance. Of course, they package the junk food in such a way that enough find it palatable, but realize after it is too late that it isn't anything one can live on for any length of time. How is the expansion of O'Hare going, Your Honor? Enough jobs for you to keep your title of "Grand Exulted Ruler for Life"? Hear about how Rockford lost another airline or do you even know where Rockford or Northwest Illinois is on the map? Or, do you even care?

Irish Days

Yes, it is only about six months to St. Patrick's Day and yes, it was a wonderful evening at the Masonic Temple last night in Freeport, Illinois. Around 1000 people came to hear and see and experience the song, dance and comedy of The Irish Variety Roadshow. For me, it was the culmination of over 24 hours of Irish music. The night before was spent in Milwaukee listening to the sounds of U2 the supergroup from Ireland, who have been together for 29 years or so. They have consistently proven themselves by evolving with music, creating their own unique sound, and in many ways, changing the world throught their music and the personality of their lead singer, Bono. It was once said that Rock and Roll would change the world and in ways big and small it has. More about this in this week's column.

Kudos go out to the people who made last night in Freeport such a success. Father Burt Absalon's rendition of Danny Boy was clearly one of the highlights. Where else but in America can you find a Phillipino priest leading an Irish congregation and singing arguably the most popular Irish song of all time in front of hundreds of people of various denominations. A good show for a good cause with much fun and merriment to be had by all. Thanks to all of the individuals who made it happen, especially to my wife for the energy, effort and detail that she put into the prepartion for the program. Barry Collins, the founder of the Show, said at the end that they wouldn't be there if it hadn't been for her, neither would I have been.

If you would like more information on a couple of the performers, please see the sites for Michael Funge or Harriet Earis. We look forward to their return in a couple of years. In the meantime, we're more than halfway to St. Patrick's Day, time to celebrate.

We Was Robbed

Well the final tally is in and so is JD Fortune as the new lead singer for INXS. I'll listen to their past catalog, but I can't fathom buying any new INXS music. Maybe Marty wasn't the best for the band. His style really is suited to more modern music and he still has The Lovehammers and if they do open for INXS, there may be more people for the opening act than for the main show. I'm sure I am expressing some sour grapes, but if anyone except Marty won, it should have been Mig. I can't get the Elvis growl out of my head when JD sings. I keep waiting for him to curl his lip and say, "Thank you. Thank you very much." Oh well, I'll look forward to new music by Marty Casey, most likely with the bandmates that supported him throughout the show. The Lovehammers showed their class and support for their friend and frontman, Marty, throughout all of Rock Star. That is worth buying another of their albums just for the stylish way they didn't whine that their lead singer made an attempt to front a more established band. Good job, Marty, good job.

Did Anyone Else Notice?

There was nothing funny about Hurricane Katrina, but I couldn't help think about the story that is heard every so often about the man (or woman) who was a victim of a flood and stranded on his rooftop. A person comes along before the flood and asks him if he wants help leaving before the flood and he says, "No. God will help me. I'm staying." Then he is stuck on his rooftop and a boater comes along and asks the man if he wants a boat ride to safety, again he says, "No. God will take care of me." Finally, a helicopter flys overhead and they call out to him, "We're here to help. Climb into the basket." The man replies, "No. God will take care of me!" The man eventually drowns and as he is entering the pearly gates, he asks God, "Where were you? Why did you let me drown?" God answers him, "Who do you think sent the man to help you, and the boater, and the helicopter? You made the choice to not take advantage of my gifts to you." It seemed that this story mimicked many of the stories in New Orleans. Help was sent, but many people refused the help that was offered. For those that were stranded because they were offered no help, like the helpless victims of the nursing home in New Orleans where the owners left the residents there to die. Or the people that were unable to leave their homes because of various infirmities. One of the saddest stories, and yet at least the people found safetry, was of the deaf individuals who only realized the magnitude of the problem when the water level reached their beds and they clawed their way to safety. There is no end to the heartache of Hurrican Katrina, but lost among the stories of tragedy and loss, are the multitude of acts of heroism and the countless hours put in by tireless health care workers, firefighters, police officers, civil servants, and National Guard and Coast Guard members. I'm sure that we will hear more in the days, weeks and months to come. Let's hope that these stories do not fade into the background like so many other tales from trying times, but that lessons are learned and we come to appreciate the acts of kindness and not dwell on the acts of vandalism or violence.

Rock Star Redux: Voting for Marty

Maybe it is the era when I was growing up (or perhaps I'm still growing up), but I am compelled to watch INXS: Rock Star each week. I'm not getting into all the behind the scenes extras, but am enjoying watch each of the performers sing, especially now that it is down to the last four. Many of the teens of the seventies were fascinated with rock music as it moved into its teens and early twenties. I know many people who dreamed of fronting a band and being a lead singer or just a member of the band. How many of us picked up a guitar and pretended to be Paul or John or Mick or John Fogerty or even Jim Croce or Harry Chapin. Okay, so maybe I was more into the singer-songwriters who could pull off sitting on the stool on stage and playing their acoustic guitar and singing songs to make the girls swoon or at least think we were semi-cool. I never really learned how to make the two work together (the guitar and singing that is), but I still listen to many of the same artists over and over again. Each generation seems to have its favorites and now some of the "old-timers" like The Rolling Stones or Paul McCartney are still making new music and still touring. That brings me to Marty Casey and the Rock Star show. I think it may be that he is a Chicagoan or that his parents live in Northwest Illinois, but he does have that rock star persona, a quality voice and great stage presence, plus he is not afraid to try new arrangements. "Trees" as a VH-1 Storytellers-style performance, as if it were already a big-seller and he is bringing it down to its roots. Great showmanship. And "Creep" blew away the rest of the songs last night. Anyways, I'm ranting late at night or early in the morning and am heading off to vote for Marty a couple of more times before bed. We'll find out tomorrow if he stays or if he goes. I'm picking the former.

Flyin' High on 9-11

The best thing that I can say about flying home on Sunday, September 11th, was that the trip was completely uneventful. There were no delays, nothing unusual or out of the ordinary happened. I walked through the checkpoint, waited for the time to board the plane, secured an aisle seat (for some reason I no longer enjoy sitting by the window and definitely not in the middle seat), had a nice conversation with the woman next to me about Bichons and Chicago-style hot dogs (unrelated content!), and read and dozed during the short flight from Nashville. Everyone went about their business with no mention of terrorists or fear (not that it probably wasn't on everyone's minds), but plenty of talk about the floods and disaster in the South. It seems that we move on with our lives no matter what the disaster may be, unless of course, we are directly involved with the tragedies. I do not know how the families of the victims from 9-11 cope with each day, but I do know that it is possible, though not easy. And now we wonder how the people of the Gulf Coast region will cope. They have lost family members, friends, neighbors, pets, places of work and worship, schools, and houses. Some have lost everything, but their lives. The cameras can only capture so much and it seems as if they focus on the dread and the dreadful. And every once in a while we'll get a snippet about some heroic rescue or deed. I believe that if more time was spent on the positive actions of the citizens of the South, like the six-year old who lead his rag-tag troop to safety, and became a national hero for his brave actions, then there would be more of an impetus to repeat the success stories and not focus on the negative as much. Probably naive on my part, of course now that David Brown is history, we can move on, but I know we haven't heard the last about him and his bleagured agency, FEMA or Homeland Security. There are many others that will come into the spotlight in the ensuing months either for their bravery, leadership, or their lack of either. We can only hope and pray that something is done before the next big storm hits the Gulf Coast area, because if or when it does, there isn't much there at the moment to keep the cities and the regions dry.

Grand Ole Opry

The net is amazing at times. Here I am sitting in my hotel room in Nashville at the Gaylord Opryland Resort listening to the Freeport-Guilford game on WEKZ-FM radio's internet streaming. Unfortunately, the Pretzels are about to lose their third game in a row to start the season. What a tough start to the season, especially after winning the NIC-9 four years in a row. I have had the chance to visit with my daughter, her friend, David, and her roommate, Brooke. Sushi for dinner tonight. Not something that we can get fresh in Freeport on a regular basis. I am down here for a podiatry conference and cannot believe the grandeur of this hotel/resort. I walked by the Grand Ole Opry House tonight. Thought about going to see a show, but ended up spending a couple of hours looking through a Barnes and Noble. Like I need another book! Guilford just scored their fifth unanswered touchdown with the game almost over. Many of these teams that have lost so regularly to Freeport over the past few years are probably relishing in their newfound victories. Freeport will be 0-3 for the first time in almost 20 years. Ouch! Anyways, it is high school and no matter what, it is important to support all of our high school students, if it is football, debate, chorus, or any other endeavor. These students can learn just as much about life in losing as in winning, because as we all know, it is what we do with our lives and what we contribute in society, even more than what the final score of a football game represents. Enough philosophising! Suffice it to say that we all enjoyed the winning streak while it lasted, and we need to support the team just as much, if not more so, during our early season losing streak. Go, PRETZ!

Rock Star: INXS AKA GO MARTY!

I have not been a fan of the reality television craze that has been going on for the past few years. I caught some of season 1 of Survivor, but lost interest by the time season 2 rolled around. Maybe it is because many in my generation aspired to one day lead a rock band, or perhaps it is because I actually listened to INXS (still have an old audio cassette of the band's), but I think that mostly it is that Marty Casey, who is from Chicago and whose parents live in nearby Lake Summerset, has captured that rock star persona so well. He has the talent, the confidence and I always feel that there is still a humbleness to him that he's thinking "Aw, shucks. I'm really still here." JD is good, but seems like he spends too much energy sucking up to the band. I think much of the voting audience is seeing through that. Mig is good, but seems like he should be fronting a band like Human League or a Queen legends band (Freddie Mercury, ala Australia). Susie is awesome, but I'm not sure that INXS songs translate as well with female vocals. She is on par with Melissa Etheridge with her voice, intensity, but less raspy. Jordis just didn't have the swagger to lead the band. "I hope so" to the question, "Do you have what it takes to be the lead singer in INXS?" wasn't committed enough. That leaves Marty and even though each of the final six (Ty left last week) have a great deal of talent, Marty seems to have that something extra to be a star. Perhaps, though, some of the blog comments are right on in that he should take his own band, The Lovehammers, out for bigger and better things. A major label must look at this guy and think, "Contract, tours, and stardom!". We'll find out in the next several weeks, though, and that is the fun of having a local connection in a fun and intriquing reality show. Rock on, Marty! and Good luck.

There is a House in New Orleans

I was thinking about all of the songs about New Orleans after the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. House of the Rising Sun by The Animals and City of New Orleans, written by Steve Goodman and made famous by Arlo Guthrie were the first two to come to mind. Of course, anything that talks about placing blame or abdicating responsibility would have fit, too, but I couldn't come up with any off the top of my head. I keep reading about how it is the President's fault or Homeland Security's fault or the National Guard's fault. Why did it take a call from Governor Blanco pleading with Mayor Ray Nagin three days before the levees broke to evacuate people from the city? He was asked on at least two occasions to evacuate and no one called for the buses until the city was already under water. Most officials will say that the immediate actions in case of a municipal emergency are the responsibility of the local government. What is the escape plan? How will you notify people of the state of emergency? I don't recall Rudy Guliani swearing at the federal government in the wake of 9/11. He took action and rallied the necessary personnel, even though his city lost more than 300 firefighters within hours. The solution of some is to get rid of the current administration, as if that will take care of the problem. When former President Clinton was asked about what the federal government should do about the levees around New Orleans, he said that it was a local issue, not a federal one. President Bush may have cut the Army Corp of Engineer budget for the New Orleans' area, but it wasn't scheduled to take effect until next year. No cuts were made for this year prior to the hurricane. The blame that can be placed on the federal government is the delay in which the people that were in shelters were administered to. There should have been troops moved in sooner and food, water and medications should have been made available. I think about the houses in New Orleans and the fact that there may still be people in their attics trying to make contact to be rescued. I think about the City of New Orleans and how people should have access to transportation out of the city in a timely fashion before the levees broke and New Orleans became a vast sewer of human decay. When the death toll is established and the news promotes the stories of how the government should have intervened and how they should have had an evacuation plan, ask where was the local government and what could they have done differently. The blood of New Orleans does not just dirty the hands of President Bush and branches of the federal government. It is also on the hands of Mayor Nagin and local officials who delayed the evacuation plan or didn't have an adequate plan to begin with. There is a question for mayors of all major cities, "What do we do in case of emergency?" Some say that no one could have predicted this, but people did, many years ago and again a few years ago. Some people, however, just didn't listen or perhaps they were lulled into a false sense of complacency thinking, "It won't happen to us," or "It passed us by." There will be a lot of soul-searching in the ensuing days, weeks, months and most likely in the years it will take to rebuild or re-establish The Big Easy. For an excellent point of view on the blame game, see the column by Dennis Byrne in today's Chicago Tribune.

Flight Plan

It has been over two months since I last saw our daughter, Mary. I'll be flying down to see her next week. This will be over the weekend of the anniversary of September 11th. The day that changed Americans view of the world, especially our world within our borders. The overwhelming feeling of security was shaken to its core on that fateful day. We no longer waltzed through airport lines to fly here or there. We allow for more time to enter and pass through the terminals. We've become accustomed to taking off our shoes before going through security or almost expect to be searched, and wonder why 65 year-old grandmothers are singled out, when someone who is more suspicious is allowed to pass through without a second glance... by security. Now we face the guaranteed increased prices for travel because of a number of factors, not the least or at least not the latest, is Hurricane Katrina and her after effects. Then we think that some of us have the ability to fly wherever we need or want to go, and at the same time there are most likely people still trapped and holding onto any thin strand of hope they have left in parts of New Orleans and the areas along the Gulf Coast. We complain of no frills flying with only a snack and a drink, then think of those that have gone several days without food or drinkable water. It seems ironic that there are millions of gallons of water surrounding and engulfing a city and that many of the people will die of dehydration. Life and death are full of unusual twists and turns, fate and unfairness, luck and loss. We sit in our dry homes and watch the misery and devastation on television, but cannot grasp the magnitude of such destruction. A destruction that by a force of nature compounded by the ill-advised attempts by man to change what God has designed. Eventually nature is always more powerful than man. Nowhere is this more evident than in the storm ravaged areas of the Gulf Coast region right now. We think that there is no way of knowing what will happen, but there are signs if only we would recognize them before the inevitable happens. Let's hope that we listen and look for the signs of what man can do to man also so that another September 11th doesn't happen in our country.

When the Levee Breaks

Where does one begin? It is impossible to describe the devastation that is seen in the Gulf area. The streets of New Orleans where I once walked and enjoyed a coffee and binet at an outdoor cafe is most likely under water. The convention center where I spent the better part of five days at my first Kiwanis International convention is now a refugee camp with death and decay permeating the facility where once there was life and energy. A dead elderly woman in her wheelchair is pushed against a wall out of the way. Her body covered with a blanket. The Riverwalk, once a prime jewel in the heart of New Orleans, where a barge once took out a portion of the center section and was rebuilt, is now the site of bodies and destruction. Mother Nature in all of its infinite glory has the ability to destroy much more than man can dream when she is at full force, or even half force. The massive loss of land, buildings, and lives is hard to comprehend. Then I think about the tsunami and the fact that the loss of lives there may be 100 times greater than in our own country. Water, the great equalizer, breaks through granite over thousands or millions of years to form something as spectacular as the Grand Canyon or in the matter of hours or days can destroy what man has taken hundreds of years to build.

When do we learn the lessons of nature? When do we learn that reversing rivers for our own benefit or building cities below sea level or damming waters that have such force will not withstand the intensity of nature at its greatest force? Those that had no way of escaping, with no where to go, with no transportation were left behind. The elderly, the poor, the uninformed, the disabled, the infirmed were all left helpless. And we make media stars out of the well-heeled family that paid $3700 to take a limousine from New Orleans to the Chicago area. Let's put them on the news and the morning shows while thousands of people are trapped in a watery prison. Where are the priorities in the media sometimes? Just because someone has money doesn't make their story any more newsworthy.

And how did it happen that people have sunk so low in morality that they break into stores to loot televisions, shoes, and designer clothing, as well as guns and ammunition when they could have been putting this evil energy into helping those that really needed help? Rapes, looting, snipers, and utter lawlessness in the streets. What kind of message are we sending to the world about how we treat our citizens? How we treat one another? There is a feeling of helplessness, desperation, and a fading of hope among those that we cannot comprehend what they are experiencing, what they are feeling. It is challenging to go on with our daily lives without feeling empathy for those who have no bathroom facilities, when we can freely enjoy a shower or drinkning water and knowing that those who are stranded have none of these.

We cannot do everything, but we can do something. We are a giving nation. One that has helped millions around the world. We have helped those around our own country most recently in Florida. There are organizations that have the ability to help. Consider a donation to The Red Cross or dial 1-800-HELP-NOW or the Salvation Army.

Above all else, we can pray for the survivors, the victims, and our Nation. Pray for the homeless, those that are out of work and most likely will be for the foreseeable future. Pray for the babies and those who cannot find their loved ones. Pray that we learn and that those who are volunteering to help are kept safe. Godspeed.

Timeliness

It appears that even Governor Blagojevich realizes the folly of the No Child Left Behind mandate that asks teachers to teach students to pass tests without offering the funds or wherewithal to make it a reality. I don't know if he is aware, most likely, yes, of the variance allowed for children with special needs, but according to the wording of the article, it doesn't sound like it. Of curse, the alternative testing for special needs children is only supposed to account for 2% of the student population. I don't know how the government can expect to put a quota or percentage on how many students qualify for special needs, but come on, that would be like saying that only 2% of redheads qualify for the school lunch program. How does the government put a number on such a variable? Maybe the passage of this new proposal will at least bring some attention to the absurdity of trying to mandate that which cannot be mandated without adequate funding and taking the personal differences in people's learning styles, home lives, psychological make-up and other various factors into account. Connecticut has taken the lead in looking to alter the "No Child Left Behind" laws. Governor Blagojevich has taken the approach more of a suggestion to the federal government asking for a "clean slate" until 2007 and changes for children with special needs ( which are in place, albeit limited). School is starting and there wil still be many children left behind, whether they pass the mandated tests or not.

Where's the Pork?

No, it isn't in Freeport, yet. It seems that pork has fallen into the hands of politicians. I know, this is easy pickins what with the transportation bill and all. Alaska gets hundreds of millions (of course, there is oil in them there parts) to build bridges to nowhere and we here in northern Illinois get a few million toward at $600 million project. We need jobs and the transportation routes that aid in this immediate transportation society (Wal-Mart Distribution centers and two lane highways just don't mix well). Think of an east-west road with 4 lanes that runs from Rockford to Dubuque and beyond and the possibilities of expedient distribution of products with Freeport right near the middle. But, another twenty years could go by before any additional progress is made. In the meantime, all of the tourist traffic goes whizzing by our little hamlet on its way to Galena (number 2 tourist destination in Illinois, though with the Lincoln Library in Springfield that may change this year). Driving through Mt. Carroll a week or so ago, we wondered, what small-town charm could be incorporated into Freeport to make the downtown more congenial and inviting. Was it the storefronts? They were quaint, but not outstanding. Was it the brick road in the immediate downtown? Or perhaps, it is like the old adage, the grass is always greener on the other side, or in this case, the downtown is more appealing when it is something out of the ordinary for us? We have ample opportunity to create a dinner and entertainment district with a few quality restaurants in the downtown and perhaps a venue or two for dinner-theater, live entertainment that appeals to adults or just to sit and listen to music after dinner. I realize that we look for reasonable fair in our fair town and that wouldn't negate the idea of at least having something like the old City Lights in the downtown or more cafe or bistro type of dining. As it is there are few options in the downtown area to find entertainment after around 5 p.m., unless you are going to the movies or periodically head over to the Winneshiek Playhouse. I still look forward to the day when there is a microbrewery in town with a restaurant and plenty of PRETZELS!

Striking a Nerve or Two

It seems that Thursday's column struck a nerve among some readers. Most of the comments were about how they felt that it conveyed many of the thoughts that they had been thinking. Many people are frustrated with the MLK Community Center situation. A great number of people put their time and money into the complex and feel that it is not living up to the mission that was intended. Others mentioned the Cindy Sheehan situation. Interesting viewpoint in the WSJ online edition. I'm still perplexed by the comparison of the Water & Sewer system problems in Freeport with the war in Iraq and WMD's. Wish that the Ink was available online in order to link the story or re-read it without searching through the recycling bin. Maybe that is in the cards for the future. The John Roberts confirmation seems to be all about money for the left and the lack of it for the fight by the right according to the WSJ online. Back during the presidential election campaign the idea of "Politainment" was coined in the "For the Love of Community" column, which referred to the idea that may the "best looking" man win. John Roberts will most likely get through the confirmation hearings and be appointed the next Supreme Court judge. Thinking back to the idea of being Borked, one has to consider that his appearance was not camera ready, looking more like one's eccentric uncle than Supreme Court material (though he was much more so than Thomas or Souter). I guess we'll find out more next month.

Local Blog, Global Issues

It seems that there is a dearth of local blogging according to a recent story in The Journal Standard (story unavailable online) indicates that while bloggers often are daily journals (or in my case whenever I have time to update it) they can have an influence on national or local politics. With the advent of this site since February, 2005 there have been multiple references to local issues and politics, as well as several references in the "For the Love of Community" column (see www.kastlepublishing.com for story about Mitch Albom in the past columns section) about the role of blogs and journalism. Currently, there are many local issues, including the Trim-Rite Pork Processing Plant, the gradual loss of good-paying jobs from the manufacturing sector, the downtown development issue, US 20 and the woeful lack of funding to put us on the map, the difficulty in recruiting and retaining specialists, and self-image issues of a manufacturing community that no longer has a glut of manufacturing jobs. Some of these have been discussed in previous columns and some have been touched upon here in previous postings. Currently it seems that global events are also playing out in some ways with local attitudes divided about issues such as Cindy Sheehan. I recently spoke with a mother whose son is home from Iraq. She said that her son feels that only those that want us in Iraq are being interviewed or allowed to be interviewed by the media are having their voices heard. Those that vehemently oppose the US and foreign troops in their country are not being heard. He spoke of an incident where a US soldier was killed by a sniper and the people danced around him in the street, celebrating the death of one of our men. Then there are others in Iraq or in this country of Iraqi heritage that truly believe that we are there to liberate them and have their country's best interest at heart .
I do know that as the number of American soldiers die from the never-ending car bombs, sniper fire, RPGs and land mines it becomes increasingly difficult to see why we are there and what are ultimate goal is that we wish to accomplish. We want to believe that we are fighting a just war and that the liberation of a country from an evil dictator will be the end result, but with the conflicting views from the media, the defense department and international news sources, confusion often reigns. So, yes, there is at least one local blog that deals with local and global issues; intermittently refers to the mainstream media; sometimes is more of a journal; occasionally expounds on topics that have been covered in my local column; and probably will not appeal to everyone. Of course, it is quite possible to pick and choose what one wants to read. Though I did actually follow-up my predictions that appeared in the Best of the Web from the Wall Street Journal with predicting the exact finishes of the Freeport mayoral primary (see February 2005 blogs from this site). I'll keep writing on a regular to semi-regular basis as an adjunct to the column or just personal reflections. I know that it isn't mainstream enough for everyone, but everyone has the perogative to read it or avoid it. That is the beauty of the internet or mainstream media for that matter. In short, Freeport does have at least one local blog for better or for worse. Of course, there is plenty of room for more voices to be heard.

The Days Just Aren't Long Enough

I really planned on doing a daily blog. Now it has been almost three weeks and I haven't had the opportunity to write outside of my weekly column. I have been amazed at how well our service dog, Shia, has taken to the family. Sleep (at keast for an entire night) once a forgotten commodity, has now become more routine, as our daughter is kept company by the dog every night. For those with a child with autism or related disorders, a service dog may provide one extra component in the bag of tricks in helping a child. I would suggest Working Class Dogs in Illinois. There are related links from this site to other associations that are involved with training and placing service dogs.
In other news, our oldest daughter has just finished her first course in college. She'll find out her grade on Monday, the same day that she starts her Swedish Massage class. We hear from her usually once a day, or every other day.
If you are from the Freeport or Northwest Illinois area, keep your eye on this site, as well as around town and in the Journal Standard for information about an Irish Variety Show that will be in Freeport at the Masonic Temple on Monday, September 26th. This will be a fundraiser for St. Mary's Church's new community center.
Looking forward to trying to get back to more regular contributions to this site. Hope you enjoy the newer columns that have been added to the Kastle Publishing site. Once again if you are looking for assistance with your web site or graphic design, contact Ben at Luedtke Creative Group.

Happy Birthday, America!

Once again we celebrate the birth of our nation. The grilling, the fireworks, the memories of childhood and family gatherings. Today is the first Fourth of July that we are spending without our daughter, Mary, being home for the past 18 years. She is celebrating with friends in Nashville as we await for friends and neighbors to converge for our annual outdoor cookout and pool party. It looks like it might be an indoor event this year, however, if the weather doesn't cooperate. We have been starving for rain most of the Spring and Summer. The farmers will be happy, as will our lawns and shrubs and flowers. I guess that it doesn't matter which days it rains, as long as it does. We can always cook indoors and the major point is that we have the freedom to gather, to share our stories, to share our faith, and our mutual respect for our country and our families. Today we pray for the well-being of the troops that are serving our country overseas and within our borders. Ever since September 11 we cannot take these freedoms for granted. Whether we agree or disagree with the policies set forth by this administration or any other freely elected president and his or her cabinet and the elected officials, we have the freedom to celebrate the differences that we have, while at the same time still being patriotic to the ideals and principals that our country was founded on.
So, Happy Birthday, America! We wish for many happy returns!

Nashville in the Meantime

Okay, so we're probably driving our daughter bonkers. We call her a couple times a day while she's in Nashville. Call in the morning, "Hi! How ya' doin?" Call in the afternoon, "What are you doing?" Call in the evening, "How was school?" I know we should actually get a life of our own, but she is our first one off to college and she is sooooooo far away from home. Isn't it a parent's perogative to worry about their daughter? She seems to be doing fine on her own, though. She is making new friends and already has a job that starts next month at the Opry Mills Mall. I'm sure that as time goes on her parents won't feel the need to call her every day (at least not 3-4 times a day). We are looking foward to seeing her in September unless she happens to come home before then. Anyways, at least we aren't needing as many Kleenix as we did the first few days.

Welcome Home, Shia; Goodbye, Mary

Well, the dog is home. Shia came back with us last week and we've taken to her and I think that she has taken to us. She is a beautiful Yellow Lab. Long and sleek, much like Claire, who'll be the major beneficiary of Shia. Claire has slept through almost every night since Shia came home and began sleeping next to her.

Today is bittersweet, though. We have gained a dog, but we are wishing our daughter, Mary, a good-bye. Today is her last day at home before she leaves for college in Nashville, TN. We leave early tomorrow morning for the journey South. She'll follow me in her car as we take her belongings to her new home-at least for the next 18 months. She starts at High Tech Career Institute and will study massage therapy. The nice thing about the program is that it affords her the chance to obtain an Associates Degree in the 18 months and many of the credits can transfer if she decides to go on in college. Otherwise, she'll be able to start her profession before she is even 21. Focused learning seems to be a good way to go for her. We'll miss her, though. I'll be going down in September for a podiatry conference and I hope that most of the family will be able to go with me.

What a Week!

We started out with a graduation, had a party and then went right into dog training. Shia is a beautiful yellow lab that is stealing our hearts with her grace, her charm and her intelligence. Who could ask for anything more in a lady. We have had six days of training with her. Well, my wife is doing most of the training and is now at the point where the dog is with her 24/7 for 10 straight days. In the long run, the dog will be "transferred" to Claire. I haven't had time to think about much else except for driving, entertaining children and grabbing an occasional Americano at the local Starbucks. This week is more training with more ventures into field trips and then it is time to get our oldest ready for her journey to Nashville where she starts college on June 27th. Never a dull moment. Eventually, I hope to get back to updating this site on a regular basis, but for now suffice it to say... it is time for bed.

The Enchanted Attic

The following story appeared in The Journal Standard on Friday May 13, 2005:

Enchantment returns in 'Attic'
By Amee Bohrer
The Journal-Standard

During an "Enchanted Attic," rehearsal, a young ballerina performs her solo, but is having trouble finding the right facial expression.

An older student walks out and gives the younger dancer some ideas, as an older sister might do for a younger sibling.

The younger ballerina smiles, applies the advice and nails it.

This is a typical rehearsal for "The Enchanted Attic," as the junior and senior companies of New Expressions Dance Theatre, directed by Jill Johnson, combine. She estimates about 40 performers ages 5 to 50 are involved in the production.

They'll present shows to the public May 20 and 21, but will also do two performances just for area students on May 18 and 19.

Although the show was first performed in March 1995 at Highland Community College, Johnson and Lisa Albert, who co-wrote the story, decided to re-vamp it a decade later, especially since Johnson, along with the original composer and costume designer, have since learned new skills they wanted to incorporate.

Composer Jerry Wickman of Shannon spent three months re-orchestrating his composition. The music hasn't changed, but instrumentation has been altered and two new musical themes were added.

"I went through every single note and re-recorded it," Wickman said. "It sounds much more like an actual orchestra playing."

Wickman will have CD's available at the show.

The story focuses on Emily, a little girl visiting her grandmother. When her grandmother's magical bird escapes and leads Emily into the attic, she meets a host of enchanted toys who need her help.

Most of the toys are friendly, but some, such as a jack-in-the-box, are a little sinister. When bats attack the toys, it's up to Emily and her cousin to save their new friends.

Other personified toys include spinning tops, dust bunnies, spiderlings and a pirate.

JoAnn Hamer of Baileyville, the costume designer, didn't change the design of most of her costumes from the first production, but re-made them all to fit a different set of dancers.

Also an art teacher, Hamer sees her costumes as "3-D moveable art," and said expressing herself through costume-making is "better than Cubism."

"I'm very proud of all my dancers," said Johnson, director of Studio 121 ballet company. "They've put in a huge amount of work."

The performers are anxious for the first performance and enjoy different aspects of the process.

MacKenzie Fye, 16, of Freeport, who plays the roles of head soldier, a bracelet charm and a storm figure, has been dancing for 14 years.

"Costume changes in two minutes or less," have been the most challenging part of the production, Fye said, along with the rehearsal schedule that grows to five or six days a week as opening night nears.

"My favorite part is the make-up," said Lucy Jones, 9 of Savanna, one of two girls double-cast as Emily. Normally, she explained, "I don't get to wear make-up."

After seeing the performance three times I am again duly impressed with the talent that is present in Freeport and the surrounding communities almost as much as I am astounded by Jill Johnson's ability to put the right person in the right role for the performances. Once the performance begins it is hard to imagine how anyone else (of her senior and junior companies) would have fit the roles any better. The music was first rate. The choreography was exceptional. The dancers were inspired and inspiring.

I was saddened, however, as the Pirate Doll, my daughter, Veronica, will be leaving the company. This was her last official performance (for now?). There are various commitments at school that cut short on available time. We'll still have her younger sister, one of the Clown Dolls, Teresa, to carry on the animated, energetic stage presence.

It looks like The Nutcracker will be the main performance next year. It is tentatively scheduled for December. Now the dancers have time to work on the technique over the Summer and look forward to a few extra days off.

What's Going On?

Mothers stabbing children. Fathers stabbing children. A child is abducted, raped and hidden in a landfill. Children and adults dying in an overnight fire. Two children taken from their home, raped and told their families would be killed if they said anything. I'm starting to think that my daughters and son are not safe anywhere. Whether it is Florida or one of the Chicago suburbs the sanctity of life for and the safety of children seems to be in a race against time. When children cannot trust their parents or those that stay in the homes of their family it is understandable how the feelings of fear and trepidation in the neighborhood, the school or the community for our children is in the forefront of our thoughts. Our neighborhood, as serene and middle America as it seems is starting a "Neighborhood Watch" program. An occasional stranger in a vehicle not recognized in the neighborhood will be spotted. Most of the time it is just someone out for a Sunday drive or someone who is lost or looking at homes. Occasionally, though, a suspicious person will be seen sitting in his car or truck looking around. No apparent reason. But it makes us wonder. What or who is he looking for. Is he measuring up the neighborhood and checking out the patterns of the residents for when they are home? There have been a few burglaries. Or is he looking to see who the children are and where and when they play or walk or ride their bikes in the neighborhood? There is never a time when people feel like they can relax anymore. There is never a time when we don't want to know exactly where are children are. It doesn't look like we are going back to the carefree days anytime soon.

Time Goes By

My intent was to publish shorter posts daily to this site. My intent was to keep up to date with the latest in life in and around our community and to look at the world's news and how it affects our area or our lives. So much for intent. In the ensuing months life has become hectic to the point of allowing me to read the news, but not write daily. Weekly has been more the norm. Daughters, dances and dogs seem to be taking up most of my extracurricular time these days. The Prom was last week. The ballet is next week. Graduation two weeks later. And then dog training with our daughter for her service dog, a yellow Lab named Shia for the following two weeks. This will be followed with a trip to Nashville for our oldest daughter's start in college. Explaining things to myself allows me to realize where the time does go. Of course, a weekly column, another monthly column on health issues, as well as seeing patients and parental duties. As I said previously, 24 hours in a day is insufficient time.
The news lately has been a sad commentary on the lives of our children. A father murders his daughter and her best friend and Zion, Illinois mourns. This occurs just a couple of weeks after a mother slays her child and Hoffman Estates quiet is disrupted. When children are no longer safe from their own parents, we are in a world of hurt. John Kass recently wrote about how we turn to perpetrators of these crimes into victims. The children who suffer at the hands of these monsters have no say in the matter, because they are dead and cannot speak from the graves that they were forced to enter before they were old enought to understand much of life. Much of this, I believe, comes from our current disregard for life from babies in the womb to the current perception among many and perpeutated in the much of the media that children are commodities and are to be left alone, carted off and often must fend for themselves. We say that our children are our most precious resources, but too often we don't put the nurturing into them that allows them to grow and prosper in a loving, caring environment. The onus ends up being on the daycare worker, the babysitter, the grandparents, the teachers, and peers, but we as parents are the ones who have to hold up our end of the bargain. In this regard, we have a long way to go.

First Last Dance

My oldest daughter will be going to her high school prom tomorrow night. She could get a dress. She could make reservations for dinner. She could order a boutonniere. She could buy the tickets. Her younger sister found the best gift for her, though, a date to the prom. This will be her third prom, missing only her sophomore year. We didn't think she wanted to go this year, but as time drew near, well, perspective changes. There is plenty to worry about for prom night, most importantly the worry is that the students are not drinking and driving.
Freeport has the most unique prom that I have witnessed. There is the "parade of stars" with the students arriving in a wide array of forms of transportation. Anything, just about, seems to be fair game from tractors to dump trucks to mopeds. It is quite a sight seeing these teens arriving at the Masonic Temple in all of their regalia. Then there is the march around the city block where most every student attending the prom processes to the delight of parents, siblings, relatives, friends, and lookers-on. It is one of the highlights of Spring in Freeport. Small town, big ideas, and just plain fun. Our family should have the opportunity to attend several more before all of our children graduate from high school. Let's hope that some traditions are maintained.

Welcome Back, Mitch

Mitch Albom returned today. He speaks of perspective in journalism and in life. He has had time to reflect on his judgment of a few weeks ago when he wrote the column that appeared in the Free Press on April 3, 2005. His initial apology column four days later seemed contrite and looking for excuses and sharing the blame. Today, with time and "perspective" he has come to the realization that it isn't fun being on the other side of criticism. As I stated in the Pretzel City Logic blog from April 10, 2005, I am an avid fan of Mitch Albom, and while I thought that it was careless of him to write the column without having actually witnessed the players being at the game, I didn't think that he should have been fired...if it proved to be an isolated occurrence. I think that it is a lesson that all columnists, journalists, and newspaper reporters can learn from. Mitch also needs to remember, as do all of us, that we are held to the standard for which we aspire and write about, such as his remarks about Jayson Blair. Sometimes we get a dose of reality and sometimes we get jolted back to reality. Welcome back, Mitch, to your column, to those who read your column, and to life after a lesson learned. I believe that Morrie, would have offered unconditional love and forgiveness and moved on. We can all learn from this.

High on the Hog

Trim Rite is coming. Trim Rite is coming to save the day. At least that is the story. Freeport's economic woes won't be solved by a pork processing plant. We will once again pay more by another company paying less...taxes, set-up fees without having to make a long-ter, commitment to the community. We'll put in the sewer lines, the power cables, internet cables, and roads to service the company. We're promised 200 new jobs. Will there be any concessions that the employees health care providers will be contracted to be local. How many children will be going to school here? Will there be new residents moving to the area or will the employees travel from Sterling and Rockford and then take their hard-earned money back to their malls and grocery stores and pay property taxes to their communities?

Meanwhile we hear the drip...drip...drip... of our solid citizens being let go by other local employers. A few this week from Honeywell. A few next week from Newell. A couple from Cub Food. It is like the old adage about how do you boil a frog... you slowly raise the temperature and the frog keeps adjusting until eventually the heat is high enough that the frog cooks. The employment temperature in our community is slowly rising and many in the community, at least those that haven't bailed out, are starting to sense the change, but until they are affected they don't get out of the boiling water.

Just read the letter from a Honeywell customer to get a feel for the outside world's view of one of our jewels of industry in Freeport. If no one is around to lead it is impossible to have full accountability, prompt decision-making, nor a highly motivated workforce. Management by email just doesn't cut it. Drip...drip...drip... an account here, an account there, and then we're left to wonder, "What went wrong?" The answers are there, but there isn't anyone to let the people who feel an obligation to the company and to the community that they are valuable, important to the company and are vital to the success of not just making switches or whatever, but that they are part of the whole process. When an integral part doesn't feel so integral or one is constantly looking over one's shoulder for the grim reaper of HR it is impossible to do quality work.

Drip...drip...drip.....

Off the Hook and the Feeding Tube

Mitch Albom will once again be writing for the Detroit Free Press. Full details are to follow from the internal investigation after his dalliance with fiction in the world of sports news. Mitch has a loyal following, and I have been one of those following his writing career since he started with the Freep. I was hoping that this was an isolated lapse of judgment on his part and not one of multiple infractions. The reading public, many of whom adore Mitch Albom, vehemently wrote to the paper that they were to lay off of Mitch. Let bygones be bygones they said. Accept his apology and move on the letters said. In a town that seeks some respite from negative publicity, dwindling population and status, and few well-regarded writing figures, except maybe Elmore Leonard, who now spends much of his time in L.A., are starved for some repectability. Mitch provided that with his desire to actually stay in Detroit. He is a multimedia star with television appearances, a radio program on WJR-AM, his bestselling books, Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven, both of which were developed into highly-watched television movies., and his twice-weekly column. The Freep couldn't afford to lose their lone star, but on the other hand, they couldn't afford to not fire him if this were not an isolated incident. Perhaps this will be a wake up call for those in print journalism that with the advent of the internet, web logs, and many more people interested in having the truth printed (though many are also only agenda-driven) our respected colleagues in the field of journalism will stick to the guidelines of effective column writing and reporting-"Even if your mother says its so, check it out first!." Welcome back, Mitch. It is no time to be contrite or erudite, give us some pointers on what you have learned and help yourself and us in knowing how to get it right.

It is time for useful and productive dialogue with the Terri Schiavo case. A good friend of mine and fellow columnist, Kristin Podemski, took issue with my point of view for my case against Michael Schiavo. She eloquently and with good insight felt that in this case it was "if you love someone let them go" perspective. In many instances, I would agree with that and have lived through my own family having to consider that option. It was, however, in a situation where the person, my uncle, never regained consciousness from head trauma and brain damage. I still take issue with referring to someone as being in a vegetative state, as this deemphasizes the "human" aspect of a person's life. She also contends that in years past a feeding tube was not an option and thus now can be considered "extraordinary measures" in end-of-life decisions. Using siligistic reasoning it could be concluded that in years past we also didn't have penicillin or other antibiotics and that if someone were dying from infection and didn't make their wishes known then giving antibiotics could be considered "extraordinary measures". I don't understand how it is that if someone is not dying, then you take away their food and water, then that person starves to death or dies of dehydration, is it not murder? Maybe that person cannot express their thoughts, desires or wishes in a way that we can understand, but it doesn't necessisarily mean that that person wanted to die in such a fashion or that they wanted to die at all before their natural order of death. Maybe I am more of a conspiracy theorist, but I do not believe that Michael Schiavo simply wanted to let his wife go because he loved her so deeply, but my opinion is that he wanted to let her go, because she was the only witness to what actually caused her to lose oxygen to her brain and suffer brain damage. There was evidence of damage to her throat upon admission to the hospital initially. There were no changes in her blood chemisty or enzymes that would indicate a heart attack, as has been widely reported in the mainstream media. There are others that contend that she may or not have been bulimic. Kristin pointed out the money that was awarded in the malpractice case has been used for her care, but there are conflicting reports about the level of care that was afforded her. Collaborating witnesses have contended that Michael Schiavo ordered that physical therapy and other care be withheld from Terri after the first year. None of this explains the 13 healing fractures that were evident on the bone scan of which results were allowed to be withheld until 11 years after she first collapsed and 10 years after the scan was obtained. I don't know, Kristin, I am also confused, but my suspicion is that Michael Schiavo had something he wanted to be left unknown and that is the key factor of what put Terri Schiavo in her brain-damaged condition in the first place. The only living person that will ever know is Michael Schiavo and unless he tells us otherwise, we'll never know the whole truth. Hitchcock would have had a hard time coming up with such a story.

25 Hours A Day

Man! Where does the time go? It has been a week since I've been able to get to my own blog site. Let me see. Two columns written on Monday. A science fair project built with my daughter. Two trips to Chicago. A first communion and party. The only thing that seems to be lacking is sleep. Four, maybe five and on occasion even six hours of sleep a night. Too much to do, too little time to do it.
We have a new pope, Benedict XVI as of yesterday. Will he be a transitional Pope that takes us through the next 5 years or so and continue to hold the torch for what John Paul II started, or will he surprise everyone and be more progressive? Let us hope and pray that he doesn't begin to undo the positive that has been developed in the Church over the past 2000 years. It would be easier to give in to the "progrssive liberals" who feel that the Church is behind the times and that we are in need of loosening the reins and the morals of the Church. We need to keep an open dialogue with all faiths and with our Catholic friends, even if they do disagree with the Church's teachings. That doesn't mean that the Church should kowtow to the whims of those who want the Church to be more lenient in its ideals and principles. It is often most difficult to hold firm to the ground when the waves are striking at your foundation. The American Catholic Church needs to be held accountable for the abuses by our clergy and not let it be kept our of sight/out of mind. No one is helped. If we need to bring in more priests from other countries, that might be mor successful in the long run than recruitng any male for the priethood without regard to his tendencies. It will be interesting to see what transpires and if there will be a greater dichotomy in the Church of the "advanced" countries who want the Church to go their way and hold donations and membership as Damocles' sword over the diocesian leaders when the Church doesn't suit them. People tend to forget all of the good that he Church does if it isn't doing what they want for them. Why shold standards be relaxed for receiving communion or being in good graces with the Church? If people choose to sin, that is their own free will. We all do it, but we also have the opportunity for forgiveness if we ask. It is ovious that the relaxation of social morals and mores has really helped our country to be more loving, more giving and more compassionate. We have a long way to go, but we need to have a strong foundation to build on and tearing it down doesn't necessarily equate with progress or a better world.

I Guess I'm Behind the Times

I have a friend who is paralyzed. He told me about how he used to car surf when he was a teenager some thirty years. Another friend told me that her husband used to do the same thing. A friend recently lost his life doing this when he fell off of the car and suffered severe head trauma. I feel like I must be naive. I had honestly never heard of car surfing before this week. It is just something that I never thought of before I heard about the tragic accident and death of a friend. When teens do this, while not comprehensible, one can understand that teens often think that they are invincible. Adults, especially ones with a family, young children, a business, and an established life, make no sense when they decide to try the same thing. I know that I am behind the times in many of the ways of our youth, or even in the ways of the more "adventurous" of our adults, but this is one action that I don't think I will ever understand.

Journalistic Integrity

I read the Detroit Free Press most days. I have Mitch Albom set up on this blog because I have admired and respected his work over the past 20 years for the Free Press. I, like thousands of others, read his column last Sunday about the final four game between MSU and North Carolina. I took it as truth, having no reason to suspect or expect it to be any less than that. He has written heart-touching stories in the past. He wrote Tuesdays with Morrie for crying out loud. It was one of the books that changed peoples's lives, mine included, about appreciating truth and how people should treat one another. He branched out into fiction with the bestseller, The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Apparently, the fiction is now carrying over into his sports section column. I feel a sense of betrayal, a betrayal of trust and of a reader's loyalty. First, it was Bob Greene, another one of my favorite newspaper writers, and now Mitch Albom. There have been others in between as well as before and after, but they were writers that I had not heard of or was not a regular reader. It doesn't make the situations any less important, but I didn't take them as personally. The ethics of writing a column or even a web log are such that if you use a resource, it needs to be acknowledged or referenced and if you are writing fiction it needs to be sufficiently indicated either as satire (such as Royko's columns about Slats Grobnik or my own alter ego, Al Bebach) or noted to be fictitious. If Mr. Albom wants to stick with the fiction genre, then it may be best to continue with novels or plays. If he wishes to continue with fact-based sports reporting or human interest stories, then he needs to tell us the truth and not play games with would've, could've, should've happened stories. I have a feeling that this recent faux paux and almost flip apology will not fully cut it among his readers, especially those of us who have been loyal over the years. It takes more than, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again" to regain that sense of trust. Those are basically the same words my five-year-old uses after hitting his sister, but as we know it tends to happen again, anyways. We'll see if he can regain our trust, or if he'll even get the chance once the internal inquiry is over. I hope he does, but I would understand the consequences if he doesn't. He said of Jayson Blair that in the end it is better to write the truth. He needed to remember his own advice.

The Somnambulant Blogger

Is it really possible to function on four hours of sleep each night? I'm beginning to think that it is. Here I am wide awake at 12:30 a.m. once again in front of the computer and worried because I haven't updated my blog in a few days. Interesting blogs about Pope John Paul II abound in cyberspace. There are a lot of very intelligent people in the universe and a great number of prejudiced or judgmental ones, as well. Many believe, including those of other denominations, that Pope John Paul II was a great man, leader, and visionary. Many Catholics, unfortunately, only look at his stance on abortion, birth control, and homosexuality and say that he was too dogmatic, too conservative, and wonder when priests are going to be allowed to marry or when women can become priests. Why aren't they looking at the 2000+ years of history of the Catholic Church and the many progressive stances that the Pope took against war, economic injustice, relief for third world countries, stances against the death penalty, forgiveness (HE FORGAVE THE MAN WHO SHOT HIM!), his stance against oppression (Was that sound I heard the iron curtain crumbling?), and his courage to stand by his convictions? He realized that the Church was bigger than him, more stalwart than any of us. He embodied the direction that Christ gave His disciples. He was like Peter in that he was rock solid in his devotion to Jesus and helped prepare the way for the future (Second Vatican Council). Pope John Paul II showed us how to live and in the last days, he showed us the courage in how to die. His funeral will be on Friday and this part of the Easter journey will be complete. He will rise again, not to be seen like Jesus, but he will see Jesus in glory. For we are "the Easter people" as he called us and we shall sing "Hallelujah" in his praise for he will always be with us in our hearts. Peace be with Pope John Paul II and also with us.

It's a Small Town, After All

We stood in line for somewhere between one and two hours at the visitation for Colby Smith. Friends, relatives, those from shool and from work, citizens who knew him or knew of him waited patiently talking to one another. What does one say at a time like this. A young, successful man in the prime of his life dies suddenly, tragically and there really are no answers. The family seemed so composed that they were the ones consoling the well-wishers. We were grieving and still are. We are grieving as much for his wife and children as we are for ourselves. We cannot explain and it is seemingly impossible to understand what seems like a senseless loss of life. In one foolhardy moment a life is taken from this world and the ripple is felt throughout the community. I have sat by the bedside of my uncle, who died after crushing his skull in a car accident. He lived for 9 days before he died. We had some time to grieve before the burial. My mother, though, never recovered. She would die almost exactly five years later. Some of us go on, giving in to the sadness, the anger, the doubt at inexplicable times. Some of us bury our feelings, which still find a way out at times in the form of tears, anger, depression, and withdrawal. Those with a stronger faith seem to find a way to cope, sometimes even driven to greater pursuits to honor the dead, and to prove something to themselves. Others give up or stay in a funk that doesn't allow them to move beyond the pain. The pain never leaves, but we can move on with Christ's help and the help of family, friends and loved ones. Sometimes the faith and hope seem eons away, but even as far off as the stars are, they give a glimmer in the sky and shine the brightest when it is the darkest. At least it is something to hang onto when it seems as if tomorrow will never come.

Farewell, Pope John Paul II

Nineteen years ago at the Easter Vigil, I joined the Catholic Church. After going through the RCIA program at Loyola University, I joined the Church in a glorious ceremony at Madonna Della Strata Chapel on the campus of Loyola University in Chicago. The following year, my daughter, Mary, was baptized and joined the Catholic faith in the same chapel. We have only known one pope during our Catholic lifetimes, as have my other four children. We have seen the dedication that he had for life and for peace. We have seen the man stand by his convictions, often in the face of ridicule by those who do not understand the Catholic faith. He endured the scandalous accusations and actual cases of abuse by priests within the Catholic Church. He was instrumental in the fall of the Iron Curtain that oppressed much of Eastern Europe. He was a man who drew crowds in the millions and who connected with our youth like no other person in the world. Now he is gone from our earthly lives. He will be seen as a reconciler, one who reached out to all denominations in search of understanding. He beatified more potential saints than any other pope and served longer than all but two, Pius IX and St. Peter, the original Christian Pope. His papacy is defined by his love of life and his motto, "Be not afraid." He was not afraid of criticism for his deeply held convictions. He was not afraid to stand up for life in the face of a world that is immune to the atrocities of abortion, euthanasia, and genocide. He was not afraid to stand up and speak out for peace in the face of war, murder, social unrest and terrorism. He was not afraid to travel and be among the public even after an assasination attempt. He was not afraid of his physical death or of suffering or pain. He gave us the example of how to live a godly life here on earth. His was a life of compassion, conviction and Christianiaty. One of our most valuable reminders is the Papal blessing that we received for our wedding that hangs in our kitchen. It reminds us that our marriage is truly blessed and that we are to carry out our wedding vows and commitment to one another through our faith in Christ. Pope John Paul II has gone on to his heavenly reward and we are the richer for having been under his divine guidance.

It is Over, but It Has Just Begun

Terri Schindler-Schiavo has died. She was starved to death by judicial fiat. He "loving" husband was by her side, cradling her in his arms as her spirit left her body and she "peacefully completed the death process." What a load of garbage! Michael Schiavo, father of two children with his fiancee and companion for the past nine years while his "wife" lay in a hospice being deprived of rehabilitation at his request, does not make me think of compassion. Personally, he makes me feel sick to my stomach. He's probably counting forward to the day that he can remarry and start his "new life" sans Terri. What have we learned from this? That some courts and judges don't have an inkling what life is about. That a piece of paper that says a couple are married doesn't make a marriage, but can be used as a means of depriving someone of the loving care of parents and siblings who were willing to aid and comfort their daughter/sister. That those who are voiceless are less than human (how many people are actually vegetables?) and are thus disposable. Follow the story of the pediatric euthanasia doctor in the Netherlands for another view of how low we have sunk in the human race.

The Pope lays near death. Terri Schindler-Schiavo is killed. A friend dies a senseless death. The world is spinning right now with the eternal question, WHY? There must be a reason, but as of this moment I will have to keep praying that it either becomes evident or that the reasons become clearer in the future. In the meantime, I'll hug my wife, remind her that I love her and our children and have faith the God will provide for those who are grieving.