Belgian Talk Show

A Belgian talk show host can't hold on as he interviews a couple. The man had his testicles removed by mistake during an operation and the host is asking his wife whether it has changed their sex life - the husband then chimes in......

Sierra Mist Holiday Hawk

He only shows up once a year and when he does it makes the holiday season even more festive. Here's to the Holiday Hawk and Sierra Mist, whatever that is.

Wyoming

Wyoming is a big state with not too many people. Just about half a million residents live in a state that is very large and open. It is a state with post card vistas everywhere you turn. I was only there a short time but I took my camera and was able to get a few good pictures that I'll always remember. These were taken from various points on Casper Mountain, a 3000 foot terrain that runs from west to east just south of the city. Even though there was little snow in downtown Casper there was plenty on the mountain and some years there are feet of snow when the valley has literally none.

Enjoy these pictures.


View from part way up the mountain looking north and east.


Looking west from the top of Casper Mountain.


Mule deer are quite common on the mountain and rather tame. This guy was actually eating apples from the hand of a passer-by. A little PhotoShop magic and I moved him back up the hill to a more natural looking habitat.

Way out west Part II--Getting Home!!

My last post was from the Salt Lake City airport several hours before my flight was to leave for Chicago. Being strategically located near the baggage claim I had the opportunity to see many people arrive and meet family and friends for the holidays. It was also a pretty decent way to remain awake. All totalled I probably got 90 minutes of sleep between midnight and 4 am when the Delta ticket counter opened. Well, I was in line at 4 am but they really got rolling about 4:30.

A quick check in put me in a good mood but the TSA folks wanted to check out all their neat sniffing devices so they made me a special search candidate using the special red bins for my stuff. I also had my complete carry on stuff opened and swiped for traces of what I'm not quite sure. But they were all so fun I didn't mind and soon I'd be on a plane for home.

The time passed pretty quickly. I had Starbucks coffee and a little later something from Burger King. Promptly at 7:45 they started boarding our plane. I had an exit row seat aisle seat so that meant more room and easy to get in and out. The plane pushed back on time and we headed for our position on the runway. Just as we arrived the captain informed us that weather at O'Hare was causing a slight delay so we'd have to sit for a few minutes until a "window" opened up. OK, I can live with that.

About 20 minutes later he told us that the window never really opened and that we were going to sit there until we found out more. At that point flight attendants broke out free juice and snacks. I had a feeling we were in for the long haul. I was right. We were delayed by over two hours but finally we had clearance for take off. I could feel us getting closer.

I passed the time listening to music and talking to a lovely couple from Lander, Wyoming who was originally from Chicago. They retired in Lander and loved it. But Chicago was their holiday desination to see friends and family.

As we neared O'Hare you could tell the weather was pretty intense. Lots of clouds. Lots of clouds. We we descending for awhile and then you could feel the plane do a big turn. Apparently a lot of planes were trying to land and we got to do the "big circle" around Chicago to wait for the OK to land. One big rotation and we were headed in. Did I mention there were lots of clouds?

I have no idea how we came onto the tarmack at O'Hare because you could not see the ground until maybe 100 feet before landing. Thank God for the technology that lets airplanes see when the pilots cannot. We landed smooth and safe and had only a short time to the gate. People cheered. The flight attendant mistakenly welcomed us to Denver...then realized her mistake and we all laughed.

My bag was among the first down the beltway and within minutes I had my bus ticked for Crystal Lake. The bus arrived on time and we were headed out to I-90 and points northwest. All was well. Or so we thought!

About ten minutes down the road there was loud noise and suddenly the bus started to vibrate and shake heavily. It only took a second to realize we'd blown a tire. The driver got us off the highway and went out to look. He radioed headquarters who told us that a spare bus was on its way from O'Hare. A nice Illinois State Trooper stopped by to make sure we were all OK. We were.

After about a 30 minute wait we were back on the road again and headed home. We made it a little later than planned due to the flat and some unusually heavy traffic. But around 6 pm we pulled into the Crystal Lake Holiday Inn and Jourdan was there waiting for me. I'd phoned ahead to order a Pinemoor Pizza that was ready when I arrived. We chowed down immediately when we got home. It was the first real food I'd had since lunchtime on Wednesday at the Flying J in Rawlings.

Home never felt so good. I was tired and soon headed up to bed. I slept until 7 am and literally did not move all night long.

My first trip to Wyoming is one I'll remember for a long time. Many good experiences in spite of the travel difficulties. But in all, I am home for Chrismas. Just where I want to be.

Way out west!!

On Sunday afternoon I left the Windy City for a job interview in Casper, Wyoming. There is a great hospital there that serves the healthcare needs of the state that was actually interested in my potential to assist them in marketing and public relations activities. Sunday in Chicago was unseasonably warm and pleasant.

Flying United seemed like a good idea. Strong carrier in Chicago with lots of connections in Denver and on to Casper. But things started to unravel before boarding the plane for DIA. A long line formed to get boarding passes prior to departure but no one from United came by to assist. Finally, minutes before the scheduled departure time a volunteer showed up and boarding passes were issued but the delay caused the flight to leave later than planned. Even though the crew tried to make up the time my flight from Chicago landed about the time my plane for Casper was taking off. No problem according to the flight crew on the plane. Casper passengers were being rebooked for the next flight.

But upon arrival I discovered that there was only one more flight to Casper (Natrona County International Airport) and that flight was booked solid. But I waited hoping for a miracle to fly out. By 8:30 the last miracle departed without me.

Ever resourceful I opted for a car rental with the thought of driving as far as I could that night in order to be in Casper by 8 am on Monday. But I needed my bag which was checked curbside at O'Hare. Several nice United people promised I'd get it within an hour or two. But by 11:30 someone finally had the courtesy to admit that my bag would not come and that I should expect it to fly to Casper in the morning....without me!

So I left Denver via car and drove north as far as I could in somewhat snowy conditions. By the time I got to Cheyenne (2:30 am MST) the roads were getting bad and I was really tired so I found a room at the Inn, Comfort Inn to be exact where I got four hours of sleep before heading out again to get to Casper.

Roads were snowy and icy for a good part of the next 175 miles. My cell phone was dying, I was hungry and I still didn't have my suitcase. By 11:30 am I rolled into Casper and retreived my bag at NCIA and headed over to the Holiday Inn for a hot shower, shave, and clean clothes. Then off to the hospital for interviews.

All went well that afternoon and the next morning as I met with some great people and really learned more about the hospital and its role in meeting the healthcare needs of Wyoming. Tuesday afternoon I spent time with a local realtor who gave me a grand tour of the area including the opportunity to meet a small herd of mule deer face to face (watch for pictures soon).

Wednesday morning it was time to go. I got up early and toured a bit more of the city. By 9:30 am I got a call telling me that the big snow storm had closed the Denver airport. No flights in or out. Not a good message for guy wanting to head out. Casper has 3 carriers serving the commuity flying to Denver, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis/St. Paul. Unfortunately all flights from there were either cancelled due to weather or full. The word was maybe Friday.

Then I met Steve. A nice guy from Tulsa also trying to get home. He had found that if we could somehow get to Salt Lake City we could fly out on Thursday. And SLC was only a 6 hour drive by car. So we opted to split car rental and head south and west, hoping to avoid any of the bad weather plaguing SE Wyoming and most of Colorado. On the way to finalizing details we met another weary traveler, Tim, who was trying to get home to Texas. The three of us headed out around 11:15 for Utah.

Other than one stop for lunch at the Flying J around Rawlings, we drove straight through at a speedy pace and were at the Salt Lake Airport by 5:30 pm. The other guys opted for rooms at the Hampton Inn and I decided to wait it out in the airport until my flight left at 8 am the next day. Unfortunately I discovered I could not check in until 4 am on Thursday so my access to the better side of airport living (beyond security) was limited. I took up residence next to baggage carousel #8 at SLIA and here I sit at 11:22 pm MST on Wednesday night.

Less than 5 hours to check in and only a few more until my flight leaves. I've been reading, doing puzzles, and being online thanks to wifi here in the airport. I'm pretty tired and not able to sleep very well in a noisey, well-lighted facility but it won't be long and I'll be on my way back to sweet home Chicago.

Inside the Rock

Sometimes I miss the obvious and in doing so hope that what is see is something that perhaps no one noticed before. Not that no person had ever laid eyes on it before, but perhaps it was just the right light, at the right time on the right day. Suddenly an ordinary image becomes a vision. I wish all my photographs were of that quality but sadly most are not.

These stairs were locked behind a door and visible only through a small slit. Sunlight spilled down the steps as I stretched up to see behind the door. Through this narrow opening was a stairway that lead up and down. To somewhere I would never go. Travelled by people long since gone. But in the instant I moved my camera into position I knew that I was seeing something for the first time. Alone, solitary, just me. The sunlight, peeling paint and muted colors were more than I could imagine. I shot many frames trying to catch just the right position and just the right amount of light.

The image below I think captures best what I saw on that summer day on Alcatraz.

The Art of Milwaukee

One of the benefits of having a daughter attending school at Marquette University is the frequency with which I get to visit one of the really coolest cities in the midwest, Milwaukee. OK, the state get a lot of crap from people in northern Illinois but Milwaukee is a real treasure. One of my favorite spots is the Milwaukee Art Museum. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the building alone is worth the visit. The avian-like structure literally soars out over Lake Michigan and provides inspiration like few public structures today ever do.


My latest visit occurred on one of those brilliant fall days when the skies were bluer than blue and the light was just a photographers dream. Unfortunately the many people were inside the building making some of the shots I wanted to take inside difficult if not impossible. But the outside shots were spectacular.

City by the Bay Part II--Up North

The week I spent in San Francisco included two days of side trips to very special places, Sonoma and Stinson Beach. The last week of July temperatures reached record levels in northern California. Although San Francisco was hot compared to its normal temps we didn't experience the extremes so much until driving north to Sonoma where it topped out at a little over 100 degrees. Although it was a "dry heat," it was still very warm.


The time in Sonoma was short with only time for a couple of good wineries, a great restaurant, and the Tuesday evening market on the square. Fresh foods, fruits and vegetables abounded along with friendly people and music. The hot and dry weather had produced an abundant crop of rattlesnakes and there were signs posted along the trails at the wineries to be cautious. I guess I didn't take them as seriously as I should have until the following morning when I saw a fellow in high leather boots walking the grounds outside the Ravenswood Winery with an extension pole and a bag looking for errant rattlers. A brief conversation assured me that indeed one should be cautions. But by then we were headed back toward the ocean and cooler temps.


A careful walk through the vinyard was something I had to do, snakes or not. I got up close to some of the grape clusters and took a few pictures. This is one I like a lot.


And finally on to Stinson Beach, a small place that is almost unnoticed. There is a daunting 10 mile drive on some very "interesting" stretches of Highway 1 but I assure you that it was worth the drive. There was a spot or two where the road had washed away but we managed to avoid those spots and find our way to the Stinson Beach Motel. The cool temps and heavy fogs were a sharp contrast to the heat of the interior lands. I love this little town and hope to return someday.

City by the Bay Part I

In all of my worldly travels probably the one place I've always wanted to go is San Francisco. Just last month I finally had that opportunity. My daughter and I were trying to decide what to do for a week of much needed summer vacation and after a lot of thought it occurred to us that San Francisco is "the" place we really had always wanted to see. So with a little help from my friends at Travelocity.com (shameless and well-deserved endorsement here) I was able to book two round trip tickets, a downtown SF hotel, and car rental for those days when we would be outside of the city all for around $800. What a bargain!

We flew from Milwaukee to Minneapolis to SF and had a great flight but due to some mechanical issues we were a bit late in our Saturday afternoon arrival. After collecting our luggage we made our way to BART which delivered us into downtown San Francisco less than two blocks from the Mosser Hotel on 4th Street, our temporary new home. Being late we opted for just a bit of evening sight seeing and then found a nearby Chinese restaurant for dinner.


Sunday morning we went to the Warf to sight see, shop, eat, and catch a ride to Alcatraz. We wandered the area back and forth saw a group of sea lions sunning themselves near Pier 39, and ate a delicious lunch of clam chowder served in sourdough bread bowls. After lunch we boarded a ferry for the "rock" and had a delightful time touring this once famous prison now turned bird sanctuary. Although we arrived during one of the hottest spells in recent memory the temperatures on the island were chilly with the winds coming in from the bay.

Upon return to the city we visited the famous City Light Bookstore and then Cafe Prague, a nearby eatery. We dined on very good breads and goulash washed down by a cool bottle of Czech Lion Beer.


Monday morning was devoted to visiting Haight-Ashbury. Jourdan fell in love with the former hippie-summer-of-love neighborhood and so did I. We ate a hearty breakfast at the reknown Pork Store Cafe and then made at least two full round trip tours of the best shops stopping at all of the cool places and vintage stores. Returning to the hotel we opted for a mid afternoon nap before venturing out for Chinatown. The plan was to eat at Dick Lee's on Jackson Street (Anna's recommendation) but Mr. Lee decided to beat the heat and closed up his small eatery until early August. I know the food is good but that was just too long to wait. So instead we kept walking and eventually found a nice place at a great price.


Tuesday morning we walked to Yerba Buena Gardens and the SFMOMA where we drank Peets Coffee and watch people walking by on their way to and from wherever they were going. By noon we had our car and were driving up Van Ness Avenue headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge and points north. But that is another part of the story so stay tuned.

The Bean

Center piece of Chicago's Millennium Park, the Bean is just this side of incredible. I saw it again for the first time yesterday on a trip to the city. Actually I saw it first in 2004 when the bean was unveiled that summer and it was pretty incredible but when you looked closely you could see all the seams and things holding it together. So for a year and something around $17MM the artist had a crew make it a seamless and an even more amazing piece of civic artwork. The stainless steel structure is just magnificent. The reflections alone are worth a visit but even more fun are the people attracted to the park.

And if that's not enough there is the Pritzker stage and amphitheatre, the amazing walkway over to the lake, the skating rink that doubles as a cool outdoor restaurant in the summer, and the video towers and pool at the south end of the park. Give me a camera on a sunny day and I could be there for hours.

Mayor Daley has a lot of critics and I can't say I always agree with him on things, but its hard to dispute the work he has done to make Chicago a beautiful, safe, and clean city. And he's make public spaces so much more inviting and you can see that people are taking advantage of them.

Chicago Irish Festival

Memorial Day week end here in greater Chicagoland included a wonderful three day Irish/Gaelic Fesitval on the Southside. Held at Gaelic Park, it was a great opportunity to enjoy good food, Irish music, shopping from the Emerald Isle, and good things to drink including Guinness and Smithwick's.

Saturday evening was a beautiful night to attend and I was lucky to have timed my visit with a performance from the Irish band, The Saw Doctors. Upon recommendation from a friend I made sure to be there in plenty of time for an opportunity not to be missed. The Saw Doctors, heretofore unknown to me, are an experience that you just have to be there for. People who know were there. For me, one of the uninitiated, it was amazing to see the band perform and the crowd so get into their music. There was a Gaelic Mosh Pit up on front of the stage and nobody minded the wall to wall crowds dancing, singing, and just have a great time. Young and old. We all had a blast.

Andy Worhol Was Here

Not long ago, as a part of my photography class, the group of students compiled our work and developed a photo exhibit that is currently on display at McHenry County College. We worked hard all semester throughout the class and the exhibit was a way for each of us to select some of our best work and show it to the world. Or at least that part of the world that walks the hallways near the art department at MCC. Last week we held an opening reception attended by at least 100 famiy, friends, and others. It was a really great night for us all and very uplifting. We called it FirstLight.

During the evening our instructor grabbed my new digital camera and made me pose for a few pictures since I'm always behind the lens and never in front of it. After some coaxing and instruction I offered an Andy Worhol--esque pose for the camera. Through the magic of PhotoShop and a touch of my own creativity I created the image you see with this post. While we all know that Andy Worhol is no longer among the living the flavor of his work and his spirit lives on in us. See what you think.

The Farnsworth House

Sometimes we accomplish life-long goals when we least expect it. Today was that kind of day for me. On a whim I decided to drive back to Crystal Lake from Starved Rock State Park on the "backroads" of Illinois. These were uncharted waters for me and as often as not I found myself consulting a map with too little detail. But about half way into my trip I noticed that with almost no effort I could drive through Plano, IL, a town famous for the work of architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In this little out-of-the-way town he'd built one of the icons of American design, the Farnsworth House.

Although I knew I could find Plano, I had no confidence I could find the Farnsworth House since the town was much bigger than I'd anticpated as I rolled into the west side on Rte 34. At one of the first major intersections my eye barely caught a sign that pointed in the right direction and with a quick lane change I was headed south on a city street that quickly gave way to a winding country road. About two miles out I figured I'd missed a key turn off and was about to turn around when I saw yet another discreet sign pointing to the left. I quickly slowed to pull over much to the dismay of the local resident who was riding my bumper at 50 mph but I managed to get off the road, collect my thoughts, and aim in the direction the sign pointed.

About a mile down the road was a little gate leading to a small shop with books, artifacts, and tickets to see the house. Barely 3 years ago this would have been impossible but for the work of the National Trust for Historic Preservation which purchased the home at auction for a mere $7 million to save it for geeks like me who really enjoy looking at cool things like this. I arrived just in time for the last tour of the day and it was only me and the guide when I started but we were soon joined by a delightful couple also visiting for the first time. It was a beautiful spring day in Plano and the house was magnificent. The late afternoon light was perfect for pictures (only on the outside, please) and I shot away with the new Nikon D70s. What fun.

I never really wrote down my list of lifetime accomplishments but in my mind this place has always been on the list. This summer I promised Jourdan a return visit and I'm really looking forward to it. While the house was never a really habilable place for humans, the design and execution is one of my favorites of all time.

The Green River

After being here for four St. Patrick's Day celebrations I finally found myself in the city with my camera when the Chicago River was green. Now it isn't the first time I've seen it. In fact, even before I lived here I would come up from Indiana to see the river and enjoy the bright colors. But somehow me and a camera never made it at the same time. Oh, once I did but had dead batteries and failing light. But that hardly counts.

Today, looking toward the State Street bridge from Wacker the river was ablaze in all its green St. Patrick's Day glory and I was there to record it. The city was celebrating early this year which although seems a bit unauthentic, was better for me to get to see the great spectacle as compared to next week end when the true day of celebration will be marked. For a good part of the day the sun shined on my daughter and I as we strolled Michigan Avenue and Rush Street. People were out, happy, smiling, and enjoying the day. Even a few folks in green could be seen in passing.

I was there, I was happy.

Heating It Up in Woodstock

Our friends in Woodstock, and especially those fine folks at the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce and Industry have been busy promoting the town and Groundhog Days this year. Woodstockians have achieved a new level of greatness however with the introduction of a special Woodstock Willie hot sauce. Woodstock Willie is now at the level of product endorsement. Its a wonderful thing!! You can drop by the Chamber's website at: www.woodstockilchamber.com/.

Groundhog Day in Woodstock, Illinois

One of the benefits of living where I do is the close proximity to Woodstock, Illinois. The fabled home of the classic film "Groundhog Day," the community has turned a photo opportunity into a full blown and rather entertaining mid-winter festival. Ground Hog Days in Woodstock kick off on February 2 with the appearance of Woodstock Willie, our own version of Punxatawny Phil. Woodstock Willie is fast graining in popularity and someday soon may eclipse his cousin out east. Today's event was spectacular.

Hundreds of local residents crammed the square awaiting the appearance of Willie and his shadow, or lack of it. This year we had the added benefit of hosting Spike O'Dell, morning show host on WGN. Spike and the gang really added some spice to this year's festivities. Promplty at 7:20 am Woodstock Willie was roused from his quarters and emerged to a cloudy morning sky and the prediction of an early spring. Everyone cheered his appearance and his prognostication. Life is good. Winter is waning and spring can't be far behind.

My grand plan was to get up early and join the hundreds of early morning revelers but alas, I could not get my ass out of bed early enough to make it on time, so like thousands throughout Chicagoland, I joined the event via Spike and the WGN crew. When I finally did make it to the square, just about 9, everyone was gone and it looked just like a normal morning. In case anyone is interested there is an entire week end of festivities ahead including the legendary Groundhog Days Chili Cook-off. I entered it last year and lost. Schedule conflicts on Saturday keep me from entering the contest this year but look out for 2007. I'll be back with a killer recipe. And the community may be asking that morning...."where is Woodstock Willie anyway?"