In the world of social media and networking sites, text messages and Skype, children are being introduced to new “friends” every day. Now I know why my cul de sac is empty after school.
Today’s teens and tweens prefer Facebook, texting and Skype as their means of communication. Gradeschoolers are joining Club Penguin—”Facebook Jr.”I’m sure you’ve witnessed what I have seen all too often: a group of kids walking or sitting together texting friends or updating their Facebook statuses, completely oblivious to the group of friends with whom they’re sitting.
What about a 5 p.m. carpool, where the interior of a dark car is full of kids whose faces are lit up by their iTouch’s, DS’s and other hand-held gaming devices?
We all know the role Facebook played in President Obama’s 2008 campaign—and the role networking sites continue to play in politics and business worldwide—not to mention the countless stories of friends and family reunited through social media.
Do 12 year-olds belong on Facebook? And does she really have 429 “friends”?
Is it a problem if children are creating online profiles at younger ages? Do they lack the maturity to understand the repercussions of using these sites unwisely? Are sites like Togetherville, ScuttlePad and What’s What safer? Call me old-fashioned, but I can’t for the life of me understand why children don’t pick up the phone and call a friend after school anymore. I’m told by the high school athletes that I coach even emails are passé!
About a year ago, I wrote a column entitled, “Humor, It Shouldn’t Get Lost,” lamenting the disappearance of Jewish humor.The column pointed out that many of the old Jewish comics had died, along with their particular brand of comedy – which featured a heavy old-country accent and strange sentence structures.
“Hebonics,” as Howard Schollman, linguistics professor at New York University termed the unusual sentence contructions used by immigrants, continues to wilt because Jewish immigration has trickled to almost nothing. Further, assimilation has limited those endearing old accents to a diminishing number of comedians.
Interestingly, I received several e-mails from readers who shared my feelings of loss.
Now I am proposing a resurrection of this waning humor that fits right in with today’s digital age:recorded messages with Jewish accents!
We all spend inordinate amounts of time on hold, listening to recorded voices, or hearing a message delivered by one of today’s whizbang electronic products.Why not hire a few of those comedians to give us a few chuckles while we wait?
And so, with an assist from many Jewish writers and comedians, I offer the following.
1 – Recording for a credit card company.
“ABC Credit Card, please tap out your ten-digit card number, using the numbers on your phone.(PAUSE)Okay, you vanta know your balance?Please hold.(PAUSE)Oy vay, you don’t vanta hear that.Vait a tsecond, I’ll get you a macher, could help you.”
2 – Recording for a middle-aged woman.
“You called to ask about my heartburn, maybe?My sciatica?Or my root canal from yesterday, cost me you vouldn’t believe.Vait’ll you hear vot else is happening to my body.Leave a number and don’t visper, I can’t find my hearing aid.”
3 – Option for a middle-aged woman.
“Whoever is calling, I have new pictures of my grandchildren, you vouldn’t believe how gorgeous.If dis is my sister, I vanta hear all about our cousin Sarah and vot married guy dat tramp is mixed up vit now.If dis is my son, calling from colletch for the first time since Yom Kippur, vich vas two months ago, I vill tell you vun more time.Stop playing sports.Be a sports doctor.”
4 – Opinionated option for any Jewish woman.
“If dis is dat anti-abortionist group calling vunce again to kvetch, I vill tell you vunce and for all – life begins for my children ven dey graduate medical school.”
5 – Recording for mother with a popular teen-age daughter.
“If dis happens to be the hoo-hah vunder boy I keep hearing about,takes my daughter to a deli and puts mayonnaise on a pastrami sandvich, ven you come pick her up dis veekend, I vanta meet you, and I vanta see acopy of your grade point average, your family tree and a recent urine test.
And leave a number for a phone, a real one, not one of those cellthings.”
6 – Recording for any mother who has offspring at college.
“If this happens to be my son or daughter calling from colletch, it’s been a long time, you didn’t vonder if I’m dead yet?Anyvun else, at least you know I’m alive, please leave a number.”
7 – Recording for an older man living alone.
“If dis is my ex-vife, not a penny more.If dis is my second ex-vife,
not a penny more.If dis is my t’oid ex-vife, not a penny more.If dis is dat cockamamie collection soivice again, maybe you finally get the picture.Othervise, leave a number.”
8 – Recording on an automobile GPS System.
“The airport?From your house?Okay, foist you back out of your garage, vich you haven’t cleaned since Eisenhower left Omaha, and head south ‘til you get to Hermie and Sylvia Goldberg’s house and make a right turn.Go to Pine Island, make a left and head south for a couple – vait, vodda you driving like a meshugenah, slow down!Go to 595, head east and follow the signs.Nu?A piececake.”
9 – Recording for an older couple.
(MAN’S VOICE)“You have reached Sy and Becky Ginsberg who vent out someplace because Becky said so, and Sy is a schlemiel, does votever Becky says.Leave a number, please, and the time you called, and at our age, better leave the date too.”
10 – Recording for any man or woman with grown children.
“If dis is my crazy daughter calling vit some more adwice about Zen and Karma and all dose other Oriental notions, I vanta ask … if dere is no self, whose arthritis is dis?Leave a number, please.”
11 – Recording for a family returning from vacation.
“Yes, ve’re back in town.You vanta know how the wacation vas?Vas vonderful.Stopped at a gas station on the turnpike because all five kids had to go the bathroom at vunce.And dere vas a line.And dat vas the best t’ing that happened.You vanta here more, leave a number.”
***
Of course, these are just the initial suggestions.Over the course of this year, I’m sure others will occur.
But before I sign off, I must give credit to my daughter, who was kind of an inspiration for this column.My daughter has been leaving funny messages on her answering machine for many years.
Her best was about twenty years ago, when her answering machine said, “Hi.This is Amy.I can’t come to the phone right now because I’m ovulating.”
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and I really want to do something special for my wife to show her how much I love her.However, every year I fall into the same trap.I spend weeks over-thinking what I should buy or do but no ideas ever seem good enough.I wind up running out of time and scrambling last minute to buy something so unoriginal as flowers or chocolates.I tend do the same for most birthdays and anniversaries too.Is it crazy that I actually get nervous when it comes to buying her presents?It is just that my wife has very specific tastes and I don’t want to disappoint her (yet I know I probably do with the cliché gifts).
Signed,
JT
Dear J.T.,
I don’t know your wife but I imagine that just reading this letter would feel like a gift to her.It is not crazy that you get nervous and that the task of finding the perfect gift sometimes feels monumental.It is hard to always know your partner’s world.It is clear how much you care about your wife and that you desire to please her and to be intentional and thoughtful in the process.So, here are two basic acts that you need to learn so that you can become better at surprising your partner with the loving gifts and actions that she desires.
The first act involves listening for “random droppings”.When you are really attuned to your partner you will readily pick up on some of her desires because she will unintentionally (or not so unintentionally) drop hints.She may say something like, “I would love to try that restaurant one day.” Or, she may mention in passing how much she liked a certain perfume that she smelled at the mall.”Whenever you hear a “random dropping” make a mental note and file it for later use.The second skill that you need to develop is “artful communication.”Begin to ask your partner open ended questions about her likes and dislikes and remember the answers.File them away with the “random droppings.”You can also ask your wife directly about the kinds of gifts and caring behaviors you could give her to make her feel loved and cherished.
All of this information gathered over time will allow you to build a “love map” to your partners’ psychological world.This will provide a double gift: For you, the gift is knowledge on how to touch your wife’s heart and for her, she receives the undeniable sense that you are interested in her, that you value her, and that you deeply love her.This gift J.T. is priceless.
Signed,
Dr. Z.
Laura Zipris holds a doctorate in Psychology and is licensed to practice psychotherapy in New York, as well as in Florida. Laura is certified in Imago Relationship Therapy, a transformational approach that has been used successfully with couples around the world to help them to strengthen their partnerships, deepen their connection and reignite their passion for one another. Laura sees individuals of all ages and sexual orientations, couples, families, and groups in her office located in Delray Beach. For more information about Laura, please visit her website atwww.drlaurazipris.com or to set up an appointment, contact Laura directly at (561) 558-7815.
How many of our local residents have actually visited an area horse barn? (Don’t call them stables!) There are hundreds in the area – from huge palatial structures that could engulf several ordinary homes to small backyard facilities that house just a few steeds. You’ll find lots of barns at the horse show grounds. One thing that they all seem to have in common, no matter the prestige, size, or location, is a “pack” of resident dogs. Some breeds are recognizable, but plenty are rescued dogs – animal discards, which are as valued by their owners as the purebreds. And, it seems, there always seems to be room for one more!
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At Kris Kampsen’s polo barn on 120th Ave. in Wellington, there’s an abundance of canines, only four of which belong to Kris. Panda, 13, is a sweet Border Collie, “pretty much on his last legs” from a heart attack, says Kris. But this gentle dog follows, and bumps against me for ear scratches, and seems pretty happy. Kris says that Lola, a Pit Bull adopted as a pup, appears to share top dog status with Linus, a rough coat Jack Russell Terrier, but Kris isn’t sure which is the pack leader. Both put up with the antics of puppy Lottie, a six-month-old Jack Russell and Linus look-alike. “I bought her on the internet, and now know that she’s definitely a South Carolina puppy mill pup. I’d never buy a dog on the internet again,” says Kris.
Ziggy and three-month-old Kino, both adorable rescue “mutts,” belong to grooms Hillary and Laila, respectively. Black, an ancient Alsatian, is the pet of groom Martin. Groom Jo Tyrell has a pen in the yard for her two Jack Russell Terriers, Sophie and Amy, the latter a Peggy Adams rescue.
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So, who decides the “pecking order,” or order of dominance, in these unlikely barn packs? It’s hard to believe that these happy, easy going, diverse dogs, mutt or purebred, puppy or veteran, are governed by rules. We often forget that there is status in every relationship (whether it’s human or animal) – from leader down to the most lowly follower.
A dog pack, patterning its wolf ancestry, works by forming a structured hierarchy. Every dog, regardless of its temperament or personality, is governed by rules and guidelines established and enforced by the “Alpha” or leader, who’s responsible for actual establishment of the hierarchy, pack rules, and maintaining order. In the dog world, the remaining pack members, the strongest natured dogs, the meekest, and all in between, have defined positions within the hierarchy, but the role of the Alpha is essential to the ultimate “survival” of the pack.
The leader ultimately ensures the safety, and security of the group. Generally, this will be settled easily, as the most aggressive/dominant dog will assume the leader role, the more submissive dogs will accept lesser positions, and most humans never notice it. It’s only when two dogs want the same spot in the hierarchy that there can be problems. And the status can change with time, as older dogs often submit their position to younger, more dominant ones, members leave the pack, and new ones join. This usually happens quietly, again without fuss, unnoticed by the humans. Females are very often dominant over the males, and females tend to be more aggressive toward members of their own sex. But in each pack, one makes decisions, one bravely goes ahead in scary situations, etc.
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The sign at the entrance to DMD Farm, Inc., a small equine care facility in Loxahatchee, reads, “OLD DOG, YOUNG DOG, SEVERAL STUPID DOGS. PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY.” In addition to custom horse rehab, owner Donna Ulrich has a small canine boarding/grooming kennel. As you exit your vehicle at the end of the long, sandy driveway, the greeting is always the same; at least one dog, tail wagging, checks you out, and escorts you to the barn entry, where several others pad down the aisle of the barn to greet you. Donna explains that most are unintentional residents. She and sister Jean, who lives next door, just can’t pass up a hard luck story, or big brown eyes that beg for a way out of a bad situation. Asked about a “pecking order” in her pack, she believes that because most of the dogs are older that there isn’t much interest in status in her barn. “The younger ones just more or less leave the older ones alone,” she said.
Pokey, 14, adopted as a crippled puppy, lies happily on the pavement in the sunshine, a large benign tumor noticeable on his hip. Nearby is Princess, 12, who Donna attempted to place in a new home when her owner died, but who ended up staying. So did Deia, 12, whose owner also passed away. Eleven-year-old Luca the Corgi didn’t want to be a house dog, so, somehow he found his way here, and is probably the top barn dog. Flyer is a spry 12-year-old Dachshund who loves attention, and scratching his back upside down on the driveway gravel. There are even a few canines who didn’t make an appearance, including Donna’s house dogs, all Dachshunds. The pack is peaceful, and they know their way around the feet of the horses.
Sometimes a dog does move on to a new “forever” home; Moose did – a huge, black Great Dane, who had been number one greeter for ages. But if an adoption doesn’t work out, the dogs are always welcome back at DMD. Donna says that no matter how each animal was acquired, “it will always have a safe haven here.” She also noted that an Oklahoma breeder is retiring, and that nine registered Dachshunds will be coming to DMD the week of January 16 to be placed for outside adoption. Yes, there’s always room for at least one more!
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Our unique equestrian community has so much to offer – different types of events, at several venues. “Horse people” are usually “dog people” too. Why not check out one of our world class facilities, watch the performance of the equine athletes and their riders, and, if you’re a dog lover, be sure to look for the canines on the sidelines at the horse show, or at a polo match. See our recent story about Wellington polo by Lois Spatz. Many horse owners welcome visits to their barns, if you ask. And, while you’re there, check out the resident dogs. Most likely, each of them came to their “pack” with a very interesting history.
“In a perfect world, every dog would have a home, and every home would have a dog.”
Approximately 88 percent of us will have made a New Year’s Resolution and like millions of other Americans the chances are that one of them was to lose weight. So how is it going? Hopefully you have already lost the Holiday Bloat, your clothes are feeling a little looser, and you are starting to feel the health benefits of a reduced calorie diet.Things are going well but then, BANG! Here comes Valentine’s Day! So how do you keep to your diet and not look terribly ungrateful when your beloved hands you a beautifully wrapped box of chocolates to celebrate the day of love?
Keep reading……… that cute little bear hugging a red box full of the enemy may not be as harmful as you first thought!
High in Antioxidants
Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. Cocoa contains flavanols, a type of flavonoid that is only found in cocoa and chocolate.Flavonoids are naturally-occurring compounds that act as antioxidants and help counteract free radicals in the body. In fact dark chocolate contains nearly 8 times the number of antioxidants found in strawberries.
Blood Pressure Benefits
Dark chocolate has been shown in studies to lower blood pressure in people with elevated blood pressure.
Lower LDL Cholesterol
Eating dark chocolate on a regular basis has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as 10 percent.
Natural Anti-Depressant
Chocolate contains serotonin, a natural anti-depressant.Chocolate also stimulates endorphin production, which creates feelings of happiness and pleasure.This may explain why many people naturally reach for chocolate when they are depressed.
Cancer Fighter
Several studies have found chocolate to be one of the best cancer-fighting foods along with foods like red wine, blueberries, garlic and tea.
Prevents Tooth Decay
Research has found that the theobromine in chocolate prevents tooth decay by eliminating streptococcus mutans, a bacterial found in the oral cavity that contributes to tooth decay.
Longer Life and Less Disease
One Dutch study followed 200 men over 20 years and found that those who consumed large amounts of chocolate, both milk chocolate and dark, lived longer and had lower overall disease rates than men who ate little or no chocolate.
A Harvard study on the Kuna tribe of Panama resulted in similar findings.The Kuna consumed large amounts of raw cacao every day the study found them to have lower overall disease rates and longer life expectancy than neighboring tribes who did not consume as much raw cacao.
High in Magnesium
Cacao is higher in magnesium than any other plant.Magnesium is an important mineral that helps in the regulation of the digestive, neurological and cardiovascular systems.Since many people are magnesium deficient, adding magnesium-rich dark chocolate to the diet can improve overall health.
Artery Cleanup
Studies have shown that the antioxidants in cacao work like brooms in sweeping plaque out of the arteries.
Brain Health
Many studies have shown that dark chocolate is good for the brain.Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that it can protect the brain after a stroke by shielding the nerve cells from further damage.Dark chocolate has also been found to improve memory.Researchers at California’s Salk Institute found that a chemical in chocolate called epicatechin improved the memory of mice.
All sounds promising doesn’t it, but doesn’t chocolate have a lot of fat?
Here is some more good news; some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol.The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid.
·Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
·Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol.
·Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.
This means that only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you.
O.K. so before you devour as much dark chocolate that your sweetheart can buy you, beware, chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food.Most studies done used no more than 100 grams or about 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate a day to get the health benefits but there is not enough sufficient research to define how much is enough and how much is too much.
One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories.If you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else.Try cutting out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same.
Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Cheryl Alker specializes in flexibility training, facial exercises and postural alignment.Her 30 year career started as a group fitness and personal trainer, she has lectured and directed fitness training programs in both Europe and the USA and was an advisor for a Governmental health promotion program. Alker and her company Stretch Results International continues to work with a select clientele from a base in Palm Beach County, Florida, certifying health professionals in her results based stretching program, educating consumers through public speaking and offering consultation to clients who wish to lose their muscular pain and gain flexibility to achieve full and active lifestyles.Alker has just released a DVD for back pain sufferers. For more information about professional continuing education and consultation options, e:books or DVD’s please call Cheryl on 561 889 3738 or visit www.stretchresults.com.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Around Wellington. Stretch Results International, the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider
Most everyone is familiar with Chicago’s iconic skyscrapers, devilishly delicious deep dish pizza, Wrigley Field and Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile of shopping – all worthy of a visit.Sometimes though, a little exploration is in order to discover uniquely Chicago experiences.Just one weekend in the Windy City could yield unexpected art, architectural wonders, melodies under the stars and tempting eats.
Experience Architectural Grandeur
A city the size of Chicago has countless lodging options but choosing a hotel with historical significance can enhance your Chicago experience and provide some architectural surprises.The InterContinental Chicago provides a perfect home base for your explorations.In addition to its prime location as the only hotel with an entrance directly on the famed Michigan Avenue, the hotel’s history and architectural details beg exploration.
Originally built in 1929 as the Medinah Athletic Club, a luxury club for members of the Shrine organization.When the club opened it was criticized for its “wasteful extravagance.” However, in time, its eclectic mix of multicultural styles would become widely recognized as a genuine historical treasure.Unfortunately the stock market crash later that year eventually took its toll on the Medinah Athletic Club and the doors to its decadent clubhouse were closed in 1934.The building saw many owners over the next several decades and was eventually purchased by Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts in 1989 and an extensive restoration process began.Based on photographs provided by a former Medinah Athletic Club member, exact patterns and details were restored to match the original design throughout the hotel providing curious explorers the opportunity for numerous architectural discoveries.
The hotel’s Grand Ballroom is the site of some of Chicago’s most elaborate weddings and events.The ceiling of the ballroom contains 37 hand-painted murals of classical landscape scenes that were taken down and restored by Lido Lippi, the same restoration artist who consulted on the restoration of the Sistine Chapel ceiling.The ballroom has a 12,000 pound Baccarat crystal chandelier which is the largest in North America.
Go for a swim or at least take a peek at the stunning Junior Olympic
Intercontinental Chicago Pool. Photo by Jennifer Acocella.
pool on the floor directly above the Grand Ballroom in the historic tower.The pool is 25 meters long and holds 120,000 gallons of water.It was considered an engineering marvel when it was built as it was the first of its kind to be built so many floors above ground.A terra-cotta fountain of Neptune is located on the east wall of the pool area surrounded by brilliant blue Spanish Majolica tiles.The rows of theater seats are reminiscent of a bygone era when swim meets were celebrated spectator events.The pool has had many famous visitors, including Olympic gold medalist and Tarzan star, Johnny Weissmuller and Esther Williams.
Inspired by the Button Tower of the cathedral at Rouen, France, Chicago’s Tribune Tower is just one of Chicago’s many architectural gems, but what makes this tower particularly interesting is the amazing collection of stones embedded into the walls of the tower.Walk around the tower touching the walls and your hands will touch a piece ofthe Parthenon, Notre Dame Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Pearl Harbor, the Great Wall of China, the World Trade Center, the Taj Mahal, the Alamo, the Dublin General Post Office in Dublin, Ireland and many other locations from modern structures as well as historically significant locations.There is a stone from Abraham Lincoln’s original tomb and one from the United States Memorial in Mont Sec, France, where American troops won a victory on September 16, 1918.Each of the 50 states is represented as well as more than 70 nations.The building was constructed from 1923 to 1925 and the stones were embedded primarily between 1930 and 1950.They were placed in the walls as a tribute to the great builders of the past.
Experience Marilyn
Next to the Tribune Tower you cannot avoid an encounter with some
Marilyn Monroe on display in Chicago. Photo by Terri Marshall.
unexpected temporary “art” in Pioneer Court where Marilyn Monroe has joined the art landscape of Chicago.Just south of the Michigan Avenue Bridge the blonde bombshell awaits – red toenails and all.Poised in her subway grate “whatever blows your skirt up” pose from Some Like it Hot, this 26 feet tall sculpture by New Jersey based artist – Seward Johnson offers quite the photo opportunity as men (mostly) gather around the base to have their picture made beneath her billowing skirt.Boys will be boys I suppose!Like it or not, Marilyn will be in Chicago through the spring of this year.
Experience the “El”
Chicago’s elevated subway system has been moving Chicagoans around the city since 1892.The trains should be appreciated not only as a means of transportation but also for the opportunity they provide for a glimpse into the city’s diverse neighborhoods.Climb the steps in Chicago’s downtown “Loop” and hop aboard one of the lines.The trains loop around the elevated wooden tracks providing a thrill for even the slightest train enthusiast – child or adult!The Green Line is completely elevated for its 20.8 mile route and utilizes the oldest sections of the tracks dating back to 1892.If you aren’t up for taking an entire route, hop aboard the Brown Line heading north toward Ravenswood.Exit the train at Belmont and explore Lakeview – one of Chicago’s most sought after neighborhoods filled with interesting shops, numerous dining options, alternative theaters and music venues.Just a few blocks east (toward Lake Michigan) is Ann Sather’s Restaurant – a favorite local spot for breakfast with the best cinnamon rolls you will ever taste.Seriously.
Experience the Chicago Dog
When lunchtime hunger strikes, grab a Chicago Dog from one of the city’s many hot dog restaurants.Chicago-style hotdogs are steamed or water-simmered all-beef frankfurters on a poppy seed bun topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, neon-green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato wedges, pickled sport peppers and a dash of celery salt!You will not find any ketchup on these loaded-up dogs as true Chicagoans have deemed ketchup as an unacceptable topping for their dogs.Choose from the many hot dog restaurants including Fluky’s, Portillo’s, Chubby Wieners or the Wiener’s Circle in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.http://www.wienercircle.net
Experience ENO
Disappear into ENO’s inside the InterContinental Chicago where a cornucopia of wines, international and domestic cheeses and handmade chocolate truffles and bars awaits.The warm, intimate, wine cellar environment provides locals and visitors to Chicago an alternative to the typical pretentious wine bar.On the menu:wine, cheese and chocolates.What more do you need?Cheeses are served on marble slabs accompanied by dried fruit, honey and nuts.Wine pairings are chosen to boost the wine’s flavor and enhance the essence of the cheese.And the chocolate?Well, let’s just say I am officially an ENO-phile after one visit. http://www.enowinerooms.com
Experience Ravinia
If you are visiting Chicago in the summer, the Ravinia Experience is not to be missed.Since 1904, the Ravinia Festival Association has presented Chicagoans with the “sounds of summer” providing some of the world’s greatest musical acts and the perfect summer picnic experience.Gather a blanket and some candles, call ahead and order a spur-of-the- moment picnic through Ravinia’s “Picnic Box” or pack upyour own picnic of wine, cheese and chocolate (maybe from ENO’s?)The MetraRail’s Union Pacific North Line train will drop you at the front gate to Ravinia (http://metrarail.org)When you pass through the gates, grab a spot on the lawnand soak up the ambiance as evening approaches and the glow from the candles of picnickers emerges.Sit back and enjoy the sounds of music from a multitude of genres from classical music to jazz to music theater.Over the years the festival has hosted such talents as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Zappa, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Peter, Paul & Mary and Luciano Pavarotti.http://www.ravinia.org
Terri is a freelance writer with regular columns on travel, chocolate and bar reviews. She is busy each month visiting new places to bring unique travel destinations and events to you. Yes, it is a sacrifice – but she is willing to do that for her readers! You can see more of Terri’s writing at www.examiner.com where she is the National Chocolate Examiner and at www.barzz.net. You can contact Terri at terri.marshall60@gmail.com.
There’s no question that Miami Book Fair International is a dazzling example of the bountiful literary talent that exists in our world. It’s a place where authors nurture one another as well as their readers and a place where everyone can become acquainted with one another. It’s a magical experience that offers people a place to become one with the written word. This is why it was a distinct pleasure to have the versatile, infinitely creative, and much admired Lev Grossman, a senior writer, book critic and technology writer for Time Magazine and novelist presenting his fourth novel, THE MAGICIAN KING, a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the John W. Campbell Award, which is a sequel to his critically acclaimed book THE MAGICIANS, also a Times bestseller at MBFI in November 2011.
Author Lev Grossman
In THE MAGICIANS, Quentin Coldwater, a student at a secret wizard college in upstate New York, becomes obsessed with a series of books set in the magical land of Fillory. He discovers that this place is real and through a course of adventures suffers a great loss, almost dies and his friends suffer greatly. But in the end things turn around and Quentin and three of his friends become the Kings and Queens of the land.
THE MAGICIAN KING takes place two years later and we find Quentin (one of the Kings) and his friend Julia sailing to an island located in eastern Fillory where they discover a magical key that sends them back to earth and sets them on a new course where they must find a way to save this magical place.
“I wanted to write a novel that brought in some of the realities of adult life, the emotional complications, all the sex that you know is definitely going on at Hogwarts, that’s what I wanted to write about,” Grossman said during his book introduction at the fair. “But I wanted to tell the kind of story about a young person who was realizing he had powers he never knew he had as he was finding his way into a secret world that nobody else knew existed – so the book I wrote was THE MAGICIANS.”
An hour before his presentation we met and he answered a few questions about his work for us.
AroundWellington.com: Is Quentin’s journey anything at all like the journey of your life? Do you relate to him at all?
Lev Grossman, Author of “The Magician King.” Photo by Marla E. Schwartz.
Lev Grossman: He certainly started out a lot like I started out. Quentin, in high school, at the very beginning of THE MAGICIANS is a lot like I was; I had problems with depression, I was anxious, I was very into reading but I wasn’t as tall as he was and I sucked at math and he was very good in math. But in other respects, the kind of journey I ended up going on is much more like Julia’s in THE MAGICIAN KING. I spent a long time without a career, temping and trying to get things together and I had a hard time in my twenties just finding my way and I really identify with Julia in the way she feels like everyone is off doing amazing things and she felt like she was left behind somehow. It was a difficult period. It took me a long time to be a part of a network of people and it felt like it was all happening on some planet far away and I didn’t know how I was going to get there.
AW: Do you still feel that way?
LG: No. Not at all. Things have gotten so much better. If you had told me at twenty-eight how things were going to go well for me. That I’d be married with a family and I’d have a job I liked and published books I would’ve never believed it.
AW: Are you writing a trilogy?
LG: There will be a third. I mean, nobody has sent out a press release (he laughs) about it, but I’m working hard on it.
AW: Do you have a title for it yet?
LG: I don’t.
AW: When do you come up with the titles?
LG: The truth is, since you asked, the title comes almost the first thing. I’m almost superstitious about it. I’ve never changed a title of a book from that first moment. So I haven’t told anybody about it. But I do have one. The title is like a seed and everything coalesces around it. So I’m in the coalescing phase.
AW: Ah, the fun phase.
LG: Yes. And believe me, there are some phases later that you don’t want to hear about.
AW: You can tell me later, off the record.
LG: Yah.
AW: I really enjoy your work in Time Magazine very much.
LG: Thanks.
AW: You’re welcome. I really enjoyed your interviews with Jonathan Franzen and Mark Zuckerberg, for example. Most people cannot seem to figure out how to traverse both professions of being a book critic and a novelist, was that a difficult transition for you?
LG: I had always wanted to be a novelist and writing criticism was something I began to do in order to support myself while I was trying to become a novelist.
AW: And that’s a good job.
LG: Yah, I know. And that comes more easily to me than writing fiction. I found my voice as a critic much faster than I found my voice as a writer of fiction; which is odd, I guess –for most people it works the other way. Now that the fiction has finally started to get going I find myself feeling odd being a critic by day and a novelist by night.
AW: How do you find the time?
LG: It’s difficult. I’ve been taking leaves of absence from TIME more and more. THE MAGICIANS was fine. I could take as much time as I wanted to write it, which ended up being five years. But with THE MAGICIAN KING, I thought I should do this quick before everybody has completely forgotten about THE MAGICIANS. It’s getting more difficult to balance the two.
AW: Because you’re one of the preeminent book critics in the country, in fact, The New York Times called you “one of this country’s smartest and most reliable critics”, do you have difficulty reading reviews of your work? I know you’re probably been asked this many times.
LG: Not many times, actually. And I don’t know if I’ve ever answered honestly, but the truth is I have a lot of trouble with it. You would think in a way just because I’ve written a lot of book reviews that the process would sort of be demystified for me, that I wouldn’t take it so seriously because I know it’s one person’s views. But I have trouble reading reviews of my work and I sort of look at them out of the corner of my eye and skim them real quick to see if they’re good or bad.
AW: I’d think if the review is bad, it must be heart-breaking.
LG: Strangely, it’s just as hard to take when it’s good.
AW: Really?
LG: Well, it’s slightly easier to take. A person I know who lives in Australia reviewed THE MAGICIANS for the Sydney Morning Herald and sent me a copy of it and I told him that I just couldn’t read it. But he said, ‘no, no, it’s good. It’s a good review.’ But I still couldn’t read it. I still haven’t read it. It’s hard to say why this is so except for the fact that writing is so personal and on some level it’s hard for me to believe that the stuff that was so personal to me and was on my hard drive for so long time as a secret, has gone out into the world and now people can read it whenever they want.
AW: I’m curious how the germ of the idea for writing THE MAGICIANS came about for you?
LG: I took my first stab at it in 1996 and then I put it away. I’ve always been a huge fantasy fan, but – it’s hard to explain this – but my parents (Allen and Judith Grossman) are both English professors – or they were before the retired, and they didn’t like fantasy or science fiction. They like the Western canon. My dad’s a big Wordsworth and Blake scholar, Dante … we were meant to read the classics. And it’s really hard to convey this but fantasy for me was so frowned upon and so shameful so I had to really come to a reckoning with myself to accept this is the genre I love and I had to stand up and say this is my voice.
AW: How do they feel about it now?
Books by Lev Grossman at the Miami Book Fair International 2011. Photo by Marla E. Schwartz.
LG: I don’t think my dad has ever read any of my books. My mom has been very supportive.
AW: It’s interesting that you were born to parents who have a love for literature and you have a love for literature but in a different genre.
LG: It’s a funny thing. People often say how lucky for you to be born into this family that valued books so much. And I was. I am lucky and the house was full of books and that was a wonderful thing. But in a house where everybody is a reader and a writer and their voices are very loud sometimes it’s quite hard to find your own voice.
AW: Is THE MAGICIANS is going to be on television?
LG: Yes. It’s very interesting for someone from the books world watching the seers of the TV world. It’s been optioned and is in pre-production. And I almost don’t want to jinx it because so many shows start out and they don’t ever get on air, but it’s really exciting so far.
AW: Is someone else adapting the book?
LG: Yes, I’m not doing the writing. They got the guys (Ashley Miller & Zack Stentz) who wrote THOR and X-MEN: FIRST CLASS. We looked for a long time for the right people to do it. It takes a lot of work to change something that has the structure of a novel and change it into a TV show where you’re doing twenty episodes a season. (He knocks on wood.) I’m so excited about it.
AW: If people want to learn about your work, should they go to levgrossman.com?
LG: Yes. I have a blog there and I have a twitter account that’s called LEVERUS (@leverus), which is hard to explain except that it’s a joke on Severus from Harry Potter. I’m pretty active on twitter. I like it a lot. I’m on Facebook, but I sort of neglect it a bit.
AW: Thank you so much. I’m very happy to have met you.
LG: It’s been a real pleasure. I enjoyed talking to you. That was very fun.
Grossman’s work has also been published in the TIMES, the VILLAGE VOICE, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY, SALON, LINGUA FRANCA and THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. He also frequently appears as a guest on NPR. You can also read his work Wednesdays at entertainment.time.com. If you go to the link you can subscribe to his RSS feed.
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A Toledo, OH native, a graduate of Kent State, Marla E. Schwartz is a Senior Writer for Miami Living Magazine, afreelance writer forLighthouse Point Magazine and the a cultural arts columnist for AroundWellington.com. Her photographs have appeared in these publications, in many Ohio periodicals, as well as in The Miami Herald, The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel and The Palm Beach Post. She has had numerous plays published and produced around the country. Her short play, America’s Working? was produced in Los Angeles at both the First Stage and the Lone Star Ensemble theater companies, in Florida at Lynn University and at an Off-Broadway playhouse in NYC. Her piece, The Lunch Time Café, was a finalist for the Heideman Award,Actors Theatre of Louisville. Please check out the re-prints of her interviews with authors Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson and Dexter novelist Jeff Lindsay in the October 2010 issue #2 and Chris Bohjalian in the April 2011 issue #3 of Duff Brenna’sServingHouse: A Journal of Literary Arts at www.servinghousejournal.com. You can contact her at marlaschwartz@att.net.
Ok, so here’s the truth: I’m a total romantic. Now, I know you’re thinking “This kid is crazy. She’s only a teenager. How could she know anything about romance, or love? Impossible.” But I respectfully disagree.
I’m obviously nowhere near an expert on the subject. However, in honor of Valentines Day, I decided to share some of my thoughts, from a teen’s perspective, on love.
I don’t think love is age specific. My own parents met as kids, dated as young adults, said “I love you” after just one week, and have been happily married for 21 years. For me personally, I do believe I’ve been in love. Yes, I understand that most people would call me naïve, but hear me out on this one.
There’s a difference between loving someone, and wanting to be with them forever and always. Loving someone means you think about them, even when you don’t have to. It means missing them, or just missing things about them, whenever they’re not around. To me, love is when you can be having the worst day possible, and just hearing their voice turns it all around. Or when a warm hug makes you feel safe and happy and invincible. And my favorite indication is when I think about the other person right when I wake up (yes, even BEFORE I contemplate what I’ll be having for breakfast.)
But love isn’t a concrete thing. From my experience, I’ve learned that you can be fooled into thinking you love someone, when really you just love things about them. My favorite character from That 70’s Show, Michael Kelso, put it perfectly in an episode from the comedy’s fifth season. When asked if he loved Annette, he replied “Well, I love parts of her.”
As humans, we’re always trying to make connections. Almost everyone longs for companionship. But sometimes we are so eager to find someone, that we trick ourselves into believing we love them, as a whole.
Forever and always (AKA my idea of real love) is about more than just lust and good feelings and loving some of an individual’s qualities. It’s more than being impressed. Real love is about compatibility, in all aspects of life. It’s about reliability, commitment, and especially happiness.
Not that I’m committing to a “forever and always,” but for right now I’m enjoying being a blissful teenage romantic. I adore spontaneously getting a bouquet of roses and going on nighttime beach adventures and holding hands in a Publix supermarket and going on coffee dates afterschool. I know I was definitely in love with parts of a person, at one point. And I know I definitely love the guy I’m currently dating.
To me, love is really just a label for the happiness we feel after we find someone who compliments our own qualities. I’m sure I have a lot more to learn before my “soul mate” comes along. Who knows- maybe my perspective on love will change. But for the moment, this is my seventeen year old opinion on the matter.
On that note, I hope your Valentines Day is full of love – whether that’s loving parts of a person, your current companion, or a “forever and always” soul mate.
Jessica Small is a junior at Wellington High School. She is the Sports Editor of the school’s online publication, whswave.com. She is enrolled in rigorous courses at WHS and aspires to go to Emory University, following in her brother’s footsteps. She is involved in her high school dance team and is president of ThinkPinkKids.
Last month we celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. The Nobel Peace Prize winner believed in fair treatment of people from all creeds, colors, and backgrounds. He fought for human rights for everyone. This is a good time to reflect how your life was changed by this significant event in history (even if you were not yet born). Are you doing your part to keep the dream alive? What does it mean to you?
It has been almost 49 years since Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream Speech”. The speech was the climax of the civil rights movement. Even today, it still holds up to the times and is relevant as ever. It’s something that needs to be continually discussed and kept in the forefront. Humans are social creatures and interaction is an essential fundamental of society.
We live in an ever changing world. A world that is home to so many different types of people, we have to remember to respect and celebrate our differences. It’s so easy to become wrapped up in own lives that we don’t really take in the things around us and look at it for what it is. A good creed to live by is “Be the change you want to see in the world.” How can we expect others to respect and treat us well if we don’t display those same exact traits?
Afterthought:To keep others dreams and memories alive and everlasting, we must make them a part of us. We have to find the common factor that links their vision/passion with something that resonates inside of us. This allows us to explore within ourselves and make it our own. MLK is a perfect example of a person not settling for less, but exceeding his dream expectations and leaving mankind forever changed in the process. Martin Luther King, Jr. had courage and dared to dream. Do You?
We are always looking to profile people making a difference and making dreams come true for themselves and others. Please submit stories (for possible use) to stories@stateofdreams.com.
Cantankerously Yours
Valentine’s Day
Health & Fitness
A Toledo, OH native, a graduate of 
Teen Talk
