Entertaining end of February

There are not too many movies I would like to see these days.  Most are meant for devotees of action films or particularly gory adaptations.  We don't attend the movies much anymore aside from an occasional matinee.  We still need entertainment that won't break the bank.  We are turning to the small screen to accomplish this.  This photograph is stolen from some internet site and is a rendering of the invented New York Symphony playing for inmates at Rikers Island Detention Facility from the Amazon series "Mozart in the Jungle".  This episode was transcendent in that it was a real orchestra (Chelsea Symphony) playing for real inmates at Rikers.  The non musician actors were sitting in front and receiving most of the camera shots.  The piece played was a rarely heard or performed suite that was quite cacophonous but still interesting.  Members of the audience were interviewed post performance and gave moving impressions of what they heard.   

My favorite dramatic program has been "The Newsroom"and that continues to be so.   However Mozart has become a close second.

All for now

Snow....and more snow!

This is for my Michigan expats in San Francisco, Arizona and other places, no news or surprise for the rest of us residents.  The photo is from yesterday and I could have taken the same one today and probably tomorrow.  About nine inches dropped yesterday and we are having difficulty finding a place to put it.  However, we are a hardy lot and will soldier on thru the remainder of winter with hopes of the first pitch on opening day.

We have been watching the new Ann Curry show on PBS called "Till We Meet Again"  about people separated by many decades and great distance and the effort taken to bring them back together.  The newest program was about children that were born in Viet Nam during the war and their attempts to find important people in their past.  I find myself weeping thru the whole show.  There's that empathy thing again.  If your heart is not a stone and you have some tissues handy, watch this show either on Sundays or streaming.

We have a wonderful neighborhood where we help each other out, all shoveling each others snow and pushing cars when needed.  We are very comfortable here in this small life.

all for now

More February

I left my second workday this week at Staples last evening.  While in the breakroom (loaded with candy and other forbidden goodies),  I spoke with our newest employee in our copy/print center.  He is a larger man somewhere in his fifties with a shock of salt and pepper hair.  He speaks very accented English with some difficulty, looking for the right words to express his thoughts.  He arrived in this country 5 months ago from Moscow, being sponsored by his sister in law along with his wife and kids.  I asked him where he lived and if he had a long way to drive.  He said in Grosse Pointe Farms, which is a 40 minute drive to Clawson. 

He shared that he had been in this country for 5 months and that this was his first job since arriving.  Although this is a low paying job, it is a good place to work and start out, in that we have a great boss that is understanding of all kinds of people.  I am happy that Brian gave him the chance and this job.

I cannot even imagine uprooting my life and moving thousands of miles away to a different culture, a new language and people that will not always be kind and understanding to me or my family.  This takes great courage.  I will make sure I write to Brian to express my thanks to him for giving this new employee a chance to move forward in our country.  I will try to teach my grandchildren the concept of empathy as at guiding force in their lives,  something that is sorely lacking these days.

all for now

February 2018

I am happy to report that I am enjoying the benefits of the new tax program.  My hourly rate at Staples went from 9.23/hour to 9.35/hour.  By my calculations, that is 12 cents.  I think I'll buy a new car.  Its snowing again in Royal Oak; one of the ongoing daylong events steadily piling up for us to shovel.  At least not too cold outside.  Harry is looking intently out the window.  He is not bothered in the least by the white stuff, running thru it with abandon. 

Its super bowl Sunday and we will be watching the grand kids so their parents can attend a party at friends house.  Really have little interest in the contest but am rooting for Philadelphia because they are the underdogs.

No Shannon this weekend due to the snow.  We cannot get her in and out of the car when the ground is slippery.  We went to see her last evening at her home and it was a pleasant occasion. 
all for now