M to the D

I have officially (meaning not including my days at Marquette) lived in Wisconsin for over a decade, yet I continue to maintain Maryland plates on my vehicle. Apparently, I harbor some sentimental attachment to my home state.

However, on my way to work this morning I realized that I was not alone. At exit 308C (the US 41 north exit by Miller Park), there it was.

Another Maryland license plate in all its glory.

Not a common occurance in these parts, especially during the morning rush. Thus, I was compelled to take a picture (note: I usually don't take pictures while operating a motor vehicle). I don't care why they were buzzing along I-94 at 7:24 am; the point is there are more Marylanders in Wisconsin.

Perhaps this means that someone else in Wisco says "coke" the same way I do....

trials and tribulations of a summer birthday

Seeing my birthday is 2 August (less than a week away), I figured it would be the appropriate time to explore the trials and tribulations of a being a summer baby.

As a kid, there took some planning (mostly by Mom) to ensure that my brother (DOB 25 July) and I had happy and fun birthday parties. This usually meant having a birthday party in mid-June or early September. Why? Most kids in my hometown either went to summer camp or on vacation...and in many cases both. For some reason, almost everyone was busy the last week of July and the first week of August. I'm certain that a number of my friends really thought my birthday was mid-June. Once I hit high school, then the celebrations actually occurred within a week of my birthday. It was quite the nice change.

Another disadvantage about having a summer birthday as a kid: I never got to bring treats in on said birthday and have the class sing "happy birthday" to me. Maybe I can be a bit of an attention whore at times (although this is totally acceptable behavior on one day of the year), but I was jealous. I wanted to be sung to. My family sang (or at least attempted) to me, but it's not quite the same. When I was 20, I finally experienced this piece of childhood. I was a camp counselor and one of the kids had the same birthday. One of the counselors found out so they sang to me as well. That was cool.

However, I thought the perils of summer birth would disappear with childhood. Oh, how wrong I was...

I thought in adulthood the summer vacation phenomenon wouldn't be a huge factor as you only get a couple weeks of vacay. This is and of itself is true. But another phenomenon has taken its place: reunions. Reunions of any sort. High school. College. Family. Apparently, the end of July/beginning of August are fabulous times for these celebrations. I'm not inclined to agree.

Despite my little tirade/temper tantrum/whatever you want to call it, I love that my birthday is in the summer. It's warm, usually sunny and people just seem to be more in the mood to celebrate. A celebration has never been cancelled due to a blizzard. There are more options for festivities - picnics, baseball games, etc. - if one so chooses. While in college, I ended up with multiple b-day celebrations: family, high school friends and college friend (upon return to campus in August). Talk about a trifecta. And yes, that meant I got not one, but two big 21st birthday celebrations. Additionally, my birthday's in early August so there are absolutely no significant holidays; ergo, no competition.

Maybe a summer birthday isn't so bad after all, not that I could change it. But if I had the opportunity, I don't think I would.

Cheers.

go.

During my time as WUM CKI (Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Circle K) District Administrator, I was called upon to give comments, advice, etc. on more than one occasion. Probably the most public of these "pearls of wisdom" (using the term loosely if these comments are coming from me) is the Administrator Comments at the closing session of our annual district convention.

I'm not one to toot my own horn. However, I received numerous complements (and a standing ovation, which quite frankly, shocked the hell out of me) on my speech at the closing session of the 2009 District Convention: Superheroes for Service. The one I hold most dear is from Stan, whom I replaced as Administrator (and those are extremely big shoes to fill): "I wanted to tell you that your comments at the closing session yesterday were great. Certainly, better than any I ever did. I should have been enlisting your skills as a speechwriter the whole time."

But that is not why I decided to post the speech.

The purpose of the speech was to (nicely) light the proverbial fire under the ass and mobilize people to action. That action? Service.

Keep in mind the Kiwanis (CKI's parent organization) defining statement: Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

What does this mean? CKI is not about politics. It's not about the titles and the shiny name badge. It's about serving others and the community. It's about working toward a common goal: the greater good and making the world at least a little better than we found it.

So, without further adieu, the speech...

The average is the borderline that keeps men in their place. Those who step over the line are heroes by the very act. Go.

I reference this quote for two reasons. First, using this quote probably makes me the only administrator to ever reference Henry Rollins. Second, the quote speaks to me. Those that go above and beyond, those that think outside the box, those that make a difference…are heroes…superheroes for service.

My good friend recently wrote an article about service clubs for Milwaukee Magazine. She contacted me to get a Kiwanis angle. Initially, she was going to write about a Kiwanis fundraiser we attended…until I started talking about Kiwanis Family Service Day. A lot. After all, Kiwanis and the whole K-Family is about service. It’s the reason I became involved with CKI. Needles to say, she was intrigued. I mean, how many organizations have an event that log 800 hours of service…in one day?

KFSD was originally the cornerstone of the article. Unfortunately, editors frequently want a story to go in a different direction – and so it did.

However, my friend asked the poignant question: Why? Why do you do this?

I sincerely never thought about it. I was brought up in a family that consistently served. My mom volunteered in the school library, amongst other things. My dad delivers food to the Women’s Shelter in southeast DC on a monthly basis – something he’s been doing since I was a kid. Really, I thought giving back and serving the community was something you were supposed to do.

But it got me thinking…why? Why do we devote so much time and energy to service?

If you know me, eloquence is not one of my strengths. However, my friend also interviewed Bree Boettcher, your Service Chair for the article. She summed it up better than I ever could: “I think the more important question is not why, but rather, why not? Why not choose to rake for the elderly or sort food at a shelter? Why not raise money to help the life-changing Easter Seals camps or to provide water purification salts for Africa? It is simply the right thing to do. How can I ever sit idle and not volunteer when there are people who need me? So my answer to anyone who ever asks a volunteer why is: why not?”

Why not indeed? WUM CKI definitely said why not…

This year, we logged over 11,000 of service hours – approximately 24 hours per member. Or think of it this way - there are 8760 hours in a year. This means every hour of every day, at least one WUM CKI members was performing service. From walking dogs at the Humane Society to providing respite for parent at United Cerebral Palsy to participating in Relay for Life and March for Babies to raise money for worthy causes - you have served your communities well. And you have served with enthusiasm, determination and passion…to make a difference.

Each and every one of you are heroes to these individuals and communities…true superheroes for service.

Yes, each ONE. “One can make a difference.” And it’s true…all it takes is one. One person. One club. One division. One district. One organization. One vision…

Go.

here comes the hammer...

By request, I was asked to write about how MC Hammer has had an impact on the present day cultural scene. And believe it or not, the Hammer did not disappoint....

Hammer pants are back.

That's right. In the late 80s/early 90s, these baggy, parachute-style pants were all the rage (thanks in part to MC Hammer himself). Twenty years later, they're haute courture once again but under the monkier "harem pants". Thankfully, when created out of material such as tweed they are slightly less obvious and obnoxious than say, gold or purple lamé. In some strange, twisted way maybe Hammer is "2 legit to quit"...

And did I mention he's signed for a 13-episode reality show on A&E?

goodbye Sears...hello Willis?

A Chicago icon is no more...in name anyway.

Today the Sears Tower is officially renamed the Willis Tower after Willis Group Holdings, the British insurance outfit that bought the building.

I understand the logic behind the renaming. Sears moved out in 1992. Willis is occupying most of the building and bringing hundreds of jobs to the city. Why wouldn't said company rename the building?

The sentimental side doesn't like it too much. When I see the first glimpse of the Chicago skyline driving down I-94, I get excited. The most prominent building? The Sears, oops, I mean Willis Tower. Walking along Lake Michigan or Navy Pier, there it is in its urban glory.

Sigh. OK, I guess I can call it Willis Tower for one day.

But in the hearts and minds of us Chicago sentimentalists, it will always be the Sears Tower.

hey now, you're an all-star

Baseball has been, and probably always will be, my favorite professional sport.

I've been a fan since I was six, and vividly remember my first game (but I'll spare you most of the details):

Orioles v. Yankees at the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. I attended with my granddad, dad and brother. My other option was to attend a family bridal shower. Given the choice today, I'd still pick the baseball game.

The O's were winning 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth. The Yanks scored 4 runs in the top of the 6th to go ahead 5-3. Then the storm came. A three-hour storm. O's win, 3-1.

And I was hooked.

Now growing up in Maryland just outside DC (pre-Nats era) it's pretty obvious why I'm an O's fan. Being a Cubs fan; that takes a small explanation. My granddad and dad hail from Chicago. The north side of Chicago. They taught me about baseball and at age six, I could be easily influenced; yet I have never wavered from being a Cubs fan. The Cubs are the ultimate underdogs. I like underdogs. And let's face it, I enjoy being a Cubs fan living in Milwaukee - if anything, it annoys people. And that's just fun.

But on the evening of the midsummer classic, we tend to put away rivalries for just one game and focus on the actual game of baseball. We sit back and remember it as "America's pasttime". It's a never-ending story where every game is a new nine-inning chapter and every player has the chance to be the hero.

Thus in honor of the All-Star game and the players past & present, I give you my favorite memories:

• 1983, Comiskey Park, Chicago - Cal Ripken Jr.'s first all-star appearance (warning: you'll see a theme here)
  
• 1990, Wrigley Field, Chicago - It's Wrigley. Ryne Sandberg, one of my all-time favorite players gets to play at his home field. And Mr. Cub himself, Ernie Banks, throws out the first pitch.


• 1991, SkyDome, Toronto - Cal Ripken Jr. wins MVP


• 1993, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore - Cal Ripken Jr. gets to play at his home field. Jim Palmer is honorary captain. Kirby Puckett wins MVP.


• 1999, Fenway Park, Boston - All-Century team is named which includes Cubs Ernie Banks and Greg Maddux (well, he started as a Cubbie); and Orioles Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Eddie Murray and my all-time favorite player Cal Ripken Jr.


• 2001, Safeco Field, Seattle - Cal Ripken Jr.'s final All-Star game. At the start of the game, Alex Rodriguez suggested Ripken move over to his customary shortstop position. An ultimate classy move, and the sole reason I don't completely dislike A-Rod. Ripken hits his first pitch over the left field wall and receives his 2nd MVP.


• 2002, Miller Park, Milwaukee - The military fly-by route went right over my house. I thought that was uber-cool. The game itself ended in a tie.

So, take me out to the ballgame...

stop, collaborate and listen...

Admit it...

You know the lyric. You wanted to be "rollin' in your 5.0 with the rag top down so your hair can blow..." You actually listened to the song when it came on the radio and watched the video on MTV (when they still played music).

I was with "Gabe" (for lack of a better name) at a watering hole watching sports highlights and we heard the beginnning notes to this infamous song. Something came over me. I proceeded to recite all - and I mean ALL - the lyrics, complete with some dance moves. I think Gabe was, well, impressed wouldn't be the word I'd use. Frightened would be more like it.

Perhaps I should have been embarassed that I knew all the lyrics. Strangely, I wasn't.

Circa 1990, Vanilla Ice was somewhat a breath of fresh air. Prior to the "Ice Ice Baby" phenomenon, the only white rapper-esque artist was the Beastie Boys. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of the Beasties to this day and they introduced us to the "rock-rap" angle. But Vanilla - at this point in musical history anyway - showed us that a white guy could perform rap AND hip-hop, or at least hip-hop as white folks knew it. Love it or leave it, Vanilla Ice did impact the scope of music in the early 1990s and dare I say, helped bring hip-hop into mainstream culture.

I almost wanted play my "To The Extreme" CD when I got home. Emphasis on the word almost. Yes, I still own the CD. For some unexplainable reason, I can't part with it.

The only thing that frightened me in this event was the following: I can't remember what I ate for dinner last Thursday, yet apparently I have ample brain storage for song lyrics of the early 90s.

Word to your mother...

ah...the Pinecone

While driving back from a facility visit on Wednesday, I stopped by to see an old friend: the Pinecone. For those of you unfamilar with this magical place, it is a gas station off I-94 (WI-26/Johnson Creek exit). But it by far is not just any gas station (or "travel plaza", if you will)...

It is the home of the place where elephant ears are as big as one's head and as a result, one could find crumbs from said delicious delight in the backseat of a car for months after the indulgence; where cookies rival the size of manhole covers (ok, maybe not that big, but they are impressive); where eclairs are so gimorous that it can potentially take three days to finish, speaking from experience (note to self: do not try to drive while eating a gimorous eclair ever again).

However, it's much more than the baked goodness...

I first stumbled upon the Pinecone years ago, but was re-aquianted with this icon in April 2006 en route to Camp Wawbeek in the Dells...thanks Danny and Andrew! The Pinecone is a, dare I say "mandatory", stop when travelling to/from camp (or any other destination). It's "the" place:

• to get just the right amount of sugar/caffeine needed for a weekend of no sleep and to get than last "rush" to actually make it back to Milwaukee (and then catch up on sleep)
• to discover how many things you really can decorate with a Packers logo
• to find a greeting card with a Badger picture
• to laugh at the above "findings" (and more) with like-minded, fun-loving people
• to begin and/or end yet another fabulous adventure

It's about good friends and good memories...yes, all that from a little 'ol gas station in Johnson Creek.

everyone else is doing it...

...so why can't I?

That's right, I jumped on the blog bandwagon. The world web should be afraid, very afraid...