Jordan enjoys wearing paper hats, or whatever is laying around on the floor. This photo was taken after I informed the two monkeys pictured above that I would be visiting their bungalow in LA. You can see the letter I sent (it was a simpler time) above Mr. Wolff's pointing finger.
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Sunday, May 4, 2008
Jordan turns 28... and probably has a drink or twelve.
In celebration of Jordan's 28th birthday, I've decided to offer this commemorative post. It was cheaper than a gift. But, if I were to give him a gift, it would be a plastic bottle of the finest scotch I could find from the gas station.
Jordan enjoys wearing paper hats, or whatever is laying around on the floor. This photo was taken after I informed the two monkeys pictured above that I would be visiting their bungalow in LA. You can see the letter I sent (it was a simpler time) above Mr. Wolff's pointing finger.
Jordan enjoys wearing paper hats, or whatever is laying around on the floor. This photo was taken after I informed the two monkeys pictured above that I would be visiting their bungalow in LA. You can see the letter I sent (it was a simpler time) above Mr. Wolff's pointing finger.
Monday, April 28, 2008
E-Enterprises Coming Up Roses
A refreshing story from today's Plain Dealer details the success a relatively new charter school has had, as well as the limited partnership it has developed with the Cleveland Municipal School District. Sparing you the details and allowing you to check it out yourself (link above), I write about this for three reasons.
1. I worked in the same building with the Entrepreneurship Preparatory School while working at the Entrepreneurial Academy and alongside Entrepreneurs 4 Sustainability (you can imagine the confusion of visitors trying to figure out which office door to knock on). Unfortunately for me, I chose the slow horse, as both E-Prep and E4S are now thriving. The E-Academy was forced to pull up stakes (though I don't believe I'm far off when I surmise that it was the Executive Director's ambitions, and not our lack of service, that spelled the end of our tenure).
2. Anything positive in the realm of Cleveland education is deserving of a mention.
3. I am not, by and large, a supporter of charter schools, but have seen this operation first hand and am consistently impressed with the order, instruction, discipline and respect from and for all parties. As one of the aforementioned "3E" organizations in the ShoreBank building during 2006 and 2007, my initial assumptions of a third-rate corporate excuse for a school (see White Hat) were proven delightfully inaccurate. The students I saw, from the terminal East side mind you, were respectful, thoughtful and polite; a far cry from the reality outside ShoreBank's gated parking lot.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Random Meanderings
No, that's not what you think it is.1. The Democratic Primary - I understand democracy, I understand proportional delegation, I understand that this contest will inevitably continue to gouge out the hearts of democrats across the country. I just despise it more and more every day.
Four months ago people across the country were literally undecided when it came down to Clinton or Obama (or Edwards for that matter). I find it ridiculously hard to believe that there exist any real 'undecideds' out there with the brow beating we have all endured of late.
Indiana to Hillary, North Carolina to Barack... and on and on it goes.
2. The Cleveland Indians - They scored 15 times more runs last night than they did in the entire series previous (or something to that effect). C.C. didn't give up a run and struck out everyone but the bat boy (who we all know he would've totally embarrassed up there).
3. Division III Lacrosse - Quinn was named NCAC Player of the Week this past week after scoring 5 goals on five attempts (in one game) and sticking a last second shot to send Denison into Double OT and on to an eventual victory. Glad to see she's keeping the Simmons' athletic legacy on firm footing...or just really establishing it for the first time...
4. Hop Fest at Buckeye Beer Engine - this past weekend in Lakewood. 'Randall The Enamel Animal' from the scientists at Dogfish Head was on hand to infuse the already uninhibited IBU content of the brews with even more tongue lashing bitterness (see image above). 90 Minute on Randall equals something like 120 Minute??? Ohioans may never know (unless they fork over exorbitant prices on Ebay)...
5. The Cleveland Cavaliers - game 2; now that was as thorough a beatdown as I have ever seen in playoff basketball. Watching that made me want to punch Rasheed Wallace in the face (although that's always sort of in the back of my mind). I know he plays for Detroit, but everyone on the Wizards had already been emasculated by the third quarter.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Ritter/Hahn Recital at Oberlin
As a surprise, I told Katie that the Josh Ritter/Hilary Hahn showcase was sold out about a month ago (that's not the surprise). But for her birthday, I miraculously produced a pair of tickets. So it came to be that we wound our way out of Cuyahoga County and into the verdant fold of Oberlin College. Now, typically for a show, there would be the usual congregates of young folksters, indie kids and the occasional middle-aged couple, rekindling their more adventurous (relative) youth.
So it was with some surprise that what greeted us upon first pass of Finney Chapel, the stately statured edifice just off the main square, was a large, and I mean inordinately large, parade of gray hairs. Thinking that perhaps there was a vespers ceremony before the show, we proceeded to debate the least likely spot to get towed from until venturing inside approximately ten minutes to show time. Apparently, far too late to claim any sort of preferred seating in the joint. As we stepped up the walker and wheelchair strewn aisle, we were shocked to see what looked more like a Billy Graham revival.
It occurred to us that perhaps these fine octa- and nona-genarians were drawn by the billing of Hilary Hahn, the grammy winning violin virtuoso who at 27, is widely considered one of the foremost performers in the United States today
(and therefore, not Mr. Ritter, whose off-kilter neo-folk rock inspires a rather smaller percentage, and younger demographic 0f fans).
So, we found ourselves to be in the (vast) minority. Thankfully, Mr. Ritter served as the opening act, sparing us the pain of eight variations of something called "Andante". (Reader's Note: Some more cultured readers will inevitably accuse me of unapologetic ignorance and despise my blithe rebuke of Ms. Hahn's efforts; they will be correct. I did not come to see a classical recital, I came to hear some rock, dammit.)
Opening with the haunting 'Wings' and following, in a patchwork melange of his own songs and other traditional offerings, Ritter played 9 songs, the finale being the aptly and unsurprisingly placed 'Thin Blue Flame'. The stylization of the performance was what was most striking: typically rollicking and in full regalia on stage, Mr. Ritter played a subdued and exquisitely enunciated set (assumingly for the benefit of those in the Miracle Ear camp in attendance). It was enjoyable, and I was even entreated to dance in the aisle at one point, albeit in slow fashion. In fact, I believe we may have been the only attendees moving at all at that point.
I do not mean to belabor the audience, because indeed there were more than a fair share of Oberlin students up in the balconies, but it just made for such a mundane affair that we had to cut our attendance short and head out for more lively entertainment.
My apologies to Ms. Hahn, of whose performance we heard approximately 45 seconds (though 45 fantastic seconds, to be sure), the maligned senior citizens of Lorain County and my readers, who (if they made it this far) were led on through a rather dull post. We will be sure to read the fine print, or at least between the lines, before we embark on another well intentioned concert adventure.
So it was with some surprise that what greeted us upon first pass of Finney Chapel, the stately statured edifice just off the main square, was a large, and I mean inordinately large, parade of gray hairs. Thinking that perhaps there was a vespers ceremony before the show, we proceeded to debate the least likely spot to get towed from until venturing inside approximately ten minutes to show time. Apparently, far too late to claim any sort of preferred seating in the joint. As we stepped up the walker and wheelchair strewn aisle, we were shocked to see what looked more like a Billy Graham revival.
It occurred to us that perhaps these fine octa- and nona-genarians were drawn by the billing of Hilary Hahn, the grammy winning violin virtuoso who at 27, is widely considered one of the foremost performers in the United States today
(and therefore, not Mr. Ritter, whose off-kilter neo-folk rock inspires a rather smaller percentage, and younger demographic 0f fans).
So, we found ourselves to be in the (vast) minority. Thankfully, Mr. Ritter served as the opening act, sparing us the pain of eight variations of something called "Andante". (Reader's Note: Some more cultured readers will inevitably accuse me of unapologetic ignorance and despise my blithe rebuke of Ms. Hahn's efforts; they will be correct. I did not come to see a classical recital, I came to hear some rock, dammit.)
Opening with the haunting 'Wings' and following, in a patchwork melange of his own songs and other traditional offerings, Ritter played 9 songs, the finale being the aptly and unsurprisingly placed 'Thin Blue Flame'. The stylization of the performance was what was most striking: typically rollicking and in full regalia on stage, Mr. Ritter played a subdued and exquisitely enunciated set (assumingly for the benefit of those in the Miracle Ear camp in attendance). It was enjoyable, and I was even entreated to dance in the aisle at one point, albeit in slow fashion. In fact, I believe we may have been the only attendees moving at all at that point.
I do not mean to belabor the audience, because indeed there were more than a fair share of Oberlin students up in the balconies, but it just made for such a mundane affair that we had to cut our attendance short and head out for more lively entertainment.
My apologies to Ms. Hahn, of whose performance we heard approximately 45 seconds (though 45 fantastic seconds, to be sure), the maligned senior citizens of Lorain County and my readers, who (if they made it this far) were led on through a rather dull post. We will be sure to read the fine print, or at least between the lines, before we embark on another well intentioned concert adventure.
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