Puerto Rico!

Our birthday present to me was a quick trip to Puerto Rico. We stayed in Rincon, which is 2 ½ hours west of San Juan, at the west edge of the island. Can’t say much about the towns, and the stray cats and dogs all over were very sad, but our hotel was great – very reasonable, sort of open air, with a cute bar and a great (really great) restaurant (we ate every dinner there), and a nice pool right on a large, very secluded beach. We thought about doing touristy stuff like seeing the glowing bay or whatever it is, but ended up just sitting on the beach all day. Photos (of course) of the hotel and beach, and me wading (my favorite thing to do on a beach).

Calvin wants cake

This is Calvin sitting suspiciously close to one of the cakes on my birthday, looking very evil.

I’m a Master of Science, and 40

I completed my Master’s Degree – surprise! (I didn’t talk much about being in school – sort of embarrassing to be in school and nearing 40). Although I wasn't really looking forward to it, I had many reasons to do it - nearly all positions I hire for are "master's required" so it was odd that I didn't have one, and I was sick of people assuming I did because I work with lots of MDs and MPHs. And I was feeling like I should do something for myself, since all I pretty much do is work, and I thought "if I'm going to do this, I want to do it before I'm 40" (and I almost made it). Oh, and I guess I wanted to learn something. But that was totally secondary. :)

So I looked into three programs in Chicago for my field (nonprofit management) and chose the cheapest and (assumedly) easiest - it was one night a week for a little over two years, plus a final project (or more classes, but I chose the final project). I didn't really talk about it since I literally wasn't sure I was going to do it - I went to the orientation and before I knew it I was well into the classes, and it was pretty easy so I figured I'd finish. I actually finished the classes last year but dragged my heels on the final project - seems it was much easier for me when I knew I had a class coming up and a deadline. Once the classes were done, everytime I told myself I needed to work on the project, somehow I just ended up doing work work instead.

But I finished! With an A or A+ in every class. So now I have an MS - technically an MSNM (Master’s of Science in Nonprofit Management) but I'm just using MS since that's more common. It's from Spertus College, which is small and really only has two programs - this one and one on Jewish Studies.

Also, in April, I turned 40. Mom, Dawn and Lisa came over for the weekend to help celebrate. We went to see a show – The Drowsy Chaperone, which was really good – and had dinner at our house with Jim, Kathy, Cindy and Mike. It was perfect – no need for 80+ people, drunk at a bowling alley like my 30th.

This is a cake my staff gave me - during a meeting, so I had to transport it home (with boxes, signs, etc.) and it didn't make it too well. Still tasted good and was a nice surprise.

Also, on my birthday, I had to be at one of our conferences for Reach Out and Read (a program we do) and we invited the Mayor and he came. Sort of fun to meet the Mayor. He has a photographer who follows him around all the time and takes pictures of everyone he meets, then they send them to you signed afterward. I'd post the picture but for some reason when they sent the electronic version as a PDF and I don't know how to upload it.

March 2008 Work - McDonalds and Cher

Our association started doing an Annual Meeting again and this year it was in March at Hamburger University in Oak Brook, IL. This is the McDonald’s offices and training center (and also a Hyatt and conference rooms). Actually a very nice property, but it’s very odd to be surrounded by the Golden Arches and to have your coffee breaks at self-serve drink stations like in the restaurants. Here are some pictures - a display on the history, a sign that says "Hamburger University," and a display with all the old uniforms.

Also in March, I had to moderate a conference for other AAP Chapter Executive Directors – about 50 of us come. It’s a great group of people and so much fun, particularly since we are all doing the same thing (basically) but we are spread out pretty much one per state – so it’s a blast to get together. Last year as an ice-breaker we had a dinner and “talent show” – no I didn’t sing or anything. But this year I had a really good idea for an “act” – I took head shots of nearly all the other Executive Directors (they are posted on the AAP Web site) and used this Web site, http://www.myheritage.com/celebrity-face-recognition, to upload them and find their celebrity “matches.” I had the idea to do this and then one of my staff, Jana, told me about this site, which made it much easier. Then I did this long (and complicated) PowerPoint that showed the pictures and unveiled their matches one by one. Very fun and hopefully it wasn’t too embarrassing for everybody. A few matches were really good, but most were just silly – the Web site is pretty bad. I uploaded two pictures of myself - a good one matched Harrison Ford and Oded Fehr (of the Mummy movies, below), mainly because of my goatee .... and then a really bad photo of mine matched Cher's photo, below.

Quick NYC Trip February 2008

I had a quick trip to NYC this month. We applied for a grant from The Commonwealth Fund and after it receives one level of approval, they fly you out to “present” it to their executive team, which includes their President Karen Davis (VIP) and other important people. I was pretty terrified but I think it went well and feedback from the CWF VP who is shepherding the proposal through their process, Dr. Schor, was good – so keep your fingers crossed (I think we’ll get it). But the most important thing is I found time to squeeze in a show – Curtains, which is the “last” Kander & Ebb musical and stars among others David Hyde Pierce. It was good, actually – better than I expected.

And I also snagged two very rare vinyl showtunes – the London casts of Valmouth (a flop starring Cleo Laine) and Little Mary Sunshine (a 50’s parody of the Canadian Mountie musicals – “when I’m calling you-ooo-ooo-ooo, ooo-ooo” etc.). The off-Broadway version starred a very young Eileen Brennan, and the London version starred Patricia Routledge, who some people might know from “Keeping Up Appearances” which we see on BBC or local public television. Score!

Album Recap 2007

Our new weekend “hobby” is visiting area record stores and searching for CDs and vinyl that’s hard to find – mainly old Broadway shows (no jokes please). Here are a few choice finds we either bought or burned from vinyl in 2007.

• Cheesy 60’s music in Broadway shows was a 2007 theme for us. We bought Canterbury Tales (1968 London and 1969 Broadway), Tom Jones (1964), and It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, It’s Superman! (1966). The songs are so dated and frankly, bad. Canterbury Tales were great finds – the London vinyl and Broadway CDs are both pretty rare. And yes, they made a Broadway musical about Superman. It’s by Charles Strouse, who did Annie and Bye Bye Birdie. Linda Lavin (TV’s Alice) is in it and has two great songs. Another song is called “Pow! Bam! Zonk!”
• Do Re Mi (1961). By Styne, Comden and Green and starring Phil Silvers and Nancy Walker. Not my favorite show at all, but it’s really cool since it’s the original vinyl has a cut-out front cover with a neon red insert.
• Goldilocks (1958). Only because of Elaine Stritch singing “Give the Little Lady a Great Big Hand,” which is a great song.
• Mame (1974). Movie cast - Lucille Ball CANNOT sing!
• Mayor, the Musical (1985) Again by Charles Strouse. It’s about NYC’s Ed Koch. Sample songs: Hootspa, March of the Yuppies.
• Mr. President (1962) By Irving Berlin, starring Nanette Fabray. Really good songs, and some cheesy 60s songs too like “The Wasthington Twist,” which is a twist. Another fun song: The President’s daughter sings about the Secret Service (“The Secret Service, makes me nervous. When I am dating, they are waiting, to observe us …”).
• A Star is Born (1976). Not rare or anything, and we are NOT Barbra fans, but it brings back memories from my childhood (I was 8, but I liked this movie). Especially “Queen Bee” and “I Believe In Love.” I could do without Kris Kristofferson trying to sing, though.
• The Ethel Merman Disco Album (1979). Enough said.

I also still buy a lot of non-Broadway (non-gay) stuff, BTW. Stuff I got in 2007 that I highly recommend The Editors, Jill Cuniff, The Bird and the Bee, The Bravery, VHS or Beta, Blonde Redhead, Hellogoodbye, Tracey Thorn, Tahiti 80, Paul Weller, and Morningwood.

Holidays in St. Louis

We went to visit Steven’s family in St. Louis around the holidays. Steven’s sister Stacey and her family live in St. Charles, and Steven’s other sister Jenni and his mom Sharon came over too. Very nice time, but too bad Steven’s Gawmaw couldn’t be there too, and it’s sad to see Teddy (the dog) getting so old. Here’s everybody posing around a sign in some cute historic village we went to (adults from left Stacey, husband Dana, sister Jenni, and mom Sharon, and tough guys nephews Jake and Justin). And me singing with some statues.

Calvin & Abner

I have to post pictures of the cats every once in a while because they are so cute.
These are all Calvin.

Shows in NYC

Steven and I went to NYC for the first time in a while – we would like to make annual trips to see shows but it’s too expensive. This time we stayed in Soho, which was interesting – grittier but less touristy than the theatre district or upper E/W sides. Highlights included celebrity sightings: Alec Baldwin at Tribeca Grill, the bleached blond from America’s Next Top Model hailing a cab, the young kid from Queer as Folk (Showtime) – probably looking for work – and Ty Pennington at a restaurant (not obviously drunk, as his recent admission might suggest). I guess it’s not very special if the “celebrities” are of such a caliber that you only know half their names.

We were incredibly lucky – the stagehands were on strike so nearly all shows were closed, but the three we bought tickets for were not! They were Xanadu (very silly and fun), and Young Frankenstein (pretty awful except one number by Megan Mullaly).

Basement is Done!

The basement and powder room are finally done! I’m not sure if I’m more excited about having a great space to relax and watch TV or just that the workers are gone and everything’s back to normal. Here are some pictures. Now all we have left in the house is painting and hanging some pictures (until we decide to redo the main kitchen, which we “did” ourselves when we bought the house and need to redo).

Spring/Summer 2007 Travel Part 2 (Work)

Ottawa

I had a work trip to Ottawa in June and it was beautiful! It's only two hours north of the 1000 Islands so I hope we can make side trips while we are at our trailer there. So many pretty pictures I had trouble deciding which to post. (Unfortunately I didn't get one of the nude cyclists - must have been some sort of protest, but I was walking down the street with a bunch of the doctors and other staff attending the meeting when they rode by!).


These pictures are Canada's parliament, our meeting hotel (very historic), fruit at a farmer's market, and POUTINE! (french fries covered in gravy and cheese curds ... yum)
Orlando
For three years in a row, I ended up going to Orlando in the summer for work. That's what happens when you work for and with nonprofits (hot and sticky = undesireable = cheap). But I've learned to love 1) The Universal Studios Royal Pacific Hotel (I was going to link to it but they have nasty music on the pages so I won't torture you), 2) the Emeril Lagasse restaurant there, 3) the Spiderman ride at Universal (so cool), and 4) the fact that with a room key from the hotel, you get to go to the front of the lines automatically in the park. Steven and I did the parks two years in a row - yes, we are too old for that, but it's fun and you feel special walking past all the common people waiting in the heat.

Oh and I was working (almost forgot). I "presented" a poster at an AAP conference. about teaching pediatric residents about advocacy, which is something I do. Here's a picture of it.

Spring/Summer 2007 Travel Part 1 (Fun)

Busy spring and summer! Lots of trips for fun and work (which are also fun - I'm not the type to sit in the hotel room and order room service much). Here's are two of the fun ones:

Fort Lauderdale

The only reason I go to here is because I had a Southwest ticket I canceled and the credit was going to expire, so I had to go somewhere (that was in 2006). So I went to Fort Lauderdale. I had low expectations - thinking "Spring Break." But it's really nice and now it's an annual trip for me. Amazing houses on the canals. Food wasn't great this trip. This is photo of a hot, hazy day at the beach two blocks from my little hotel, with a cruise ship in the background (some of them look huge in the water - it's kind of surreal).

Las Vegas

No surprises I took advantage of a chance to go to Vegas! Kathy and Jim did their March trip and I joined them. It was really fun because I helped take Kathy out of her element there - she usually doesn't leave the strip (and Jim doesn't leave the sports book) but I always have a rental car, so we explored some other areas and casinos and visited one of Kathy's coworkers who moved out there. Here's Kathy with a martini at a restaurant near Green Valley Ranch (we had fondue!). The second picture is a great memory - we are driving down the highway and this motorcycle shoots past us with a bodybuilder driving it and a woman in a bikini/thong on the back seat. I'm sure they were just going to work like any other day. Only in Las Vegas.

Happy Birthday Steven!

January 29 is Steven's birthday!

Happy birthday Steven!

My Buddy Blago

We were invited to a meeting with our Governor, Rod Blagojevich (blah GOY uh vich for those of you from outside Illinois). The photo above is me, the Governor, and the current president of our organization, Dr. Eddie Pont. The Governor is going to announce big new healthcare initiatives and wanted our input (and ultimately, support). This is the second time I've met him, but the first was at a press conference with lots of people - this was a smaller meeting. He was with us for nearly an hour and really listened to us. And told us about Elvis' last movie, with Mary Tyler Moore.

Quick Trip to Seattle, Vancouver

The American Library Association's midwinter meeting was in Seattle, so I flew out to join Steven and then we went up to Vancouver for a few nights. I love both those cities. We didn't do much except visit different neighborhoods, shop a little, and eat really well, but it was a nice trip.
Mountains peeking out behind the highrises in Vancouver

Me on a Ferry . . . Steven at a beach, many of which ring downtown . . .

. . . the suburb of North Vancouver, under the mountains, as seen from downtown Vancouver

We Get Our Bathroom Back (and Lose the Basement)!

Our 8-week upstairs bathroom remodeling is finally done! We are very pleased with how it came out, and it's especially nice not to have to navigate the stairs in the middle of the night when nature calls (or, to have to use the basement shower as we've been doing during the remodeling). There are some minor problems with the tile that our contractor said she will fix, and we haven't yet decided what artwork to put up or where to put the towel bars, but otherwise it's wonderful. We went from having no storage at all to having lots (in-wall medicine cabinet, large vanity, three deep shelves in a corner that was previously just drywalled closed, and a deep shelf in the shower). And little splurges like the whirlpool tub (which we didn't think would fit) and the toilet lid that lowers itself slowly (no banging) are great.

For all of you home improvement obsessives (like us), you can see many pictures of the bathroom, posted by Steven, on Flickr at http://flickr.com/photos/steventhemusical/sets/72157594479803434/.

But as soon as they finished the bathroom, they started on the basement! At least this is out of sight and out of mind (except when we do laundry). No big surprises yet - hopefully it will be a pretty straightforward job. They are removing the tacky wood paneling and doing new drywall on all the walls and ceiling, rebuilding the stairs, putting in a hardwood floor all the way to the back, and making some slight changes (like a new countertop) to the basement kitchen. Since this will ultimately be the "TV room," the only thing we are doing special is putting speaker wires/jacks in the walls. We hope this will be finished mid-February.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Not much going on here . . . spent most of the day on New Year's Eve at work and then sat at home in the evening, eating steak and listening to the neighborhood fireworks go off. Today we are being lazy (and I'm playing with this blog).

2006 had a lot of high points (lots of fun trips, Poplar Tree Bay, work) and low points (the passing of an employee and friend, stressful house remodeling, work). I posted a bunch of photos from this year on my page at Flickr.

Hope everyone has a great 2007! Scott

Christmas in Danville

Steven and I spent Christmas night in Danville with his family. So many people coming in and out of his Gawmaw's house! Holidays in Southfield were always only the six (then four, then three, then two) of us - no extended family to drop in. It was good to see everyone.

Merry Christmas!

No snow, and we barely decorated because of the work on the house, but otherwise "merry." Here's a picture of the tree. I love our ornaments - some are old (from the Heiers I think) and many others are things we collected that have "meaning."


Also in the picture is the beautiful pointsettia sent by Bev and Jim (thanks!) And thanks Mom for the presents! I love the cookbooks. And thanks Billy (brother in law) for the CD and wine, and Sharon for the Lowe's gift cards (much needed given the work on the house!)

I have been off for the past two weeks but spent most of the time sitting in either Sip coffeehouse or Argo Tea (which I love) doing ICAAP work, because home had construction going on. Otherwise, Steven and I spent much of our time off watching "marathons" on satellite TV (Voyager, Top Chef, Law and Order CI, South Park...) And I started playing my Playstation 2 again, unfortunately ... it's relaxing. I finished Frogger and am about halfway through Pac Man World 3 (I only play what I call "little girls'" games, and then only when they are a few years old and sell for under $20!)

Thanksgiving cookies

Not sure who sent this to my company (I was out and one of my staff took a picture). It's a cookie bouquet. Very nice, but they have to bake those cookies so hard and thick they aren't very good.