Katie Prendergast Creates a Sense of Musical Freshness

Special Promoter's Note:

Given some very uncooperative conditions during the week before the performance, I zealously assert that Katie is indeed a professional in the highest sense of the word!

photo by Sue Woznicki

I would like to express my gratitude to Sue Woznicki for her wonderful skill at the graphic artwork she put together for the Katie Prendergast Concert. The work on the poster and ticket was beautiful and outstanding. And also for the Facebook post artwork.

graphic art by Sue Woznicki

   Also, a big “thank you” again to Ryan Clay whose serendipitous discovery of Katie and her excellent talent made this concert possible. Of course, having studied education to become a teacher, one would expect Ryan to be able to notice talent!

Thanks to my son, Eric and my wife Sherry for tying up loose ends and focusing my attention where it needed to be.

And to Keith Priser for recording the event and offering suggestions (Keith has had much professional experience around the Warsaw and Nashville Tennessee areas)!

   But most of all I say “Thanks! Katie!” for a truly entertaining experience Saturday night, November 18, 2017. I am genuinely impressed with your craft of lyric. Your composition of melody lived beyond what was expected! One concert attendee, John, said “I expected her to be good. But being 17, I thought all of her songs would be similar in sound. I was pleasantly surprised. Her range of topic in lyric and feel for melody was really good!”

   There is this one song Katie sings. I think the title is “I’m Only Seventeen”. Well, for being only seventeen she sure reaches toward a very mature strength in vocal ability, literacy in lyric and variety in melody!

photo by Sue Woznicki

It was a great, enthusiastic, and engaged crowd that filled the capacity of this performance venue. They left in hopes of “more to come”.

Katie does not want it to end there on that stage at Goshen College last Saturday night.

Performances are being planned for the spring of 2018 and also into the summer.

If you would like to book this talent for your party, event, or “happening”, please contact Mike Settles at cmsettles@juno.com

a very proud Mike with his star Katie
photo Sue Woznicki

Katie Prendergast Performs at Goshen College November 18, 2017

photo by Mike Settles

I have become quite impressed with Katie Prendergast.

When I hosted my Sgt. Pepper Celebration at “Blank Space” in Goshen on June 2, 2017 Keith Priser, my main performer, had to take a bit of a break to rest his voice. While exploring the First Friday activities in Goshen he, and my consulting Beatles historian Ryan Clay happened upon Katie singing and playing guitar. Ryan, taking notice of Katie's exceptional talent, prompted Keith to include her in the Sgt. Pepper Celebration by singing a couple of songs. Katie returned with Keith and Ryan and approached the stage.

When Katie strummed her guitar, and opened her mouth to sing everyone in the room stopped talking, stopped walking, stopped eating cake, they turned their eyes and ears toward Katie and consumed every note to which Katie gave breath.

It was one of those very rare moments in my life that happened upon a truly singular phenomenon that compelled my attention and follow through.

So, I followed through. I found Katie’s mom and suggested the opportunity of a performance featuring Katie. Patty, Katie’s mom, was thrilled by the idea and so here we have it…

Logos by Sue Woznicki

   Katie will be performing on November 18 at 7:PM at Goshen College in room 19 of Newcomer Center. As tickets are only $5.00 each, they will sell out quickly!

   Allow me to introduce Katie to you…

    At 17 years old she is very mature, competent, and uniquely polite. Her social and personal grace, along with a commanding smile, sets one at ease and invites friendship.

As much as she is accomplished vocally, also she values the craft of songwriting. When I asked her who she favors as musical artists she mentioned Dodie Clark (check her out on YouTube), Bright Eyes, and, with a chuckle, Taylor Swift (very early in Katie’s career). As Katie mentioned these artists it was their songwriting that she most praised.

   Katie takes songwriting seriously and so I asked “How do you go about composing a song?” She begins with a melody. But, to give that melody a vehicle, she free-associates some “silly” lyric , as she puts it. After she is happy with the melody, the chord changes and movement, she then writes a lyric befitting that melody. As she described this process it reminded me of the story of how Paul McCartney composed “Yesterday”, which began as “Scrambled Eggs”!

While difficult for her to summarize, in general the themes of her lyrics speak of “being yourself”, “being trapped in adolescence” and “rain”. She finds a gentle rain to be comforting and enabling of the creative spirit.

When it comes to performing, she approaches the stage, the moment of performance with a sense of excitement accompanied by its cousin panic. That’s good for the audience…a superb performance shall always be accomplished by the attendance of those two motivators.

   Yes, she plans on college. She has yet to make up her mind whether it will be toward a medical career or a performing career. Perhaps she can acquire both…

   This young lady, a sense of social responsibility, takes her ukulele and voice to hospice patients and provides musical entertainment. I was quite very impressed with her care-giving heart!

photo by Patty Prendergast

Yes, I am impressed with Katie and I’m sure you will be too.

Contact Mike Settles at cmsettles@juno.com for tickets to her November 18, 2017 performance or for information on how to book her for your own event.

Space is limited for the November 18 performance so get tickets early!

Mary Ellen Bajdek and National Punctuation Day

September 24 is National Punctuation Day. The website celebrating this day describes itself as…

“A celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotation marks, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons, and the ever- mysterious ellipsis.”

As a favorable reflection upon Mary Ellen Bajdek, sophomore English teacher at Concord High school 1971, I would like to, on this National Punctuation Day 2017, bring attention to the importance and fun of grammatical aspects of the English language.

I thoroughly enjoyed her class. Diagramming sentences and identifying the various phrase types and uses was for me a consuming hobby.

I remember having an argument in class with her one day over a paragraph we were reading. I insisted that the phrase we were focusing on was a participial phrase; she argued that it was an adverbial phrase. I maintain that my argument was correct. But, given that the argument was taking too much class time, I acquiesced to her standing and moved on.

I very much was entertained by that argument.

Mrs. Bajdek, wherever you are, thank you for making grammar fun for me.

During high school and college, I was very good at grammar and spelling. If you pay attention to my blog postings and Facebook postings, you will notice I have become sloppy.

Always feel free to correct me when you see an error. But do so as Mrs. Bajdek always did…with a confident and sincere smile on your face!

You can find out more about National Punctuation Day at:

http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/

Kris Brownlee...A Soundscape to Twilight

Kris Brownlee

 Though this review focuses on Kris Brownlee’s performance at Ignition Music Garage in Goshen, I would like to point out that he is a great talent developer as well. Previously Kris introduced Elkhart to saxophonist Elizabeth Mis, and tonight, at Ignition Music Garage, he introduced Goshen to the very entertaining Chloe Grace. Her vocal qualities compare to any on the popular charts, even better. She composes melodies that give her voice opportunity to dance around as if tickled by the stories her poetry tells. She seemed pleased to have such a responsive audience here in Goshen.

Chloe Grace and Kris Brownlee band

   Thank you Chloe Grace for bringing your vocal grace for us to enjoy. And thank you Kris for arranging it!

You can learn more about Chloe Grace on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/ChloeGraceC/photos/?ref=page_internal

    Yes, this review is about Kris.

   I first heard Kris play at Elkhart Jazz festival. And then also at Fernwood Botanical Gardens around the Niles Michigan area.

Every place I have heard him play was in the evening as the sun was setting.

I describe his music as “soundscape to twilight”.

    Tonight in Goshen we experienced cool temperatures as a soft sun began to set. The light poured through windows into the venue and seemed transformed into an ambiance that enabled a relaxation to set in. Whatever distractions anybody entered with, they evaporated quickly as Kris and his band begin to play.

They began by playing a cover of a Grover Washington tune “Let It Flow”. I paid particular attention to the bassist, Jordan Swartzendruber. Jordan’s musicianship reminded me of the funk sounds I heard during the 1970s.

 A little later, as Kris was introducing his own material, he described it as “funk/vibe”. I was pleased to know that my description was “in the ballpark”.

Kris and his band, Jordan Swartzendruber on bass, Andrew Hauser on drums, Jeff Keefer on Keyboard, and Paul Erdman on superb lead guitar, play a smooth jazz that reaches to that place in the soul that enables a joyous emotional response. Their music is neither a disturbing staccato nor a pedestrian tranquilizer. This music awakens sensitivities without numbing them like so many other loud, aggressive ego-centric artists I have heard.

Kris has a sense of humor. While introducing “Closer”, a slow romantic number, he said “snuggle with the one you love, or the one you came with…or just any random person!”.

Kris' mom and dad

Kris’ mom and dad were in the room. I had opportunity to ask them for a description of Kris’ music. His dad reported “he keeps workin’ it until it is perfect”. Both parents seem quite very proud. Kris is proud of them too. When I asked Kris to point me toward them, he said “my dad is the one with the Vietnam Veteran hat!”

Folks…Kris’ music is as smooth and engaging as his personality.

You should find opportunity to check out this jazz experience.

If you have a musical itch, this band will scratch it.

You can find out more about Kris at:

https://www.krisbrownlee.com/

The Mighty Panther

art by Jim Gary Phillips

On our return from vacation in Lafollette Tennessee on April 28, Sherry and I stopped, as we usually do, at the Kentucky Artisan Center in Berea Kentucky. While enjoying lunch there, I noticed a painting on the wall beside our table. I was quite amused. The intensity of color grabbed my attention. But also, there was this story being told in this painting.

“Nature to nature, down by the lake, the mighty panther and the dreadful snake.”

Obviously, the story is about the panther in battle with the snake. But they look as if they are in play. It looks lighthearted, as if they are just friends horsing around. It tickled me.

I mentioned my amusement to Sherry. She liked it also.

Having left the Center, I then forgot all about the painting. Until yesterday when Sherry presented it to me as a birthday gift. I was once again amused.

It now hangs on the wall in my office at the church. It serves as a muse to inspire sermon I suppose.

Sherry is great about paying attention and then delivering as gift those things mentioned.

I once mentioned a ring at Snyder’s Jewelry store in Goshen…received it for my birthday.

I mentioned a desire for a “Mickey Mouse” watch. Got one for Christmas.

She gives me biographies about Winston Churchill.

When I turned 60, she arranged for me to have a boat ride on the Dixie Sternwheeler, which is a paddle boat on Webster Lake in North Webster, Indiana.

She arranged for me to receive an autographed photo of Jimmy Carter.

When I mentioned my appreciation for Movado watches…I received one.

And now this painting!

I keep mentioning how much I like the Lincoln Continental, and that it is back in production. I shall keep my eyes open!

Thank you, Sherry for enriching my life with these gifts, and your attention.

I love you!

You can find out more about the artist Jim Gary Phillips at:

http://www.amerifolk.com/artists/jim-gary-phillips/

Thanks Again, Dean Lamb...and Happy Birthday!

Today would be the birthday of my friend Dean Lamb. He passed away September 13, 2013. To honor his memory I offer the following, taken from the tribute I delivered at his funeral service. 

  I got to know Dean at the Meadowood Free Methodist Church in 1973. We were in the same Sunday school class taught by Vi Elliot. In casual conversation, I discovered that he liked science fiction and progressive rock music. A friendship was immediately created. We exchanged phone numbers. 522-3070 was the only phone number I had reason to memorize. It eventually became a handle for requests for assistance.

    In 1973 I drove a 1965 Chevell Malibu. I was as incompetent then as I am now about automobiles. The car kept stalling at intersections. I called Dean, 522-3070. He not only diagnosed the fuel filter, he changed it for me.

    Dean became my go-to person when I needed answers to practical problems. He also had this magical ability that I always dreamed of, but was too afraid to try on my own. He could swim. And he had a swimming pool! Dean knew enough about the physical properties of water and buoyancy, he knew enough about how I would behave, he knew our “geek” language that we shared, to eventually get me to let go of the side of the pool. And once I did, once I discovered that I would just float there… Once I discovered that it actually took effort and will to submerge, my life was dramatically changed for the better. Not only could I swim, but if I could learn to swim, what else could I learn to do! Dean may not have known it, but he changed the direction of my life, enabling me toward risk-taking and goal setting.

   522-3070 was good for many things. Did I mention that I am incompetent when it comes to automobiles? Flat tires. I get out the jack. What a contraption. I find a place to secure it under the truck. Oh yes, put on the brake. Can’t get the lug-nuts to move…I call 522-3070.

    It wasn’t always automobiles. Since I have known Dean, I have moved at least six times. 522-3070.

    And Dean always valued that telephone number. It had been that home’s number since the house was built in 1955. He wanted to keep the number. Some say it was out of some sentimentality that he kept it. I think it was because he didn’t want me to have to the trouble of learning a new number.

Dean was always there, always dependable.

And these were not mere inconveniences that Dean helped to resolve. Everything has a consequence.  Everything can be life changing. There is a little common proverb that may help to illuminate the point…

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Many called upon Dean for help, and he, in that simple gesture of affirmative response, made lives continue, conditions improve, hope restored.

Dean was kind and helpful.

    The Apostle Paul speaks of kindness…

From Galatians we read…

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

    Dean was an example of those attributes.

Musings on John Hancock and the Declaration of Independence

13 stars from Betsy Ross flag

   As Independence Day approaches I am prompted to consider why it was that our founding fathers, Christian by a very great majority, would establish a decidedly secular form of government. Our Constitution, crafted by Christian lawyers, farmers and others, does not mandate Christian religion, or any other.

   There is this phrase in the Declaration of Independence that reads in part “a decent respect to the opinions of mankind” And while the fuller sentence shows the purpose of the Declaration, that a proper reasoning be given for such revolutionary action, that sentiment can also legitimately be repurposed to show that a “respect for human conscience” is core to the nature of this new American nation.

    By showing a respect for human conscience the creators of our nation imitate God himself when creating man. God was the first to show respect to human conscience by leaving man with free will, the means to choose. God did not impose upon man a particular way that man would relate to God. The choice was left to man that in his choosing, man would be sincere.

   I am convinced that our founding fathers created a secular, non-religious government not that we would be absent the Christian faith, but that we would choose it in sincerity and free will.

I base this conviction in part on a writing by John Hancock in 1775, almost one full year before the Declaration is published.

(from “The Spirit of Seventy-Six” edited by Henry Commager and Richard Morris. Published 1983 by Bonanza Books, page 279)…

“With an humble confidence in the mercies of the Supreme and Impartial Judge and Ruler of the Universe…” This description of God must have been popular in the day as a variation of it is used in the Declaration…”Supreme Judge of the world”.

Furthermore I point out, as evidenced by Hancock’s writing, presented below, contrary to popular idea that the colonists were eager to rebel, efforts were made, as also the Declaration states, to reconcile with England.

“We fight not for glory or for conquest. We exhibit to mankind the remarkable spectacle of a people attacked by unprovoked enemies, without any imputation, or even suspicion of offence. They boast of their privileges and civilization, and yet proffer no milder conditions than servitude or death. In our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it; for the protection of our property, acquired solely by the honest industry of our forefathers and ourselves, against violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed,—and not before. With an humble confidence in the mercies of the Supreme and Impartial Judge and Ruler of the Universe, we most devoutly implore his divine goodness to conduct us happily through this great conflict, to dispose our adversaries to reconciliation on reasonable terms, and thereby to relieve the Empire from the calamities of civil war. By Order of CONGRESS, JOHN HANCOCK, PRESIDENT. Philadelphia, July 6, 1775.”

Reconciliation, being a Christian impulse, should always be an option toward resolution of conflict, personal, national, partisan, or otherwise.

May you have a reconciled and happy Independence Day.

The Serendipitous Debut of Katie Prendergast

I would like to offer a great “thank you” to all who participated toward making my Celebration for the 50^th Anniversary of the Release of the Sgt Pepper album a success and a fun time.

Wonderful artwork provided by Sue Woznicki( Sue is ultra professional and always contributes to making my events much better than I envision) and Kathy Boyer Zienty who provided not only art but Beatles memories as well, logistics and service by my wife, Sherry Borglum, and my son, Eric, and song comments by Ryan Clay moved to make the event special.

And I appreciate all who showed up to enjoy. Bill and Donna came from Plymouth. Lloyd and Pam from Cassopolis Michigan, many of my parishioners from the Claypool United Methodist Church (you can always count on them to make a joyful presence!). James and Lyssa Foster, Beatles fans, heard about the event and attended.

James and Lyssa Foster

Steve and Donna, Keith Thews and family…”a cast of thousands!”.

Thanks to all attendees…I hope you enjoyed!

Keith Priser

Keith Priser, praise team leader at the Claypool United Methodist Church provided music. Keith is seriously professional, dependable, and you can always count on him to “make it happen”! When I told him about my celebration a few months ago and invited him to participate, he immediately said “yes”. Keith brought music, stage presence, musicianship and fun to this event. Yes Keith, you “made it happen!”.

But also, sometimes events like this provide for unanticipated moments, stories, and successes.

Having taken a break from singing, Keith and song commentator, Ryan, took a walk to check out other action of First Friday in Goshen.

They happened upon one corner where a young woman was singing and playing guitar. Keith and Ryan invited her to come to the celebration and perform.

Katie Prendergast

Katie Prendergast

     Katie Prendergast performed excellently! She had come to First Friday in Goshen merely as it would be an opportunity to perform in some humble way before people. You can always tell a professional, they very much seek opportunity to deliver their art and music whenever and wherever they can.

Katie approached the microphone with confidence and comfort as if she had been doing this for years. This was her first “real” appearance before an audience gathered to hear solo performance. Katie impressed everyone! She sings with vocal control and tone that just compels one to listen more intensely. As you enjoy the quality and sound of her voice it invites you to move toward the next note, the next line, the next strum of the guitar with an anticipation of something wonderful…something inspiring. And Katie did not disappoint that anticipation at any moment. All the more impressive is that the girl is a young 16!

Katie is off to a great career in music. Yes, events like these open doors sometimes. This door opened for Katie and my word did she walk through with a grace and gift unexpected! Thanks Katie. I consider this event to be your “debut” on the stage of success!

Kent State, May 4, 1970 Allison Krause et al

May 4, 1970, began like any other school day for me: A ride on the yellow Blue Bird bus driven my Mr. Stickel, “Reflections of My Life” by Marmalade playing on the bus radio set to WLS. Arrival at school and the day of classes. And then during lunch sometime around 1:15 PM I heard a news report on WCMR, which seemed to be the favored station of the kitchen folk, that four students had been killed in an anti-war protest at Kent State University. I was seriously disrupted in my sense of personal and national well-being.

Watching the national news later that day and grasping more of the total situation, I was even more disrupted.

May 4, 1970, Kent State, had the effect on me that Sepetember11, 2001 seems to have had on most people I know personally. While Sept. 11 seems to have made real and present the fact that the United States is no longer invulnerable to forces beyond our shores, May 4 shook my faith that the First Amendment of the United States Constitution was rigidly set in stone to be ferociously protected and defended by those in uniform who have taken an oath to do so.

At age fourteen I asked my history teacher the next day, Mr. Cassel, “Is this a serious oath they take or merely a formality?”

Yes, for me, May 4 was a national existential crisis. I was challenged in my conviction that the Constitution was the inviolable national contract. This contract, with its First Amendment, surely guaranteed protest, assembly, a speaking of the mind, especially on a public campus such as Kent State. And surely it was the job of all who take the oath to defend those actions. I argued with my teacher that they don’t take an oath to “maintain a convenient status-quo for those in power”.

Of course a youngster of fourteen would not have the fuller perspective of an adult who has lived the realities of life. I did not, at that time, know the more specific military oath of office which requires obedience to orders given. But surely, these college campus students could not be seen as “domestic threats” to the Constitution. The worst threat that they could have been was as an embarrassment to Kent State. My personal memoir here is not to discredit uniformed folk, I have always held those in uniform to be my protectors, having a respect and admiration from me. Because of that, all the more I was disturbed to see “protectors” firing guns on a campus.

I imagine there are other events which hold the same traumatic effect of national crisis to other people. I lived through the Detroit riots in 1967. I read about the earlier Watts Riots. Everyone has their personal experience of some event that traumatically challenged their sense of national well-being.

But this cognitive conflict I experienced on that day in 1970 formed and shaped my sense of ethics. I assert when one takes an oath, it is not a mere formality nor is it a dotting and crossing of organizational “i” sand “t”s; it is a deliberate and earnest action of personal identity and integrity.

But perhaps it is even more than recognizing a national contract. Perhaps it runs more deeply.

My son, Eric, in critique of this memoir said it well in conclusion…

“It is a problem larger than a legal document or an oath of adherence to it.  It is a loss of faith in the ability of human beings to remove themselves from the moment and to do what is right and be good to one another.”

 

Jeffrey Miller

Allison Krause

Every May 4 I remember the names of  Allison Krause and Jeffrey Miller, Sandra Scheuer and William Knox Schroeder. Whether protesting or merely walking to class, the day, the month, and the following decades should have turned out differently for them and their families.

There is a phrase chiseled into the grave stone for Allison Krause. It was a phrase she spoke just the day before…

“Flowers are better than bullets”.

On May 4^th this year, in honor of Allison and the others, enjoy a flower, deliver one to a friend, wear one. Today let us practice “to do what is right and be good to one another.”

Sandra Scheuer

William Schroeder

Celebrate Earth Day

Image: NASA.gov

I remember the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970.

It was a comfortably cool, sunny day at Concord Junior High in Elkhart Indiana. Part of the day, as our contribution to Earth Day was to clean up trash around the bushes and trees along Yellow Creek which ran between the junior and high schools. A student in shop class with me, I shall not mention his name, had constructed a rocket to be fired that day. I distinctly remember the lettering on the side of this large rocket. It read in large red letters against a white background ”USSR” with hammer and cycle atop the lettering. I found that quite amusing, as most students decorated their rockets with the customary “USA”.

We set the rocket on the gravel drive behind the school just outside of the shop class garage door. We ignited it with Mr. Spickard’s car battery. The rocket reached an impressive altitude before it began its descent. The parachute opened. And once again, as it landed in the trees along Yellow Creek, I found myself helping to clean the area of man’s trash.

All things considered and said, it was a wonderful and, obviously, memorable day.

But more to the point, let’s recognize and celebrate Earth Day today let’s each and all do some small act of reconciliation with Earth. Pick up trash, consume fewer resources, and drive fewer miles.

Even the United Methodist Church, in its 2016 Book of Resolutions encourages good stewardship of Earth…

Specifically, the United Methodist Church:

• designates one Sunday each year, preferably the Sunday closest to Earth Day, as a Festival of God’s Creation incorporating creation care into the church’s worship and study.( page 71)

An early anniversary sentiment for Sherry

My wife, Sherry Borglum, has a wonderful habit of presenting me with gifts prematurely. Whether it is Christmas, Birthday, or anniversary, I can expect to receive the gift days or even weeks ahead of time. She just can't contain or restrain the excitement.
I now know the feeling. I was hoping to make this "Happy Anniversary" gesture on our anniversary, April 24, but...I can't wait.
So...
Sherry...thank you for being supportive of my interest in the Mad Ants, Science Fiction Movies, the Celebration for the Release of the Sgt. Pepper album, running you here and there for various endeavors, and always being happily engaged!
Happy Anniversary one month ahead of time. Just for being so supportive, I'll take you to Gatlinburg!

I claim "SB" as standing for Sherry Borglum

Demise of a Cultural Cliche or "the Cubs Win!"

There are phrases that articulate a sentiment of futility. Probably the most common is “when hell freezes over”, meaning “that will never happen”.

There are other, perhaps more personal sentiments such as “when I win the lottery” or “when my kids leave home”. People are creative at expressing frustration!

    Also, we often use cultural cliché to get that same sentiment across. I remember during the nineteen seventies hearing “When the Beatles get back together!”

   All of these phrases express a sense of futility, hopelessness.

   All of my life (and I am sixty-one) I have heard the cliché “when the Cubs win the world series”. That phrase expressed, in somewhat humorous form, the futile nature of their immediate concern combined with their frustration over their favorite baseball team’s poor fortunes, year after year, decade after decade.

    Well, I suppose not every cliché can live forever.

Last night, or should I say very early this morning, the Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians to win the 2016 World Series.

Congratulations Cubs!

But then, that victory also brought the death of a well-used, descriptive cliché by which frustration, futility could be communicated. We have lost a wonderful descriptor in the English language.

I suppose it is too early and a bit insensitive to begin using the cliché “When the Indians win the World Series”.

Perhaps we will have to temporarily go back to the “hell freezing” cliché to express ourselves. But fear not, humans are really good at noticing and articulating the negative. We will have a new cliché soon.

In the moment though, again I congratulate the Cubs for their victory.

Much more importantly, I congratulate their fans for a display of loyalty that is superbly admirable! Your faithfulness speaks to the human quality of expecting something wonderful even in the face of futility. May we all learn that lesson from you and apply it to expecting something good and wonderful from ourselves, our fellow man, and our futures!

Indiana National Road, The Hoosier Gym, and the Hoosier 40

    The National Road was an early road project of the Federal government. Work began in 1811. Beginning in Cumberland Maryland and concluding in Vandalia Illinois, this historic road crosses through the State of Indiana as US Route 40. In fact, US 40 was built upon the National Road.

The Hoosier Gym

The Indiana National Road Association held its annual business meeting and dinner on October 27, 2016 in the Hoosier Gym located in Knightstown Indiana. This is the gym that was used for the filming of the great basketball movie 'Hoosiers" featuring Gene Hackman.
 
This historic gym was used as a regular high school gymnasium until 1966 at which time it became an elementary school gym. Around 1985 it was decided that it would no ,longer be a gym as the community was building newer facilities. Hence a perfect location for the movie.

Wade Schenk, "Ollie"

 Fitting with the location for this meeting, the Association invited Wade Schenck, who played "Ollie" in the movie to speak. He reported that while it was a fun experience to appear in the movie, he preferred to stay on his family farm rather than try to be a professional actor.

  You never know who you will meet at these events. At my table I met Scott and Rene Booker who are in the process of researching and writing a book about the Indiana section of the National Road.
   They call their book and project "The Hoosier 40".

Scott and Rene Booker

 The book will cover the stretch of the national Road between Richmond Indiana and Terre Haute Indiana. Scott and Rene are spending time interviewing business owners along that stretch of road. They are researching the history of the communities. This young and excited couple hope to create a book based upon the lives of real people along this historic road rather than an academic collection of facts. They seek a personal, warm, and meaningful story rather than a cold and flat journey to irrelevant data.

  This makes sense. Scott and Rene are warm and engaging. It will take you about thirty seconds to feel as though you have known them since elementary school. I'm sure with that kind of inviting personality people will open up to tell their stories.
If you would like to follow the progress on this book, please visit
https://scottandrenebooker.com
thehoosier40.wordpress.com

If you would like to learn more about the Indiana National Road Association visit
http://www.indiananationalroad.org/

And tell them Mike sent you!

Indiana Poet Laureate: Shari Wagner

   Shari Wagner, Indiana’s Poet Laureate, read poetry last night at Goshen College.

A gathering of about forty-five people created an audience who laughed lightly from time to time, inspired by the humor in her poetry. And we sighed a few times as that same poetry spoke of human tragedy, frailty, and the natural circumstances of aging. Shari’s poetry collects the human experience and presents it as a graspable, if momentary, celebration of life, history, relationship, and personal meaning.

    Of the poems she read last night, my favorite was “Lerner Theatre 1953”. The poem began as an investigation of the Lerner Theatre, but turned into a very personal, and amusing point of history involving her mother. I will encourage the reader to visit

 http://indianahumanities.org/lerner-theatre-1953-shari-wagner

to read the poem. Or better yet, purchase a copy of “The Harmonist at Nightfall”.

This poem, “Lerner Theatre” has this wonderful phrase which is typical of Shari’s poetry and invites the reader to continue…

“with the click of her blue stilettos on terrazzo stone”

I love that phrase! It engages as least two of the senses!

Shari explains that she, as Poet Laureate, works as “an ambassador for poetry. To promote reading and writing of poetry. And also to form poetry groups.”

She provides an obvious and encouraging comfort while reading such that one forgets that he is in a formal college facility. It felt like being in a living room at a friend’s home.

As she read and explained the background of her poetry, it became clear that she does not just pen whatever momentary thought appears, she researches her poetic projects carefully. She does not merely describe an observed moment in the past or present, she discovers the life in that moment and brings it forward for us today.

 

Shari autographing my books

Her explanations of her poetry are also amusing.

While describing the history and circumstances of writing ‘James Dean Grave”, she informed us that there is a person appointed to attend to James Dean’s grave. This person wipes away the lipstick of kisses from the stone, he removes cigarette remains, and love letters left as a memorial.

If you have an opportunity to hear her read, it is well worth the time. She is amusing, engaging, artful, and all things wonderful enough to share an hour of your life with.

You can find out more about Shari Wagner at:

http://www.throughthesycamores.com/

http://www.shariwagnerpoet.com

http://www.shariwagnerpoet.com/indiana-poet-laureate.html
http://www.in.gov/arts/2393.htm

and tell her Mike sent you!

For the next aspiring poet!

Shea Sorenson: A Ceremonious Conclusion to Summer!

Shea Sorenson in Elkhart

Some people carry a pleasantness about them to which you just have to surrender! Shea Sorenson, weather specialist for ABC 57 News is one such person.

    This morning, on my way to walk at Wellfield Botanic Gardens in Elkhart, I stopped at the North Main Street 7/11 to get gas. There was Shea, having filled up already she was just about to leave when I raised my left hand, index finger prompting her to wait. She rolled down her window and I asked if I could take a photo. She, in a courteous manner that reflects well upon ABC 57, smiled and said “Yes”.

    She stepped out of her car and posed as I took two photos. I can say…

Shea carries a fetching smile that is in person true to her television appearance. She makes sincere eye contact befriending just about immediately. And her handshake is personally affirming.

ABC57, whoever chooses your weather personnel has done a good job.

   I have had a good summer. A vacation to Smokey Mountains, the musical 1776 at South Bend Civic Theater, a successful Celebration of the Declaration of Independence at my church, Claypool United Methodist Church, I got caught up with a friend I had not seen in 46 years, I went to a Melanie concert. And today, the last day of summer, purely by happenstance, I see Shea Sorenson who serves as a wonderful exclamation mark to a paragraph in my life I call summer 2016!

Thank you Shea!