The DNC is at the end of the festivities. The coronation of the emperor is about to take place and everyone is wondering ... who is McCain going to choose as his running mate? He'll apparently take the high road tonight and congratulate Barack on his historical achievement, especially given that this is the 45th anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. That is bound to be a major tie-in tonight as he is outlined by the columns on the stage in a 21st Century re-enactment of the speech given on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. But, like most Hollywood movies (or Oprah-produced events) the setting is all style and of questionable substance. Can he sell himself to middle-America? Will the cowboys of Texas or Montana or Wyoming say, "Now that is someone I can get behind and support." Or will the great event ring hollow like a motivational speaker who revs up the crowd, counts his cash, and never has any follow-through? So far, I have only seen the latter in the rhetoric. There is a division that still exists between the Barackians and the Clintonians and no words of Bill or Hillary will be enough to satisfy the disaffected, the disgruntled and the disengaged.
Back to McCain. I look at three possible choices and know that I will most likely be wrong. McCain will want someone with broad appeal, who doesn't vary greatly from his stance on the abortion issue, and who has the chutzpa to put the long-winded, plagiarizing senator from Delaware in his place. So, look for someone who is respected and known well-enough to Americans that they don't need a phonetic dictionary in order to pronounce the name or a Who's Who book to recognize. Most likely it will be someone like Minnnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (though Minnesotans have failed to do well in national elections, see Mondale, Humphrey, albeit they were Democrats), Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison ( could have wide appeal among discouraged Hillary backers), Mitt Romney (though he comes across as too much like Dan Quayle and that may not fly), or my personal favorite choice, Secretary of State,Condoleeza Rice. She is not a politician. She has vast international affairs experience. She would be able to appeal to all races and while she carries the baggage of President Bush and the boisterous media's incessant chattering about all-things negative for America, she can hold her own in any situation.
We'll find out tomorrow when the GOP and Senator McCain meet in Dayton, Ohio. And I'd be willing to bet against 3:00 a.m. text messages to alert the party's faithful. McCain probably doesn't text message, anyways.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Democratic National Commercial
If it is possible to get diabetes through the extra syrup coming through the t.v. screen, I think I may have to stock up on a supply of insulin. Illinois political "hugfests" and fawning over the foe that vanquished you to the extent that it was like a 60's "lovefest" have just about made me sick to my stomach. There is no animosity for Barack Obama, the man, but there is no Barack-envy for his far-left stances on partial-birth abortions and protecting Americans in these troubled times.
Did anybody else find it rather ironic (or is that sardonic?) that Hillary failed to mention her husband, Bill, during her glowing introduction of herself? She came before us as a "proud mother," a "proud Democrat," a member of the "sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits," among other definitions of who Hillary is, but with Bill mouthing his "I love you's" visible to every person watching television, she did not wish to be or chose not to be, a proud wife. Is Bill that big of a liability now, or is it that she is no longer a wife, but a senator, a public servant, a mother, and Bill is, well, it looks like Bill is now on his own.
Did anybody else find it rather ironic (or is that sardonic?) that Hillary failed to mention her husband, Bill, during her glowing introduction of herself? She came before us as a "proud mother," a "proud Democrat," a member of the "sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits," among other definitions of who Hillary is, but with Bill mouthing his "I love you's" visible to every person watching television, she did not wish to be or chose not to be, a proud wife. Is Bill that big of a liability now, or is it that she is no longer a wife, but a senator, a public servant, a mother, and Bill is, well, it looks like Bill is now on his own.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Where Does One Draw the Line?
The yellow lines are painted, quickly, along the south side of Empire Street. Three blocks of No Parking should solve any sight line issues along the street, until someone else is hit, like the accident on Friday or worse. No Parking for 12 months of the year and 24 hours a day, seven days a week in order to allow people to cross over to the baseball diamonds seems a bit excessive, me thinks. Could there have been some dialogue before putting this up for a vote and implementing the No Parking zone to such an extent? Sure, it was presented to the Council, but if you are like me, I don't read The J-S cover to cover and much of the agenda is not even included in the paper. I also don't regularly attend City Council meetings, but perhaps I should start.
I was speaking with a civil servant the other day, also known as a mail carrier, and this person informed me about the same type of situation along Harlem, south of Cannova's and the surrounding businesses. The mail carriers now have to park half-way up the street in order to deliver to the businesses and most often have to transport mail from these establishments back to the truck. The carrier thought that it was to discourage street parking for Cannova's, but it also affected those serving the area throughout the entire day, even when the restaurant was closed.
I'm not sure that I understand this need to overcompensate for these types of situations. Why can't there be compromise as to the times that these ordinances are in affect, much like what happens in Chicago. Is it that difficult to put the times on the signs when an parking ordinance is in effect in order to allow for greater productivity? It doesn't appear to work that way, apparently.
We want a beautiful city, but some only want to do it one way, their way. There has to be an attempt at compromise when trying to establish new entities without infringing on the rights of local business owners or homeowners. So far, we're still waiting for that to happen.
I was speaking with a civil servant the other day, also known as a mail carrier, and this person informed me about the same type of situation along Harlem, south of Cannova's and the surrounding businesses. The mail carriers now have to park half-way up the street in order to deliver to the businesses and most often have to transport mail from these establishments back to the truck. The carrier thought that it was to discourage street parking for Cannova's, but it also affected those serving the area throughout the entire day, even when the restaurant was closed.
I'm not sure that I understand this need to overcompensate for these types of situations. Why can't there be compromise as to the times that these ordinances are in affect, much like what happens in Chicago. Is it that difficult to put the times on the signs when an parking ordinance is in effect in order to allow for greater productivity? It doesn't appear to work that way, apparently.
We want a beautiful city, but some only want to do it one way, their way. There has to be an attempt at compromise when trying to establish new entities without infringing on the rights of local business owners or homeowners. So far, we're still waiting for that to happen.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
Like a Good Neighbor
There are certain days that one feels like the windshield and other days that one feels like the bug. At least that's how it has been said. This was the week to be the bug. First, the basement floods with a back up of the septic system. Then I'm informed that the septic and sewer rider that could have been had for $40 per year and was never offered, is not in my homeowner's policy. Talk about food for flies!
If there was a bright spot to the entire fiasco, it was the service that we received from RestoreX in Freeport. Not only were they professional and efficient, they were courteous and respectful of my family and the situation. The sound of the fans and dehumidifiers was like living in the engine of a 747, but the family room level dried out and they were able to minimize the odor. I have the utmost appreciation for Rob and his co-workers for a job well-done, well almost done... there are still a few things to be finished, but it could have been a great deal worse without their expertise.
Back to the bug's life... our building has been here for 23 years and we've occupied it for the past seven years. A love-hate relationship has developed with Little Cubs Field, which was built across the street from our office. Our parking lot has become a de facto parking spot for those that find it more convenient to walk to the field than using the lot north of the field. When little consideration is given to the property (not to mention the signs posted that vehicles will be towed if parked in the lot) then it was time to take action. This was done much to the chagrin of a certain city official, who may think it is easier to appease the attendees than be concerned for a business owner and explain that said business owner is protecting his business, which he is fully in his rights to do. Liability issues being what they are, we don't need the extra risk.
As the Little Cubs take on the Little Cardinals this afternoon, I am looking forward to a fair and equitable resolution for these issues for the safety of the people who live in the neighborhood and those who are patrons of the parks.
If there was a bright spot to the entire fiasco, it was the service that we received from RestoreX in Freeport. Not only were they professional and efficient, they were courteous and respectful of my family and the situation. The sound of the fans and dehumidifiers was like living in the engine of a 747, but the family room level dried out and they were able to minimize the odor. I have the utmost appreciation for Rob and his co-workers for a job well-done, well almost done... there are still a few things to be finished, but it could have been a great deal worse without their expertise.
Back to the bug's life... our building has been here for 23 years and we've occupied it for the past seven years. A love-hate relationship has developed with Little Cubs Field, which was built across the street from our office. Our parking lot has become a de facto parking spot for those that find it more convenient to walk to the field than using the lot north of the field. When little consideration is given to the property (not to mention the signs posted that vehicles will be towed if parked in the lot) then it was time to take action. This was done much to the chagrin of a certain city official, who may think it is easier to appease the attendees than be concerned for a business owner and explain that said business owner is protecting his business, which he is fully in his rights to do. Liability issues being what they are, we don't need the extra risk.
As the Little Cubs take on the Little Cardinals this afternoon, I am looking forward to a fair and equitable resolution for these issues for the safety of the people who live in the neighborhood and those who are patrons of the parks.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Focus is Going to Need A Bigger Cap
Well, now we know where Olga is! She'll be appearing in the pages of the new daily newspaper in Freeport and the surrounding areas. Yes, Olga Gize-Carlile, award-winning journalist and former 40 year contributor to The Journal-Standard, is joining the new team. This news, coupled with the hiring of Alan Jones as the editor, adds another feather in the cap for this transition from a weekly paper to a daily paper. There are probably not too many "new" newspapers that are being launched in the United States currently. Many newspapers are folding or merging with other papers, or are drastically cutting their costs via layoffs, and reduced expenditures. Major newspapers are hurting for advertising revenue and subscriptions are dropping with the widespread dissemination of news on the internet, television and various forms of radio.
This isn't stopping AdPix, Inc. and their investors from venturing into charted waters and facing the old guard in a good old-fashioned showdown. The publisher for the "other" paper even commented in the story that announced that The Freeport Focus was going to a daily format that they were "ready to rumble." They started off their rumbling by "terminating" the best-loved and most widely read of their contributors, Olga Carlile. Her picture and the constant reminder of her "Journalist of the Year" award were plastered on the front page of the paper for almost a year after she her accolade was announced. Then when she was walked to the door and unceremoniously released from her writing endeavors at the "home" she has known for 40 some years, there was nary a word in the paper about it.
Rumble, I guess, has multiple meanings. That could signify the sound heard when someone is thrown under the bus, or perhaps the "rumbling" sound one hears from a nervous stomach when one is under great duress and about to face the unknown. Of course, the "rumble" referred to was referring to the announcement at the start of a "professional" wrestling match, and if that is the case, I think I'll place my bet on the heavyweight division... and stay Focused.
Stay tuned, because this town is about to get interesting.
This isn't stopping AdPix, Inc. and their investors from venturing into charted waters and facing the old guard in a good old-fashioned showdown. The publisher for the "other" paper even commented in the story that announced that The Freeport Focus was going to a daily format that they were "ready to rumble." They started off their rumbling by "terminating" the best-loved and most widely read of their contributors, Olga Carlile. Her picture and the constant reminder of her "Journalist of the Year" award were plastered on the front page of the paper for almost a year after she her accolade was announced. Then when she was walked to the door and unceremoniously released from her writing endeavors at the "home" she has known for 40 some years, there was nary a word in the paper about it.
Rumble, I guess, has multiple meanings. That could signify the sound heard when someone is thrown under the bus, or perhaps the "rumbling" sound one hears from a nervous stomach when one is under great duress and about to face the unknown. Of course, the "rumble" referred to was referring to the announcement at the start of a "professional" wrestling match, and if that is the case, I think I'll place my bet on the heavyweight division... and stay Focused.
Stay tuned, because this town is about to get interesting.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Another Feather in the Cap
A little over a year ago, the following story appeared on the WTVO website:
Where's Alan?
Reported by: WTVO Newsroom
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 @07:00am CST
UPDATE 8/8/07: There have been requests for an update on the condition of Fox 39 News anchor Alan Jones.
"There's been some improvement", says Jones. "Since my last posting a few months ago, I've undergone eyelid surgery to take care of some of the blepharospasm effects of apraxia. That's allowing me to keep my eyelids open a lot easier. And a regimen of Botox will help as well."
"I'm more than ready to get back to work on the air, and believe that will happen soon. Thanks for thinking of me."
Fox39 News Anchor Alan Jones hasn't left the station as many have asked. No, he's just not in a position to be on the air right now.
"I've been dealing with a severe case of dry eye and what's called benign essential blepharospasms. Those are involuntary eye spasms that are closely aligned with dry eye", says Jones.
"That and the symptoms of dry eye; the irritation and light sensitivity; make it impossible to be on the air. But I've been getting extensive treatment, so hopefully I'll be back at 9 soon."
The station has been receiving numerous phone calls and e-mails wanting to know Alan's whereabouts.
"Thanks for everyone's concerns and questions. I'm still here, producing the Fox39 News at Nine, while my colleagues do a great job filling in for me."
Well, now we know where Alan Jones is. He was just announced as the new Editor of The Freeport Focus, the soon to be daily newspaper in Freeport and surrounding communities. Dan Stevens, current reporter, columnist, editor and publisher was able to keep this under wraps until today's big headline story in Village Voices. It will be the lead story in tomorrow's Focus, also.
How does this bode for our "News Wars" that has been brewing for the past month or so (obviously, much longer than that, but most was behind the scenes). There have been a few major changes at the long-standing newspaper in our area, but the upstart Focus is going ahead with great ambition and great promise. While I know there is a certain amount of ill-will since my inauspicious dismissal from the other paper, and a definite feeling of bias in favor of AdPix, Inc. since I am now a contributing columnist, the overarching feeling in the community is that they are ready for a "local" paper with "local" writers and "local" stories.
People are starting to send in their subscriptions for "Faith in the Focus", the new office is about to be functional, and it will be within a stone's throw of the building at State and Main. This, as it is often said, is about to get interesting.
Where's Alan?
Reported by: WTVO Newsroom
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 @07:00am CST
UPDATE 8/8/07: There have been requests for an update on the condition of Fox 39 News anchor Alan Jones.
"There's been some improvement", says Jones. "Since my last posting a few months ago, I've undergone eyelid surgery to take care of some of the blepharospasm effects of apraxia. That's allowing me to keep my eyelids open a lot easier. And a regimen of Botox will help as well."
"I'm more than ready to get back to work on the air, and believe that will happen soon. Thanks for thinking of me."
Fox39 News Anchor Alan Jones hasn't left the station as many have asked. No, he's just not in a position to be on the air right now.
"I've been dealing with a severe case of dry eye and what's called benign essential blepharospasms. Those are involuntary eye spasms that are closely aligned with dry eye", says Jones.
"That and the symptoms of dry eye; the irritation and light sensitivity; make it impossible to be on the air. But I've been getting extensive treatment, so hopefully I'll be back at 9 soon."
The station has been receiving numerous phone calls and e-mails wanting to know Alan's whereabouts.
"Thanks for everyone's concerns and questions. I'm still here, producing the Fox39 News at Nine, while my colleagues do a great job filling in for me."
Well, now we know where Alan Jones is. He was just announced as the new Editor of The Freeport Focus, the soon to be daily newspaper in Freeport and surrounding communities. Dan Stevens, current reporter, columnist, editor and publisher was able to keep this under wraps until today's big headline story in Village Voices. It will be the lead story in tomorrow's Focus, also.
How does this bode for our "News Wars" that has been brewing for the past month or so (obviously, much longer than that, but most was behind the scenes). There have been a few major changes at the long-standing newspaper in our area, but the upstart Focus is going ahead with great ambition and great promise. While I know there is a certain amount of ill-will since my inauspicious dismissal from the other paper, and a definite feeling of bias in favor of AdPix, Inc. since I am now a contributing columnist, the overarching feeling in the community is that they are ready for a "local" paper with "local" writers and "local" stories.
People are starting to send in their subscriptions for "Faith in the Focus", the new office is about to be functional, and it will be within a stone's throw of the building at State and Main. This, as it is often said, is about to get interesting.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Would You Like to Rethink That Plan?
Click the title above to read about the design plan for The Journal-Standard that was written by the most recently departed editor, Andrew Analore, whom upon my dismissal from The J-S, informed me that he had moved half-way across the country for this job. He also made it clear that he had as much at stake in this community as I did. I did remind him of the track record for editors at our local daily (though there will soon be a second daily in town) and that I wondered if he could comment on Freeport after living here for more than 18 years. I guess we'll never find out now.
Why is any of this of any importance? I think it goes to the heart of the lack of communication between The J-S and the community. There is still no word forthcoming on Olga Gize Carlile's status, while the publisher may now call Lena home, he has still only been here for less than two years, and as for the finding out the pulse of the town in coffee shops (as Mr. Analore alluded to in his column about the design change of the paper)...just which coffee shops is he referring to?
I haven't heard the positive comments coming from anyone about the design changes in any of the ones that I frequent, namely all three... Cafe Mondo, Nine East Coffee, and Higher Grounds.
I understand that The J-S is "ready to rumble", and I admit to being disillusioned with their current status (and to being slightly biased as a contributing columnist for the Village Voices and Freeport Focus papers), but I am contacted almost daily about The J-S by people who were disappointed by their decision to cancel my "For the Love of Community" column. They didn't want "personal" columns included in their new format, but now that is exactly what they are going back to, including those by the publisher and new columnists (most of whom are GateHouse syndicates, or local ones who do not live in Freeport or our immediate circulation area).
So, what is it going to be? A nameless distributor of day-old news and sports scores or one that engages the community with thoughtful, current topics by local contributors? I guess we will soon see, won't we?
Why is any of this of any importance? I think it goes to the heart of the lack of communication between The J-S and the community. There is still no word forthcoming on Olga Gize Carlile's status, while the publisher may now call Lena home, he has still only been here for less than two years, and as for the finding out the pulse of the town in coffee shops (as Mr. Analore alluded to in his column about the design change of the paper)...just which coffee shops is he referring to?
I haven't heard the positive comments coming from anyone about the design changes in any of the ones that I frequent, namely all three... Cafe Mondo, Nine East Coffee, and Higher Grounds.
I understand that The J-S is "ready to rumble", and I admit to being disillusioned with their current status (and to being slightly biased as a contributing columnist for the Village Voices and Freeport Focus papers), but I am contacted almost daily about The J-S by people who were disappointed by their decision to cancel my "For the Love of Community" column. They didn't want "personal" columns included in their new format, but now that is exactly what they are going back to, including those by the publisher and new columnists (most of whom are GateHouse syndicates, or local ones who do not live in Freeport or our immediate circulation area).
So, what is it going to be? A nameless distributor of day-old news and sports scores or one that engages the community with thoughtful, current topics by local contributors? I guess we will soon see, won't we?
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Shown the Door, Where's the Gate(House)?
Word on the street is that our 2007 Illinois Journalist of the Year is now out of a job. If recent reports like this one from the Wall Street Journal (The Train Wreck at Gatehouse Media) are any indication of things to come, then it looks like Mrs. Carlile will not be the last of the employees at The Journal-Standard to be lead out to the curb. If the reports from friends of Olga are true (and I would like to speak with her myself to get her side of the story), then this was an ignominious end to a long-term relationship between Mrs. Carlile and The Journal-Standard.
Gatehouse Media is looking at a massive debt load and decreased revenue stream. How long will it be before The Journal-Standard becomes incorporated into the Rockford Register-Star that is also owned by Gatehouse? Consolidation, while not a forgone conclusion, seems to be even more likely given the less than stellar numbers put up by Gatehouse.
In indirectly related news (as far as the fate of print-edition newspapers) The Chicago Tribune announced that they will have another mass lay off by the end of August due to declining ad revenues and increased operating costs. The number of printed pages will again be decreased and a design change is due in September.
Newspapers are struggling. Years of loyal advertising accounts are now looking to spend their money elsewhere. The top-down hierarchy of most newspapers is fast changing with the continued expansion of internet news services, online editions of the papers, and independent bloggers (many of whom have entered the mainstream media by way of their blogging insights). Publishers have, in many cases, downplayed the significance of bloggers as being "guys in pajamas with too much time on their hands", but now that the writing is on the wall for many publishers and major and mid-major newspapers, perhaps it is too late to save the traditional paper as we have known it for most of our lives.
Let's be honest with the citizens, local paper, give us the news of "Where's Olga?" and what is really happening at The Journal-Standard. In the meantime, while it may seem counterintuitive to initiate a new daily paper in the area, it also makes sense, because people are clamoring to hear local voices about local happenings, politics, and business, instead of wire service feeds and syndicated claptrap that doesn't involve us. So, bring on the daily edition of the Freeport Focus. The timing seems right.
Gatehouse Media is looking at a massive debt load and decreased revenue stream. How long will it be before The Journal-Standard becomes incorporated into the Rockford Register-Star that is also owned by Gatehouse? Consolidation, while not a forgone conclusion, seems to be even more likely given the less than stellar numbers put up by Gatehouse.
In indirectly related news (as far as the fate of print-edition newspapers) The Chicago Tribune announced that they will have another mass lay off by the end of August due to declining ad revenues and increased operating costs. The number of printed pages will again be decreased and a design change is due in September.
Newspapers are struggling. Years of loyal advertising accounts are now looking to spend their money elsewhere. The top-down hierarchy of most newspapers is fast changing with the continued expansion of internet news services, online editions of the papers, and independent bloggers (many of whom have entered the mainstream media by way of their blogging insights). Publishers have, in many cases, downplayed the significance of bloggers as being "guys in pajamas with too much time on their hands", but now that the writing is on the wall for many publishers and major and mid-major newspapers, perhaps it is too late to save the traditional paper as we have known it for most of our lives.
Let's be honest with the citizens, local paper, give us the news of "Where's Olga?" and what is really happening at The Journal-Standard. In the meantime, while it may seem counterintuitive to initiate a new daily paper in the area, it also makes sense, because people are clamoring to hear local voices about local happenings, politics, and business, instead of wire service feeds and syndicated claptrap that doesn't involve us. So, bring on the daily edition of the Freeport Focus. The timing seems right.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Where, Oh, Where Has Olga Gone?
The following appeared in the National Federation of Press Women about Freeport's Olga Gize Carlile:
Olga Gize Carlile started her 50-year career in journalism at a time when few married women were in the workforce, becoming one of the first women managing editors at the newspaper. A dedicated print journalist, book author and columnist, she broke ground for women journalists in finding ways to balance career, family, and community commitments. She has held many offices in IWPA, served eight years on the NFPW Education Fund board, and was the 1992 NFPW Communicator of Achievement.
Now, there is no word from her longstanding employer, The Journal-Standard, about her status at the newspaper. Various "rumors" are flying about the town, but to date,there has been no official word from the publisher or editor at The J-S.
Last year when she was being honored by Northern Illinois University as the 2007 Illinois Journalist of the Year, there couldn't be enough "face time" for Mrs. Carlile on the front page of the paper and now... well, only the rumors of her being escorted to the door, being asked to work limited hours with no benefits, or to take a buyout and quit writing for the paper to which she gave most of her adult life her time, talents and treasures.
It is time that some notice be forthcoming. There are many readers of the local daily who have only kept their subscription because Olga was still writing. If she is no longer on the staff, well, it is my guess that there will be an onslaught of letters, phone calls, emails, and canceled subscriptions in the very near future.
Whether intended or not, this will only help to further entrench the support for the new upcoming daily paper, The Freeport Focus. I realize that there is a certain bias on my behalf, having felt the indignity of minimal forewarning before being told that my services were no longer needed at The J-S, but as I was reminded that I was "only" a freelance writer (albeit for 8 1/2 years), Olga has been with The J-S for what 50 years or so? I'd expect a greater degree of dignity than what the rumors are implying, but we'll have to wait and see what the "rest of the story" is or at least the edited version will be.
Olga Gize Carlile started her 50-year career in journalism at a time when few married women were in the workforce, becoming one of the first women managing editors at the newspaper. A dedicated print journalist, book author and columnist, she broke ground for women journalists in finding ways to balance career, family, and community commitments. She has held many offices in IWPA, served eight years on the NFPW Education Fund board, and was the 1992 NFPW Communicator of Achievement.
Now, there is no word from her longstanding employer, The Journal-Standard, about her status at the newspaper. Various "rumors" are flying about the town, but to date,there has been no official word from the publisher or editor at The J-S.
Last year when she was being honored by Northern Illinois University as the 2007 Illinois Journalist of the Year, there couldn't be enough "face time" for Mrs. Carlile on the front page of the paper and now... well, only the rumors of her being escorted to the door, being asked to work limited hours with no benefits, or to take a buyout and quit writing for the paper to which she gave most of her adult life her time, talents and treasures.
It is time that some notice be forthcoming. There are many readers of the local daily who have only kept their subscription because Olga was still writing. If she is no longer on the staff, well, it is my guess that there will be an onslaught of letters, phone calls, emails, and canceled subscriptions in the very near future.
Whether intended or not, this will only help to further entrench the support for the new upcoming daily paper, The Freeport Focus. I realize that there is a certain bias on my behalf, having felt the indignity of minimal forewarning before being told that my services were no longer needed at The J-S, but as I was reminded that I was "only" a freelance writer (albeit for 8 1/2 years), Olga has been with The J-S for what 50 years or so? I'd expect a greater degree of dignity than what the rumors are implying, but we'll have to wait and see what the "rest of the story" is or at least the edited version will be.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The Tao of Steve
The following column first appeared last month (May 14, 2008) in the Freeport Focus and Village Voices newspapers. It is reprinted here in follow up to numerous requests. Thanks for reading.
The Tao of Steve
by
Roland Tolliver
“To give anything less than
your best is to sacrifice the
gift.” - Steve Prefontaine
I haven’t found that
there are too many heroes in
life. There are a number of
people that have worthy
traits that are worth emulating.
There are those people
that have qualities that make
them stand out in the world,
whether it be in politics,
education, sports, the performing
arts, religion, and in
that all important field of
parenting. There is one person,
though, that I have not
been able to get out of my
head since I was a teen. Over
the years, I have found some
bizarre connection with this
man, who will have been
gone from this live for the
past 33 years this month.
Steve Prefontaine,
known simply as “Pre”
among those familiar with
the man and his life, has
generated untold stories of
his running acumen, guts,
and dedication. He was born
Steve Roland Prefontaine on
January 25, 1951, exactly
seven years to the date of my
own birth. Of course, there
is the strange coincidence
that his middle name and
my first name are the same,
as well. So, perhaps there
was some pre-ordained reason
that I was drawn into the
near mystical fascination
with this Olympic runner
and his short, but productive
life.
It was the summer before
my freshman year in high
school when Pre ran the
infamous 5,000 meters race
in the Olympics in Munich.
These were supposed to be
the “Happy” Olympics with
a return to peace in the
world. These Olympic
Games will always be
remembered for the 13
Israeli athletes and coaches
that were killed by
Palestinian terrorists after
the Israelis had been taken
hostage. A number of the
athletes managed to escape
and hide in the American
dorms. Any innocence of the
Olympics was lost that year
and as recent history has
proven too many times, the
innocence of a terror-free
world is but a dream. Besides
Mark Spitz winning seven
gold medals in swimming,
Frank Shorter winning the
marathon, and Dave Wottle
with his white gold cap coming
from last to first to win
the 800 meter race, there is
only one event that sticks
out in my mind. That was
the gutsy race that Steve
Prefontaine ran in the 5000
meter final, only to finish
spent and in fourth place.
He was young, 21, competing
against much more
seasoned runners, and he
almost won an Olympic
medal. It was then that I
realized that we can’t win all
the time, but that we can
always give a full effort in
whatever we do in life. There
have been a number of times
in life that I thought it
would be easier to just pack
it in and give up, but then I
think back to that summer
and how many obstacle I’ve
overcome in life since then.
One of my life’s highlights
was living in Munich
for a year while I was an
undergraduate student and
one of the highlights of that
year was running a race that
concluded on that same
track that Steve and Frank
and Dave and the U.S.
Olympic team and athletes
from around the world had
competed on. I often go
back to that day in my mind,
knowing that so many people
that have had great
influence on my life are no
longer here, but carry me
through many days as spiritlike
inspirations.
“Run fast. Run strong,”
they say. “Keep going. You
can do it,” they remind me.
“We’re watching over you.
You are not alone,” they
remind me.
Whether it be my uncle,
Wayne, who died in a one
car accident almost exactly a
year after Pre, or my mother,
Mary, who died almost
exactly five years after
Wayne, or Pre, whom I never
had the chance to meet,
there words carry me
through trying times. Their
memories strengthen the
loving and fulfilling
thoughts and words of my
bride and family today. I
have found that while it isn’t
healthy to dwell in the past,
we can meld our history with
our present to sustain us
today and brighten our
tomorrows.
Steve Prefontaine was
not only the greatest runner
in America during his career,
but one who worked equally
hard for equality and justice
among competitive runners
in our country. Many of the
changes he fought for against
the Amateur Athletic Union
eventually came to fruition
after his death. The entire
Olympic process in our
country eventually changed
based on the rights he fought
do diligently for. It is the
essence of making a difference
in one’s life that has
stuck with me as much as his
running prowess has over the
years. It is one impetus for
trying to make a difference
in my community, my
church, in my profession and
within my family.
“Go, Pre!” his fans
would shout at each of his
meets. He wouldn’t be
around to see the books written
about him or the movies
made about his short life. He
would see the minions of followers
that would be
influenced by his accomplishments.
Steve Prefontaine died in a one-car
accident in Eugene, Oregon,
the city of his greatest feats,
early on the morning of May
30, 1975. There are many
theories about the crash, but
the only one who knows for
sure is gone.
No one should be held
up as an idol, but there are
people that influence who
and what we become. We are
all influenced by the people
we meet in life or by the lives
of the people we read or
learn about. For me, I’ve
found myself following the
Tao of Steve for much of my
life and with God’s help
hope to follow it for many
years to come. One day
maybe my children or others
will be inclined to follow the
“Tao of Roland”. Well, anything’s
possible, right?!
Dr. Roland Tolliver is a
freelance writer from Freeport.
He often wonders what it
would have been like to be an
Olympian. He may be reached
at rtolliver@kastlepublishing.
com. You may view more
photos at http://www.pretzelcity.
blogspot.com/
The Tao of Steve
by
Roland Tolliver
“To give anything less than
your best is to sacrifice the
gift.” - Steve Prefontaine
I haven’t found that
there are too many heroes in
life. There are a number of
people that have worthy
traits that are worth emulating.
There are those people
that have qualities that make
them stand out in the world,
whether it be in politics,
education, sports, the performing
arts, religion, and in
that all important field of
parenting. There is one person,
though, that I have not
been able to get out of my
head since I was a teen. Over
the years, I have found some
bizarre connection with this
man, who will have been
gone from this live for the
past 33 years this month.
Steve Prefontaine,
known simply as “Pre”
among those familiar with
the man and his life, has
generated untold stories of
his running acumen, guts,
and dedication. He was born
Steve Roland Prefontaine on
January 25, 1951, exactly
seven years to the date of my
own birth. Of course, there
is the strange coincidence
that his middle name and
my first name are the same,
as well. So, perhaps there
was some pre-ordained reason
that I was drawn into the
near mystical fascination
with this Olympic runner
and his short, but productive
life.
It was the summer before
my freshman year in high
school when Pre ran the
infamous 5,000 meters race
in the Olympics in Munich.
These were supposed to be
the “Happy” Olympics with
a return to peace in the
world. These Olympic
Games will always be
remembered for the 13
Israeli athletes and coaches
that were killed by
Palestinian terrorists after
the Israelis had been taken
hostage. A number of the
athletes managed to escape
and hide in the American
dorms. Any innocence of the
Olympics was lost that year
and as recent history has
proven too many times, the
innocence of a terror-free
world is but a dream. Besides
Mark Spitz winning seven
gold medals in swimming,
Frank Shorter winning the
marathon, and Dave Wottle
with his white gold cap coming
from last to first to win
the 800 meter race, there is
only one event that sticks
out in my mind. That was
the gutsy race that Steve
Prefontaine ran in the 5000
meter final, only to finish
spent and in fourth place.
He was young, 21, competing
against much more
seasoned runners, and he
almost won an Olympic
medal. It was then that I
realized that we can’t win all
the time, but that we can
always give a full effort in
whatever we do in life. There
have been a number of times
in life that I thought it
would be easier to just pack
it in and give up, but then I
think back to that summer
and how many obstacle I’ve
overcome in life since then.
One of my life’s highlights
was living in Munich
for a year while I was an
undergraduate student and
one of the highlights of that
year was running a race that
concluded on that same
track that Steve and Frank
and Dave and the U.S.
Olympic team and athletes
from around the world had
competed on. I often go
back to that day in my mind,
knowing that so many people
that have had great
influence on my life are no
longer here, but carry me
through many days as spiritlike
inspirations.
“Run fast. Run strong,”
they say. “Keep going. You
can do it,” they remind me.
“We’re watching over you.
You are not alone,” they
remind me.
Whether it be my uncle,
Wayne, who died in a one
car accident almost exactly a
year after Pre, or my mother,
Mary, who died almost
exactly five years after
Wayne, or Pre, whom I never
had the chance to meet,
there words carry me
through trying times. Their
memories strengthen the
loving and fulfilling
thoughts and words of my
bride and family today. I
have found that while it isn’t
healthy to dwell in the past,
we can meld our history with
our present to sustain us
today and brighten our
tomorrows.
Steve Prefontaine was
not only the greatest runner
in America during his career,
but one who worked equally
hard for equality and justice
among competitive runners
in our country. Many of the
changes he fought for against
the Amateur Athletic Union
eventually came to fruition
after his death. The entire
Olympic process in our
country eventually changed
based on the rights he fought
do diligently for. It is the
essence of making a difference
in one’s life that has
stuck with me as much as his
running prowess has over the
years. It is one impetus for
trying to make a difference
in my community, my
church, in my profession and
within my family.
“Go, Pre!” his fans
would shout at each of his
meets. He wouldn’t be
around to see the books written
about him or the movies
made about his short life. He
would see the minions of followers
that would be
influenced by his accomplishments.
Steve Prefontaine died in a one-car
accident in Eugene, Oregon,
the city of his greatest feats,
early on the morning of May
30, 1975. There are many
theories about the crash, but
the only one who knows for
sure is gone.
No one should be held
up as an idol, but there are
people that influence who
and what we become. We are
all influenced by the people
we meet in life or by the lives
of the people we read or
learn about. For me, I’ve
found myself following the
Tao of Steve for much of my
life and with God’s help
hope to follow it for many
years to come. One day
maybe my children or others
will be inclined to follow the
“Tao of Roland”. Well, anything’s
possible, right?!
Dr. Roland Tolliver is a
freelance writer from Freeport.
He often wonders what it
would have been like to be an
Olympian. He may be reached
at rtolliver@kastlepublishing.
com. You may view more
photos at http://www.pretzelcity.
blogspot.com/
Friday, May 09, 2008
Pre and Me
I know that there has been a great deal written about Steve Prefontaine over the years since his death in 1975. I have written about his influence in my life and some of the coincidences that I share with him for the next issue of The Freeport Focus that is scheduled to appear in next week's edition. Today's entries focus more on some of the photos of Steve Prefontaine and me (when I was much younger, circa 1975-1976 to around1982. The similarities are striking at times and in no way were the photos "Pre"- planned, as I did not see any of the photos of Pre until well after his death and long after my high school photos were taken.
Monday, February 25, 2008
From YOUNG to AARP
It is the one month anniversary of a 50th Birthday so to mark the milestone, here is the column that originally appeared in The Freeport Focus.
This marks to us a milestone. God has blessed us to be 50 years old. --Christine Jamison Berdequez
Holy cannoli! You’re 50! --Al Bebach
My good friend, Al Bebach, decided to stick around an extra week to help me celebrate my fiftieth birthday this week. He likes to gather some tidbits and meaning from others’ lives, so this week he took the chance to interview me for this week’s column. Here goes nothing….
Al Bebach: So, you’re gonna’ be fifty, eh? I would’ve never guessed. 55, 60 maybe, but 50, nah. What’s the most important thing that has happened to you in that time?
Me: You mean besides being born, because otherwise I wouldn’t be here.
AB: Yes, of course, wise guy!
Me: I have to say unequivocally that it was meeting my beloved wife. Obviously, she wasn’t my wife when we met, but she would become Mrs. T. less than two years after we met. Five children later and I feel very blessed to still be so in love with her.
AB: What was the most memorable world event that’s happened during your life?
Me: The first one I remember was the assassination of JFK. He was killed the same day that my grandfather died. I can still see myself coming home from kindergarten around 1:00 p.m. when the announcement was made during “As the World Turns.” My mother just broke down crying and our nation’s innocence seemed to be lost that day. At age five I didn’t know that at the time. My first personal encounter with death came later that night when we found out that my grandfather had died.
AB: Who has influenced you the most in your life?
Me: Early on it was my mother. She was my biggest fan during all the sports that I played, though she was heartbroken when I gave up football for cross country as a junior in high school. She was always a big football fan. My uncle, Wayne, encouraged my running and was my friend and mentor until he died at age 23. My wife, Irena, has been the most influential over the second half of my life. I shudder to think of where I’d be without her!
AB: What is your greatest accomplishment?
Me: Thanks for asking the easy questions. I bet you’re easier on Paris or Britney. I think the greatest is staying in a loving relationship for nearly 24 years now. Helping to raise five children (and continuing to do so). Coming to know Christ helps guide all of the other accomplishments. I’d have to say that most have to do with my family.
AB: Have there been any major turning points in your life?
Me: Yeah, sure. Where do I start?
AB: Maybe just a few, I’m limited to so many words here.
Me: Okay. Getting a full ride to college definitely was one. I was the first from my family to graduate from college. Spending a year studying in Munich, Germany helped me to broaden my view of the world and gain an appreciation for good beer. My mother’s death two weeks after I graduated from college when I was 23 definitely made me grow up faster than I might have wanted to. Meeting my wife in Chicago during podiatry school comes at the top of the list. Moving to Freeport to start my own practice has influenced many of our life’s decisions. Finally, learning to be there and take care of our special needs daughter, Claire, has changed our lives in untold ways.
AB: That’s quite a list.
Me: I know. Life turns on our experiences and our circumstances. Each event, each person we meet, each decision we make affects each subsequent event, relationship and occurrence in our lives.
AB: Are you always so profound or did you get that from a fortune cookie?
Me: Ha! Ha! Maybe it is nearing the mid-century mark that has me thinking about life and its many meanings lately.
AB: What have you done that was really fun in your life?
Me: Definitely travelling through much of Europe when I was 21-22 years old. I met so many people and saw an entirely different world than I knew before that. Road trips with my wife before we were parents come to mind. Trips to Seattle, San Francisco, northern Michigan and Stratford, Ontario were memorable. The best gift I ever received for my birthday was when my beloved sent me to the Detroit Tigers Fantasy Camp for my fortieth. She totally surprised me with that one!
AB: So, given your milestone here, are you going to do anything special? Buy a sports car? Go to Europe, again, or Hawaii? Take a cruise?
Me: All of those are great ideas, but we’re not planning on any of those, yet. Maybe we’ll choose one of those ideas for our twenty-fifth anniversary. Actually, with any luck and a lot of hard work, I’ll be running the Country Music Marathon in Nashville this April.
AB: Are you celebrating or just into pain?
Me: No, no. It’s just something that I’ve wanted to do. Testing the limits kind of thing, you know? I’ve always enjoyed running and a marathon just seemed to be a good mid-life goal for me.
AB: Yeah, good luck with that. I can drive 26 miles, but to run that far. Hey, more power to ya’! Any last words you want to share before the big day, old man?
Me: I’d like to think that wisdom comes with age, but I know enough people that exhibit that old adage, “You can only be young once, but immature forever.” I also know that behind every great man is a greater woman encouraging him and working with him as an equal partner. Let’s see. It is possible to overcome adversity in life and to learn something from it and even become stronger in your faith and learn to help others. It is really easy to forget what a gift each day is, so in the immortal words of Warren Zevon we need to learn to enjoy every sandwich. Savor each bite of life like it is your last, because you never know when it will be. I guess that I’d finally like to say that laughter really is good for the soul and I know that I need to practice that as much as I preach it!
AB: Thanks, Roland, my friend. I wish you another fifty years, especially if you and your wife get that many more years together. You two really do deserve each other, and I mean that in the best way.
I guess sometimes the ground can shift between your feet. Sometimes your footing
slips. You stumble. And sometimes you grab what’s close to you and hold on as tight as you can. – from The Wonder Years
This marks to us a milestone. God has blessed us to be 50 years old. --Christine Jamison Berdequez
Holy cannoli! You’re 50! --Al Bebach
My good friend, Al Bebach, decided to stick around an extra week to help me celebrate my fiftieth birthday this week. He likes to gather some tidbits and meaning from others’ lives, so this week he took the chance to interview me for this week’s column. Here goes nothing….
Al Bebach: So, you’re gonna’ be fifty, eh? I would’ve never guessed. 55, 60 maybe, but 50, nah. What’s the most important thing that has happened to you in that time?
Me: You mean besides being born, because otherwise I wouldn’t be here.
AB: Yes, of course, wise guy!
Me: I have to say unequivocally that it was meeting my beloved wife. Obviously, she wasn’t my wife when we met, but she would become Mrs. T. less than two years after we met. Five children later and I feel very blessed to still be so in love with her.
AB: What was the most memorable world event that’s happened during your life?
Me: The first one I remember was the assassination of JFK. He was killed the same day that my grandfather died. I can still see myself coming home from kindergarten around 1:00 p.m. when the announcement was made during “As the World Turns.” My mother just broke down crying and our nation’s innocence seemed to be lost that day. At age five I didn’t know that at the time. My first personal encounter with death came later that night when we found out that my grandfather had died.
AB: Who has influenced you the most in your life?
Me: Early on it was my mother. She was my biggest fan during all the sports that I played, though she was heartbroken when I gave up football for cross country as a junior in high school. She was always a big football fan. My uncle, Wayne, encouraged my running and was my friend and mentor until he died at age 23. My wife, Irena, has been the most influential over the second half of my life. I shudder to think of where I’d be without her!
AB: What is your greatest accomplishment?
Me: Thanks for asking the easy questions. I bet you’re easier on Paris or Britney. I think the greatest is staying in a loving relationship for nearly 24 years now. Helping to raise five children (and continuing to do so). Coming to know Christ helps guide all of the other accomplishments. I’d have to say that most have to do with my family.
AB: Have there been any major turning points in your life?
Me: Yeah, sure. Where do I start?
AB: Maybe just a few, I’m limited to so many words here.
Me: Okay. Getting a full ride to college definitely was one. I was the first from my family to graduate from college. Spending a year studying in Munich, Germany helped me to broaden my view of the world and gain an appreciation for good beer. My mother’s death two weeks after I graduated from college when I was 23 definitely made me grow up faster than I might have wanted to. Meeting my wife in Chicago during podiatry school comes at the top of the list. Moving to Freeport to start my own practice has influenced many of our life’s decisions. Finally, learning to be there and take care of our special needs daughter, Claire, has changed our lives in untold ways.
AB: That’s quite a list.
Me: I know. Life turns on our experiences and our circumstances. Each event, each person we meet, each decision we make affects each subsequent event, relationship and occurrence in our lives.
AB: Are you always so profound or did you get that from a fortune cookie?
Me: Ha! Ha! Maybe it is nearing the mid-century mark that has me thinking about life and its many meanings lately.
AB: What have you done that was really fun in your life?
Me: Definitely travelling through much of Europe when I was 21-22 years old. I met so many people and saw an entirely different world than I knew before that. Road trips with my wife before we were parents come to mind. Trips to Seattle, San Francisco, northern Michigan and Stratford, Ontario were memorable. The best gift I ever received for my birthday was when my beloved sent me to the Detroit Tigers Fantasy Camp for my fortieth. She totally surprised me with that one!
AB: So, given your milestone here, are you going to do anything special? Buy a sports car? Go to Europe, again, or Hawaii? Take a cruise?
Me: All of those are great ideas, but we’re not planning on any of those, yet. Maybe we’ll choose one of those ideas for our twenty-fifth anniversary. Actually, with any luck and a lot of hard work, I’ll be running the Country Music Marathon in Nashville this April.
AB: Are you celebrating or just into pain?
Me: No, no. It’s just something that I’ve wanted to do. Testing the limits kind of thing, you know? I’ve always enjoyed running and a marathon just seemed to be a good mid-life goal for me.
AB: Yeah, good luck with that. I can drive 26 miles, but to run that far. Hey, more power to ya’! Any last words you want to share before the big day, old man?
Me: I’d like to think that wisdom comes with age, but I know enough people that exhibit that old adage, “You can only be young once, but immature forever.” I also know that behind every great man is a greater woman encouraging him and working with him as an equal partner. Let’s see. It is possible to overcome adversity in life and to learn something from it and even become stronger in your faith and learn to help others. It is really easy to forget what a gift each day is, so in the immortal words of Warren Zevon we need to learn to enjoy every sandwich. Savor each bite of life like it is your last, because you never know when it will be. I guess that I’d finally like to say that laughter really is good for the soul and I know that I need to practice that as much as I preach it!
AB: Thanks, Roland, my friend. I wish you another fifty years, especially if you and your wife get that many more years together. You two really do deserve each other, and I mean that in the best way.
I guess sometimes the ground can shift between your feet. Sometimes your footing
slips. You stumble. And sometimes you grab what’s close to you and hold on as tight as you can. – from The Wonder Years
Monday, February 18, 2008
The Will to Win
The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure. These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur. --Vince Lombardi
I’ve been a “Speech Parent” for the past three years following the growth and maturation of an outstanding group of students at Freeport High School. Yes, I’ve seen competitors from some of our other local schools excel as well, but obviously there is a connection to one’s home team. Dan Stevens has done the “objective” work of describing the meets, presenting the results, and highlighting some of our top local contestants. He has the background and isn’t “attached” to any one school per se, but tries to offer a fair and balanced presentation of the students of Northwest Illinois. As for me, I admit that I am biased in favor of my own daughter and the Freeport team, though I do find myself rooting for any of the local students to also do well. It’s kind of a parochial mentality of “us” (Northwest Illinois) versus “them” (larger suburban Chicago schools) that permeates some of that thinking. But, like I said, I am playing favorites…
I spent most of my high school years in sports competitions, usually track and cross country. Like most sports, the most baskets, the most points, the fastest times, or the most pins knocked down determine the winner. It is clear cut. There is no subjectivity left to the imagination. You run the fastest, you win. You swim the fastest, you win. You pin your opponent, you win. I competed one year in “forensics,” which is now primarily referred to as speech. I was okay. Not great. Definitely not like many of our local students from Freeport, Eastland-Pearl City, Lena-Winslow and Aquin. I’m sure I’m missing someone, but you get the point. I didn’t know enough to take it as seriously as these students do. I did know enough to know when someone was better than me. I don’t remember the young lady’s name in one competition, but I can still remember how we were both scheduled to read Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” She read first and I wanted to crawl out a window, partially because she read so well that I was actually scared and partially because I was intimidated to the point of wanting to pretend that I wasn’t there. Actually, I wished I weren’t there at that point. Fortunately, no one read the same poem that I read for my other event and I actually placed. Way back in the stone ages there were only three or four events, unlike today where there are fourteen events. There are more choices, but also students with much more talent.
As a “speech parent” one of the most difficult aspects is dealing with the unknown. That unknown is a variable referred to as subjectivity. There is no way of predicting how a judge is going to score a student’s performance. One judge can give out a “1” which is the best score and another judge can give a “6” for the same performance. We don’t know who the winner is until the names are announced. There is no photo finish as it would be if two runners cross the finish line. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason, at least none that we mere mortals can understand. What I do know as a parent and frequent attendee of speech tournaments is that there is a group of dedicated students in our area and throughout the state who put in long hours after school and often during the summers, share their hopes and dreams of a brighter and more intelligent future, and gain a level of poise and maturity that many adults would benefit from emulating.
Congratulations to those that have “given their all” and maybe came up just a little short of a trip to the state tournament. There are many of us who have never even come close. No medal, ribbon or plaque can take away the effort, dedication and time that you have put into a season that will leave a lifelong legacy for your lives. You are an inspiration to those of us who look to you as the future leaders of our society. You are off to a great start and that cannot be measured by a stopwatch or the number of points scored. That can only be measured by the heartfelt effort that has shined brightly each week.
Good luck at State to all of our area’s speech teams’ members!
I’ve been a “Speech Parent” for the past three years following the growth and maturation of an outstanding group of students at Freeport High School. Yes, I’ve seen competitors from some of our other local schools excel as well, but obviously there is a connection to one’s home team. Dan Stevens has done the “objective” work of describing the meets, presenting the results, and highlighting some of our top local contestants. He has the background and isn’t “attached” to any one school per se, but tries to offer a fair and balanced presentation of the students of Northwest Illinois. As for me, I admit that I am biased in favor of my own daughter and the Freeport team, though I do find myself rooting for any of the local students to also do well. It’s kind of a parochial mentality of “us” (Northwest Illinois) versus “them” (larger suburban Chicago schools) that permeates some of that thinking. But, like I said, I am playing favorites…
I spent most of my high school years in sports competitions, usually track and cross country. Like most sports, the most baskets, the most points, the fastest times, or the most pins knocked down determine the winner. It is clear cut. There is no subjectivity left to the imagination. You run the fastest, you win. You swim the fastest, you win. You pin your opponent, you win. I competed one year in “forensics,” which is now primarily referred to as speech. I was okay. Not great. Definitely not like many of our local students from Freeport, Eastland-Pearl City, Lena-Winslow and Aquin. I’m sure I’m missing someone, but you get the point. I didn’t know enough to take it as seriously as these students do. I did know enough to know when someone was better than me. I don’t remember the young lady’s name in one competition, but I can still remember how we were both scheduled to read Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” She read first and I wanted to crawl out a window, partially because she read so well that I was actually scared and partially because I was intimidated to the point of wanting to pretend that I wasn’t there. Actually, I wished I weren’t there at that point. Fortunately, no one read the same poem that I read for my other event and I actually placed. Way back in the stone ages there were only three or four events, unlike today where there are fourteen events. There are more choices, but also students with much more talent.
As a “speech parent” one of the most difficult aspects is dealing with the unknown. That unknown is a variable referred to as subjectivity. There is no way of predicting how a judge is going to score a student’s performance. One judge can give out a “1” which is the best score and another judge can give a “6” for the same performance. We don’t know who the winner is until the names are announced. There is no photo finish as it would be if two runners cross the finish line. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason, at least none that we mere mortals can understand. What I do know as a parent and frequent attendee of speech tournaments is that there is a group of dedicated students in our area and throughout the state who put in long hours after school and often during the summers, share their hopes and dreams of a brighter and more intelligent future, and gain a level of poise and maturity that many adults would benefit from emulating.
Congratulations to those that have “given their all” and maybe came up just a little short of a trip to the state tournament. There are many of us who have never even come close. No medal, ribbon or plaque can take away the effort, dedication and time that you have put into a season that will leave a lifelong legacy for your lives. You are an inspiration to those of us who look to you as the future leaders of our society. You are off to a great start and that cannot be measured by a stopwatch or the number of points scored. That can only be measured by the heartfelt effort that has shined brightly each week.
Good luck at State to all of our area’s speech teams’ members!
In Pursuit of Perfection
It has been a while since I have posted to this site, but I have still been writing a weekly column. This column seemed to gain a "companion" from another local media source two days after this was printed. Our local congressman seemed to have a similar situation occur. Oh well, here is the column in its entirety.
The supreme object of life is to live. Few people live. It is true life only to realize one’s own perfection, to make one’s every dream a reality. --Oscar Wilde
It is Sunday evening and the Patriots’ perfect season has just gone the way of so many snowflakes in a blizzard. One could sense it coming. The pressure was mounting with every play. When Eli Manning slipped the grasp of seemingly the entire defensive line to complete the pass to the 25 yard line, destiny seemed to draw up a new game plan for the Patriots.
“It’s only a game,” we tell ourselves. And yet, it seems to be the American way, perhaps the way throughout the rest of the world, to celebrate perfection. Of course, there are those that revel at the thought of ending perfection, as if it were too much to bear the thought of someone being that good at anything. Americans are notorious for only recalling what a team or individual has done in their last game. Sadly, it tends to carry over down to the level of even elementary school, junior high and high school competitions. “Win at any cost” has replaced “just do your best” as the rallying cry for our youth. This mentality permeates our society, though, thankfully, is not totally pervasive.
How do we develop that fine balance between “everybody plays” and “it doesn’t matter who wins” to the idea that one is supposed to win, no matter what? The former takes out the whole idea of competition. When our children are taught that they are entitled to play on a team, then it doesn’t really prepare them for the “real world” that adults find themselves in. You know the one, where large corporations fire or buy out thousands of employees at a time in order to ship the jobs to foreign markets to make stockholders happy. Ask the residents of Galesburg about the “friendly” Maytag man. Ask hundreds of Freeport residents about their jobs at long-gone insurance companies, “lifelong security” at institutions like Newell or Micro Switch or Kelly-Springfield or Burgess or… the list goes on.
A time eventually comes when all of this “fair play” gives way to a sense of entitlement. If one is used to always getting one’s way, then it is expected to continue. A feeling of entitlement subsequently leads one to no longer try and improve or move beyond the status quo. One’s comfort zone then becomes a guiding force, but one that also works like a form of imprisonment. Why move out beyond one’s level of comfort when so little effort is involved to remain there? What motivation is there to grow and develop? Why would one put oneself into any type of competition when it is evident that “it doesn’t matter who wins” as long as one is taken care of? No child will be left behind because the government has mandated it? Left to the discretion of the states, what precludes them then from dumbing down their standards in order to make it seem as if “everyone is winning”? It becomes an extension of entitlement and a further step toward a socialist movement. It worked wonders for the former East Bloc countries, didn’t it?
The supreme object of life is to live. Few people live. It is true life only to realize one’s own perfection, to make one’s every dream a reality. --Oscar Wilde
It is Sunday evening and the Patriots’ perfect season has just gone the way of so many snowflakes in a blizzard. One could sense it coming. The pressure was mounting with every play. When Eli Manning slipped the grasp of seemingly the entire defensive line to complete the pass to the 25 yard line, destiny seemed to draw up a new game plan for the Patriots.
“It’s only a game,” we tell ourselves. And yet, it seems to be the American way, perhaps the way throughout the rest of the world, to celebrate perfection. Of course, there are those that revel at the thought of ending perfection, as if it were too much to bear the thought of someone being that good at anything. Americans are notorious for only recalling what a team or individual has done in their last game. Sadly, it tends to carry over down to the level of even elementary school, junior high and high school competitions. “Win at any cost” has replaced “just do your best” as the rallying cry for our youth. This mentality permeates our society, though, thankfully, is not totally pervasive.
How do we develop that fine balance between “everybody plays” and “it doesn’t matter who wins” to the idea that one is supposed to win, no matter what? The former takes out the whole idea of competition. When our children are taught that they are entitled to play on a team, then it doesn’t really prepare them for the “real world” that adults find themselves in. You know the one, where large corporations fire or buy out thousands of employees at a time in order to ship the jobs to foreign markets to make stockholders happy. Ask the residents of Galesburg about the “friendly” Maytag man. Ask hundreds of Freeport residents about their jobs at long-gone insurance companies, “lifelong security” at institutions like Newell or Micro Switch or Kelly-Springfield or Burgess or… the list goes on.
A time eventually comes when all of this “fair play” gives way to a sense of entitlement. If one is used to always getting one’s way, then it is expected to continue. A feeling of entitlement subsequently leads one to no longer try and improve or move beyond the status quo. One’s comfort zone then becomes a guiding force, but one that also works like a form of imprisonment. Why move out beyond one’s level of comfort when so little effort is involved to remain there? What motivation is there to grow and develop? Why would one put oneself into any type of competition when it is evident that “it doesn’t matter who wins” as long as one is taken care of? No child will be left behind because the government has mandated it? Left to the discretion of the states, what precludes them then from dumbing down their standards in order to make it seem as if “everyone is winning”? It becomes an extension of entitlement and a further step toward a socialist movement. It worked wonders for the former East Bloc countries, didn’t it?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The Best of Dan Fogelberg
The Best of Dan Fogelberg: "1. Netherlands - Dan Fogelberg
2. Part Of The Plan - Dan Fogelberg
3. Heart Hotels - Dan Fogelberg
4. Longer - Dan Fogelberg
5. Hard To Say - Dan Fogelberg
6. Leader Of The Band / Washington Post - Dan Fogelberg
7. Same Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg
8. Run For The Roses - Dan Fogelberg
9. Make Love Stay - Dan Fogelberg
10. Missing You - Dan Fogelberg
11. The Language Of Love - Dan Fogelberg
12. Believe In Me - Dan Fogelberg
13. Lonely In Love - Dan Fogelberg
14. She Don't Look Back - Dan Fogelberg
15. Rhythm Of The Rain - Dan Fogelberg
16. Magic Every Moment - Dan Fogelberg
17. A Love Like This - Dan Fogelberg"
2. Part Of The Plan - Dan Fogelberg
3. Heart Hotels - Dan Fogelberg
4. Longer - Dan Fogelberg
5. Hard To Say - Dan Fogelberg
6. Leader Of The Band / Washington Post - Dan Fogelberg
7. Same Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg
8. Run For The Roses - Dan Fogelberg
9. Make Love Stay - Dan Fogelberg
10. Missing You - Dan Fogelberg
11. The Language Of Love - Dan Fogelberg
12. Believe In Me - Dan Fogelberg
13. Lonely In Love - Dan Fogelberg
14. She Don't Look Back - Dan Fogelberg
15. Rhythm Of The Rain - Dan Fogelberg
16. Magic Every Moment - Dan Fogelberg
17. A Love Like This - Dan Fogelberg"
Not Part of the Plan
My beloved has been a fan of Dan Fogelberg for a long time. Her friend Eileen introduced her to his music more than 25 years ago and when my wife found out that Dan was from Peoria (her birthplace), she was even more enchanted with this singer/songwriter.
We had the pleasure of seeing Dan Fogelberg in concert on two occasions. Once was the year we were married when he performed at the old Poplar Creek outdoor theater north of Chicago. We were able to barter up for tickets in the pavilion and thoroughly enjoyed the music in the outdoor venue during a warm late summer evening. The second time was about five years ago in Rockford, where he performed at the Coronado Theatre. This was a very intimate setting where we were able to see him much more up close.
We were sad to hear that he had advanced prostate cancer, when it was announced in 2004 and are now even sadder to read of his death at the young age of 56.
We can be comforted by listening to his music, but it is tough to realize that there will be no new original music from this gifted musician, who brought pleasure to hundreds of thousands over the years. I know that he was labeled as a "pop" musician or as one of the forerunners of "light rock," but he could play just about any type of music and could have gone either the direction of classical or big band (like his father) or country, rock, folk or any combination. He played music that thrilled his fans and from the depth of the lyrics and the purity of his voice, he most likely played that which pleased himself, also.
It is too bad that people and performers are often pigeon-holed into one genre or another and are chastised when they try something new, but in any respect it shouldn't matter if you are making music or listening to music that you enjoy.
Dan, you were truly a "Leader of the Band" and I'm sure that your father and mother were proud of your accomplishments. We will miss hearing your voice live, but know that we can always hear from you at almost any time.
Check out some of the songs from "The Very Best of Dan Fogelberg listed in the post above or go to Rhapsody.com and listen to one of my favorites, "The Power of Gold" from the album, Twin Sons of Different Mothers with Tim Weisberg.
We had the pleasure of seeing Dan Fogelberg in concert on two occasions. Once was the year we were married when he performed at the old Poplar Creek outdoor theater north of Chicago. We were able to barter up for tickets in the pavilion and thoroughly enjoyed the music in the outdoor venue during a warm late summer evening. The second time was about five years ago in Rockford, where he performed at the Coronado Theatre. This was a very intimate setting where we were able to see him much more up close.
We were sad to hear that he had advanced prostate cancer, when it was announced in 2004 and are now even sadder to read of his death at the young age of 56.
We can be comforted by listening to his music, but it is tough to realize that there will be no new original music from this gifted musician, who brought pleasure to hundreds of thousands over the years. I know that he was labeled as a "pop" musician or as one of the forerunners of "light rock," but he could play just about any type of music and could have gone either the direction of classical or big band (like his father) or country, rock, folk or any combination. He played music that thrilled his fans and from the depth of the lyrics and the purity of his voice, he most likely played that which pleased himself, also.
It is too bad that people and performers are often pigeon-holed into one genre or another and are chastised when they try something new, but in any respect it shouldn't matter if you are making music or listening to music that you enjoy.
Dan, you were truly a "Leader of the Band" and I'm sure that your father and mother were proud of your accomplishments. We will miss hearing your voice live, but know that we can always hear from you at almost any time.
Check out some of the songs from "The Very Best of Dan Fogelberg listed in the post above or go to Rhapsody.com and listen to one of my favorites, "The Power of Gold" from the album, Twin Sons of Different Mothers with Tim Weisberg.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Hitting a Few Wrong Notes
Parents are notoriously protective of their children in most cases. We're no different. We like to see our children succeed and shutter when they don't. There are times, though, when we have to let them succeed or fail on their own, because they do learn from their mistakes. Take a ten-year-old playing her first solo and then hitting a few off-key notes. The audience is very forgiving for one so young, but the child may only hear the sour notes and not realize that she had the wherewithal and spirit to continue on with the song and keep improving as she played.
Not everyone can sound like Charlie Parker when they first pick up the saxophone. Not even Charlie Parker sounded like him when he first started. It is amazing to me when one so young has the courage to stand in front of hundreds of people and play in the first place.
So, to all the budding musicians out there, don't let a few bad notes get you down. Keep on playing and one day, well, you just never know.
Charlie Parker: "1. Barbados - Charlie Parker
2. Ah Leu Cha - Charlie Parker
3. Constellation - Charlie Parker
4. Parker's Mood - Charlie Parker
5. Perhaps - Charlie Parker
6. Marmaduke - Charlie Parker
7. Steeplechase - Charlie Parker
8. Merry Go Round - Charlie Parker
9. Groovin' High - Charlie Parker
10. Big Foot - Charlie Parker
11. Ornithology - Charlie Parker
12. On A Slow Boat To China - Charlie Parker
13. Hot House - Charlie Parker
14. Salt Peanuts - Charlie Parker
15. Chasin' The Bird - Charlie Parker
16. Out Of Nowhere - Charlie Parker
17. How High The Moon - Charlie Parker
18. White Christmas - Charlie Parker"
Not everyone can sound like Charlie Parker when they first pick up the saxophone. Not even Charlie Parker sounded like him when he first started. It is amazing to me when one so young has the courage to stand in front of hundreds of people and play in the first place.
So, to all the budding musicians out there, don't let a few bad notes get you down. Keep on playing and one day, well, you just never know.
Charlie Parker: "1. Barbados - Charlie Parker
2. Ah Leu Cha - Charlie Parker
3. Constellation - Charlie Parker
4. Parker's Mood - Charlie Parker
5. Perhaps - Charlie Parker
6. Marmaduke - Charlie Parker
7. Steeplechase - Charlie Parker
8. Merry Go Round - Charlie Parker
9. Groovin' High - Charlie Parker
10. Big Foot - Charlie Parker
11. Ornithology - Charlie Parker
12. On A Slow Boat To China - Charlie Parker
13. Hot House - Charlie Parker
14. Salt Peanuts - Charlie Parker
15. Chasin' The Bird - Charlie Parker
16. Out Of Nowhere - Charlie Parker
17. How High The Moon - Charlie Parker
18. White Christmas - Charlie Parker"
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Since I've Been Gone
It finally took a new computer for me to get back to this site and compose anything. I had started on numerous occasions and had paragraphs written, but the "Old" computer kept freezing up on me and all was lost. All that was new, anyways. I can't or at least choose not to rehash everything that has gone on for the past few months, but here we are a few days from Thanksgiving and I am now writing weekly for a new newspaper (well, it is new for me).
The weekly column "For the Love of Community" now appears weekly in the Village Voices and the Freeport Focus. Both of the papers are also available online. Just click the above and it will take you to the site. There is a nominal fee (less than $25 for the annual subscription) or it is also available through mail subscription or at newspaper kiosks.
The Focus and Village Voices really promote local news with features about the people of Northwest Illinois. It is locally owned and operated with local features writers, reporters and contributors. Check it out each week.
One of the best things about being a "Theater"parent are the multiple opportunities to see my daughter perform in some extraordinary productions. Over the past four years there has been, "Bye, Bye Birdie," Studs Terkel's "Working," "The Pajama Game," and this year's phenomenal show, "Thoroughly Modern Millie." The Freeport High School theater department is exceptional with a vast array of talent and an unusual panache for a high school group. I'll miss seeing my daughter and her fellow seniors perform locally, but most likely will see some of them in the future either on stage or perhaps screen. A dad can dream, can't he?
The weekly column "For the Love of Community" now appears weekly in the Village Voices and the Freeport Focus. Both of the papers are also available online. Just click the above and it will take you to the site. There is a nominal fee (less than $25 for the annual subscription) or it is also available through mail subscription or at newspaper kiosks.
The Focus and Village Voices really promote local news with features about the people of Northwest Illinois. It is locally owned and operated with local features writers, reporters and contributors. Check it out each week.
One of the best things about being a "Theater"parent are the multiple opportunities to see my daughter perform in some extraordinary productions. Over the past four years there has been, "Bye, Bye Birdie," Studs Terkel's "Working," "The Pajama Game," and this year's phenomenal show, "Thoroughly Modern Millie." The Freeport High School theater department is exceptional with a vast array of talent and an unusual panache for a high school group. I'll miss seeing my daughter and her fellow seniors perform locally, but most likely will see some of them in the future either on stage or perhaps screen. A dad can dream, can't he?
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