The latest attraction.

No matter where you travel around the U.S. or the world, there are usually things to see. From the wealthiest nations to the poorest places, if you are looking for something to talk about when you return to your home, you can find it.

Our oldest daughter (at home) is now in Rwanda; I still can’t believe she is there, but after receiving an e-mail from her yesterday I know it was a very good thing that she has explored lands that are probably as far from home as she can possibly get.  In her e-mail she spoke of the fruits and vegetables that are the staple of her diet; she did say she was tiring of the food but was in love with what she was experiencing in her travels. I assume she will just have a burger when she gets back home---but she can never relive what she has seen as the other side of life. She also said she takes showers with a bucket---and cold water---oh this must be a shock.

I have been asked where I would like to travel? Most people think because I am really into photography that an exotic place would be high on my list. Actually there are several places in the U.S. that I would like to see before I venture off to other areas of the world---some are very obtainable, others are a bit trickier. For instance, I would love to photograph at Yankee Stadium from where the sports photographers are found; I am not a huge Yankees fan but somehow being able to shoot photos in an iconic stadium is very appealing to me.

I would also love to shoot in the painted desert and venture to see some of the rock formations in Utah; these would not take long to accomplish, it’s more of a situation of getting there. But there is little doubt the number one place I would like to shoot pictures would be Mt. Rushmore. Not from below---but from the side. If not this, I would like to shoot the Joffrey Ballet--- talk about being at the opposite ends of the spectrum these two “landmarks” would be incredible to capture. One is doable, the ballet is probably not; I have tried….no luck.

The photo above is one of the newest attractions here in the “Windy City.” It is only fitting because of Marilyn Monroe’s skirt being blown upward in this famous re-creation of her film, “The Seven Year Itch;”given the looks on many of the passerby’s faces, and the way they have stood underneath it looking upward, they are just fine with this new addition to our town!

Thanks for stopping by.

Hmmm…tastes like chicken.

The other day some of us were talking about the strangest foods we had ever consumed.  There were some really odd ones that would never cross my lips, and there were some that I had actually eaten---once. We are talking well beyond beef, fish or pork here so if you think you are going to get grossed out, I would suggest coming back tomorrow.

One of the guys travels to Asia off and on and was describing some of the availabilities found in markets. I asked him did he really ever eat dog? He said, “Yes and it was not as bad as I thought it was going to be.” I guess the pup had just been bathed or something. He went on to tell me he has been offered rat (he passed) and various types of fish that not only did I not have any idea what they were, but it sounded like it would be something I would pass on.

Others talked about eating Vietnamese, various parts of the cow that I am sure you know what I am talking about, and real Indian food. Well, I know one thing about Indian food and it’s that I don’t like it. The sauces, in combination with the texture  of the meat and spices, leave me looking at the door and wishing it was closing behind me. A few of us had had alligator (I have had it) buffalo, and one guy had lion.  I didn’t even know you could consume lion---I always thought it was vice-versa.

Many years ago, when my Mom met my wife for the first time, I learned of my mother’s culinary likes and dislikes. We still talk about this story every time we order calamari. We were at a restaurant and when ordering appetizers, the question came up, “Would anyone like to get calamari?” We eat them sometimes and once you get over the way they look, it’s really not bad…in fact, they’re good.

Well, my Mom must have either never had calamari, or had it once and it did not bring up fond memories. Right after the question, as she was drinking some water, she sprayed it all over. Just like one of the comedy scenes when people spray their water after hearing something funny or disbelieving. Needless to say, since it was the first meeting of the two women in my life, we passed on it. It is still a memory of my Mom I will never forget.

The photo above is of one of one of our daughters; of course her ice cream cone does not taste like chicken, but there is something about biting into something you don’t know that makes you stop and wonder---“Why am I eating this?” For me, the next time I am served alligator, I think I will eat it again, because it really does taste like chicken it just doesn't cluck.

Thanks for stopping by.

A bunch of hot air.

Lately here in Chicago, and most definitely St. Louis last weekend, I experienced what summer is all about---hot, humid weather. There is little doubt St. Louis has won out with some of the most humid and hot weather I have experienced. I wouldn’t say it’s a reason not to travel there, but if you know you are going, prepare because it will be there waiting for you.

While I was there, I took a walk with my son who lives in an area close to the city; I showed up in shorts and a light shirt---he had on jeans and a t-shirt. I looked at him and said, “Do you ever wear shorts?” He said, “I have gotten used to wearing jeans in this kind of weather.” I thought, “I could never get used to this again and I lived there until I graduated college.” In the end, after a fairly long walk, he even admitted he wished he had worn shorts---that’s my boy.

We may not have as hot of weather where I live, but we are blessed with politicians that make up for it with plenty of air coming out. Recently I read in the paper the number of credit cards held by individuals in Chicago government offices, are being cut from 300 down to 50. I am sure the mayor has one, and very high ranking officials in the CTA, Chicago housing authority, and other important offices around the city that require credit card usage. This may come as a shock but some people have been using credit cards for non-city related charges. I know I was just as surprised as you were---who would have thought?

But as bad as our politicians seem to be, they must be worse in New York; it turns out the young man who caught Derek Jeter’s 3000^th hit will have to pay taxes for the gifts he received. There goes being a nice guy. He did say he hopes if he is taxed that friends and family---who will likely be using the seats---will help him out. I bet they will---blood is often thicker than hot air when it comes to Yankees tickets.

The photo above was another one taken at the Lisle “Eye to the Sky Festival.” It seemed only fitting that in a Chicago suburb, the hot air would be plentiful. As we know here in the “City of Big Shoulders,” there is plenty of it to go around.

Thanks for stopping by.

“When are you coming home?”

“There are places I'll remember

All my life though some have changed

Some forever not for better

Some have gone and some remain

All these places had their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I've loved them all”

John Lennon/Paul McCartney

For many parents and children in the world, knowing when a person will be home, or seen again, is a very common question. There were times, yes many decades ago, when people didn’t move far from where they grew up. Things are much different today as we are scattered throughout the country and the world.

But even though a physical presence may not be something that can happen as frequently as we would like, we can always keep the moments that made us who we are in our hearts. It’s often said that you can never go home again, and in some ways that’s true; but there is always something about going to where you have been---and invested a large part of your life---that can never be forgotten. I think for many of us we all live for these moments.

Recently I went home to visit my Dad; yes he is getting older, but I can say with absolute certainty, he is probably the nicest, kindest person I know and is doing well for what he has been through. It’s very obvious he misses my Mom, as we all do, but he is finding his way at this time without her physically in his presence.

While I was there I said to my Dad, “I want to go see Mom.” Before I got the words out, and you have to understand my Dad does not hear well anymore, he said, “That would be nice.” It was. We didn’t spend a ton of time at the cemetery but long enough for me to have a conversation (yes it was in my head) and know that somehow, someway, she knew I was there. If not, she made me think she knew I was there.

This month, on July 28, 1980, I packed up my 1977 yellow Camaro and moved to Chicago; it was a big move for a kid who didn’t have a job, was not sure how it would go being so far from home, and whether it was the move for me. There have been times when I still ask myself the same question, but more than 30 years later, I know I can still go home. It’s just a different place then when I left it more than half a lifetime ago.

The photo above was taken in Lisle, IL at the “Eyes to the Sky Fair” a few weeks ago. Whereas you will likely see other photos of balloons in upcoming “Snap.Shot’s,” I know just like in the Wizard of Oz, when you click your heels three times, and hop on a plane, car, or even hot air balloon, you really can go home again.

Thanks for stopping by.

Fans.

There are many different types of fans. You have those that are fanatics about a certain topic such as baseball, poker, or an actor;  you have fans in the home that cool it to a level that is acceptable and lowers your heating and cooling costs; or you have ones that are dotting the landscape and do something--- but I am not sure what. I believe they help generate power for electricity, but for some reason I think they are run by electricity. Again, I have no idea.

A long time ago we used to have fans in our classrooms to help circulate any air that was available to be circulated. The cooler air rarely reached the back of the room, and in St. Louis it’s surprising bodies were not found slumped over at the end of class. The place to be was in front of the fans---meaning you had to sit in the front of the classroom--- but it was okay and it didn’t matter that your papers and other items blew around. You just felt better.

Then there are the fanatics; sure most people see fans as those who are in stadiums, but now with social media like Facebook and others, you are asked to become a “fan” of a brand, cause or whatever they want you to "like." It might be something important like curing cancer and/or liking Coke---or innocuous like "The Gap." The “fan” icons are popping up all over the social media sites---I guess it's a popularity contest.

There are some that I don’t understand---is it really important to be a fan of a cleaners or dog shampooing business? I guess so because they are there. I know I have become a fan of such important brands/causes as Nikon cameras, the company I work for, and a few others. As far as I see it, what the heck? As long as I am not liking or following something creepy or illegal, I am in a good position.

The other fans, or wind energy I guess you would actually call it, have become part of the rural landscape. The other day when I was traveling back from St. Louis to Chicago, I stood in a graveyard off of Highway 55; there I was, with a grouping of stones, and in the distance were these massive fans. What was interesting was how in a period of less than 50 years, this land had changed from two-lane roads (it was Highway 66) to a technological landscape. I wonder what the people who are buried just a few hundred yards away would think?

The photo above is of a dilapidated barn with one of these huge turbines behind it. Although the barn was there first, I suspect the owner of the land knew that by letting them build these massive structures, it would allow him to continue to farm his land. The good news is, I guess in the end it helps to keep the bugs away from the plants.

Thanks for stopping by.

The other side of America.

These are not easy times.  Yes, we are supposedly out of the prolonged recession but just ask the millions of Americans who are struggling to eat and live; I suspect they would have a different point of view of America today.

In Chicago, and many other cities around the country (and the world), you see many signs of people who are struggling. For some it’s being so poor they don’t have a roof over their head or it can be equally as challenging for many people who struggle to keep their pride (and families together) during what has been the worst economic situation I hope I will ever see in my lifetime. If there is one that is worse on the horizon, I hope it misses us because it is not welcome.

If you have been following the news, you are aware of the problems in Washington right now regarding the spending cap. Many of us have spending caps, but for us it has to do with how much credit we have on our cards or in our checking account if you happen to use a debit card. I am all cash now as I have learned very valuable lessons about credit cards.

What’s amazing about what’s happening in D.C. is the enormous dollar levels trying to be reduced.  I would assume for most of us, there is little way we could ever imagine how many dollars make up a trillion. Now multiply that image by 14.3 and you have our deficit. Wow. The House and Senate are trying to find ways to cut $4 Trillion from the budget---maybe it’s me, but I would have to believe there are ways to do it. I mean, they will still have $10 trillion to worry about---not as bad as $14.3 trillion however! What a relief that will be.

This past weekend, while I was at my brother’s home, we were discussing two completely different ways of living. My brother is involved in real estate and he works in finding property for a chain of stores that cater to the lower middle class. They have seen their business skyrocket since the recession took hold. A moment later, we were talking about an old business partner of his who was “forced” to move from a home that was approximately 15,000 square feet to one that cost $2 million to purchase. (I don’t know how big it is, but in St. Louis I would think it’s a pretty decent home---sure hope so.)

All in one conversation---people who are struggling to buy whatever they can to someone who had to downsize to a home that is probably larger than I can imagine. I was in his 15,000 square foot home one time, let’s say I have been in smaller hotels.

The photo above was taken on July 1, 2011. Every year, the Wrigley Building in Chicago hangs a flag that’s nine stories high. I believe that would be about 90 feet. It’s big, it’s beautiful, and it makes for a great photo. As I walked up to take the picture, I noticed this man who had a hole in his hat and a cup in his hand. I took the picture because it felt right to depict the times we live in; maybe it wasn’t right but then again, I have always believed a picture tells a story---this is one I believe needed to be told.

Thanks for stopping by.

America’s Pastime.

I grew up in a town that is crazy about baseball. There are many cities that fall into this way of thinking, however, few are the same size as St. Louis, MO.  However, there are some clouds over the “Gateway to the Midwest” and they appear to be potentially ominous. 

Two of the Cardinals key players are going to be free agents after this season---that always makes for a level of nervousness that doesn’t always sit well with the fans. Just ask Cleveland about Lebron James decision to “take his talents to South Beach.”

But today’s “Snap. Shot.’ is not about free agency, negotiations, or the perceived over priced status of most athletes we hear about. Nope, today were talking about the other side of the coin.

This last Thursday I was in Milwaukee on business. Because I didn’t have a dinner (I ate so don’t worry about me) I decided to go to the baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds. My seat was in the first row, right field, in the bleachers. I picked this seat with the desire to potentially get a few good photos.

I did get a few interesting photos, but what I captured was much more than a picture. I was able to understand more about the players who, although young and very talented, are still human beings and in many instances fathers like me. How did I experience this? I was right above the Reds bullpen--a location I had never sat in before.

Before the start of the game most of the fans in the first row were sitting in awe as the ball zipped, during warm ups, from the hand of the pitcher to the waiting glove of the catcher. It did not take long to arrive from one location to another by the way. The sound of the ball hitting the glove was heard at least 7 rows up…it was that loud.

After the game started something kind of amazing took place. With many of the fans in attendance holding on to young children, the players waved and let them know they knew they were there and were happy they had come to the game. It’s ironic because last Thursday night in Texas, a fan died trying to catch a ball for his son---I am really happy this didn't happen in Milwaukee. (I can't imagine the pain the wife and the player who tossed the ball are going through at this time.) 

What's interesting is, when they tossed the ball upward they let every adult know this ball was not for them, it was for the young people in the crowd; the future fan that needs to carry on the tradition. How impressed was I? I sent an e-mail to the Cincinnati Reds front office. Within an hour I had a response. Not a canned one, a real one that reinforced the pride the team has in their  “boys of summer.” I was impressed.

The photo above was taken at the game. A young Mom with her child was probably 20 feet above the bullpen. The pitcher below made sure that she (the child) had a signed ball. It took several times for the ball to get up there---it hit the railing a few times---but it was obvious he was committed to giving this very young child a ball. Of course, the woman was attractive, and I am sure that did help him decide to give up a ball, but in the end, he made the decision to spend time with the fans---ones that were not even in his home ballpark. That’s what makes America’s pastime an ideal way to spend a few hours at the ol’ ball game.

Thanks for stopping by.