1. The King of Pop and Farrah Fawcett passed away. Do the passing of folks like these, for lack of a better word — celebrities, affect you? Sadden you? In 2009 are there anymore heroes anymore? Or do we as a culture destroy this with some predatory need?
2. The heat was simply impressive, and the fact that it did not break into a massive storm boggled my mind. How did the heat affect you? As we look to the future, what societal changes can we make to ensure that these extremes in temperature are something that we can protect ourselves and our family against while ensuring we have a working model for the future?
3. Have you ever corrected someone’s behavior in public?
4. We all get slighted, and we all court approval. Do you think you are less likely to speak up in correcting a slight for fear it will lessen your chance of approval later on?
5. Do you think that Wausau has a “cool kids table” like my high school cafeteria did?
6. Do you think you’re smart? Smarter than?
7. Do you like fishing? I just went fishing and caught my first fish, and I threw them back. It was pretty cool. But there were a lot of skeeters on the lake at dusk.
Cheryl Mathis
7:32 am on June 26th
1. I do not consider these people to be heroes. I reserve that for people who do heroic things. They were pop icons. They were both before my time, but I was hard pressed to feel a lot of affection for MJ, and I felt sorry that Farrah lost her battle against cancer. I know she wanted to survive, so her loss stings. MJ was a big hot mess.
2. We survived the heat by buying 3 more box fans and avoiding turning on the oven. In the future, we plan on insulating our house better and installing ceiling fans in the remaining rooms in the house that don’t have them. I refuse the comforts of AC in my home.
3. Besides my kids’ behavior? I’ve chided my husband for pulling out his blackberry in restaurants and at church, but I don’t think I’ve ever chided a stranger.
4. If it’s a matter of a misunderstanding, I’ll say something to correct it. If the other person seems to just be an ass, I just shrug it off and try to hang around the nice people.
5. I think we have several cool kids tables. Malarkeys. Red Eye. That sushi place. That thai place. City Council. The media personalities and the space surrounding them. The drama scene, backstage, after parties.
6. I’m rarely stupid, and I can hold a conversation with nearly everybody if I’m not crippled by shyness, but I don’t waste my time by comparing my “smartness” to other people. I just try to learn as much as I can.
7. I fished as a little girl with my big brother. Not really interested in it now. Wouldn’t want to touch the bait or anything I caught. I guess I’m a prissy girl now. Oh dear.
John H. Fischer
7:55 am on June 26th
1. I am a big “who cares” type person when it comes to celebrity saga’s. Hero’s do exist.. but they are simply ordinary people who find themselves in extrordinary situations. For example, Captain Sully who landed that plane on the Hudson river this winter with both engines out. A person “just doing his job”…. but doing it in an extrodinary way.
2. I have mentioned before that my normal body temperature is actually over 100.. which means that I am a big fan of winter and you will seldom here me complain about cold weather. The down side is that I don’t handle heat well at all. The afternoon the last few days the A/C has been unable to keep up and my office has been pushing 85 if not more… and my brain litterally shuts down, if find it hard to breath, I get sick to my stomache, it is difficult to function… I had to find excuses to go someplace in the car (check out a property, buy office supplies) just so I could use the car’s A/C to “re-charge” myself.
3. As a seargent in the military, it was part of the job.
4. I have never really cared how much I was liked, so seeking approval really not high on my list. My career paths indicate a move toward professions where it is pretty common not be liked (landlord now, intelligence in a previous life). However, I do know that people in power who can have an impact on my job and industry sometimes will hold grudges. I don’t necessarily seek their approval, but I may hold my tounge from time to time to avoid disapproval.
5. I assume a cool kids table exists.. however as I am not one of them, I don’t worry about such things.
6. Am I smart.. or am I intelligent? My IQ consistantly tests in the 170’s which makes me intelligent, but I don’t think it makes me smart. My experience in the world and how I learn from that experience in the “School of Hard Knocks” is where smartness comes from. Verse 1 of the Gospel According to John (my personal rules of life) is “people who think they know everything are annoying to people who do”. Since it is one of my rules, I make an effort to follow. I don’t profess to be an expert if I am not.. on the other hand I have no problem tooting the expert horn if I feel I am one of the best.
7. I fished a great deal when I was young.. but don’t think I have been for 25 years or more. Just not my thing any more. My favorite fishing memories were from my youth fishing with my great grandfather. He could never understand people’s fascination with expensive tackles and lures. His favorite lure for catching northern would be to simply tie a piece of red yarn to the hook. And it worked for him.. it worked very well.
deepintheheart
1:21 pm on June 26th
1) I don’t really follow celebrity what-nots, but when they die I guess it reminds us of our own mortality. As far as heroes go, I don’t really have any original thought.
2) I have been in 102 and 103 with 80% humidity for the last few days. It does not really mean anything to me other than it is hot. My plan–working model–for the future is to stay in the shade. I think that is a sustainable and manageable plan for everyone who forgets that summer is supposed to be hot.
3)Yes, and it usually devolves into shouting obscenities and threats of violence. Parking lots are good for this sort of thing. Oddly enough, I do not recall anyone seeking to correct my behaviors in public. I tend to stick to the civilized parts of the world.
4) If I feel slighted I tend to turn my back and look to other horizons. Sometimes I deem the injurious action to be more than a mere slight and seek immediate correction. Getting approval is fine, but it has never commanded a position in the Top 10 Things To Do Before I Die list.
5) Scenesters, hipsters, or just mere dip sh*ts?
6) Never had a problem thinking I am the smartest guy in the room. Smart enough to know I am not the smartest guy in the room.
7) I suppose I like fishing. Last fishing experience was in the Boundary Waters on a ten-day, rain-soaked, canoe-paddled man trip. It was wonderful, drunken, excess. 10 lb. lake trout.
Rob Mentzer
1:18 pm on June 27th
1. Celebrity deaths are important because they are part of cultural life. I certainly felt a connection to Michael Jackson’s music, and have a lot of memories of watching his videos with friends growing up. Great artist. It has been a really great experience watching a bunch of old videos these past few days and hearing all the reactions from famous people and friends.
4. I think I do not often speak up about a slight, not out of fear but because I do not to be seen caring about being slighted. Better to pretend to be above noticing, you know?
7. I have never really fished. It doesn’t seem like something I’d like. Though I believe I would enjoy being on a boat.
swearingen
5:56 pm on June 27th
1. Passing of pop culture icons and TV/movie stars…other than the initial surprise of “Oh, (fill in the blank” died,” these don’t effect me or interest me much unless I had an interest in or connection to the person. It is sad when anyone loses a battle with a life-threatening illness or dies prematurely or tragically, regardless of their status or influence. Yes, there are still heroes in 2009, but they are everyday people doing extraordinary things (moon walking and grabbing your crotch on stage, while interesting, do not make one a hero).
2. “It’s not the heat, it’s the stupidity.” It was treated similarly to a snow day. Stay inside and enjoy getting “inside things” done.
3. Last person I corrected in public was a sloppy drunk at Big Top Chautauqua. Not a fan of drunks of any sort, but am usually able to ignore and/or reposition myself. I like to have fun, like the next guy (or gal), but “Sloppy” was seated next to me and attempting to put his arm around me, “woo” me, fondle me (much to his spousal unit’s display…and mine). “Sloppy” came close to getting his clock cleaned by a male friend in my party.
4.In the end, all that really matters to me is can I live with myself, my decisons, my conscience? Am I right with my maker? All other approval is irrelevent (though I used to care about such things).
5. Surprise: the cool kids’ table isn’t. I’d much prefer sitting with those who live life in the margins.
6. I am “educated” about some things, well-schooled in the school of hard knocks about a few others (emotionally and spiritually), and dumb as a box of rocks about many practical life applications (re: anything with moving parts or a cord coming out of it). Some of it may be fear of looking stupid and/or fear of failure.
7. I do like fishing, though haven’t been for many years. My favorite M.O.: cane pole and a bobber.
Sherry L. de Alvarez
2:06 pm on June 28th
1. As I write, I am inside Honduras, where a military coup has just taken place. The fact that millions of people remain fixated on the death of an over-indulged pop star literally makes my stomach turn. (Top TWO world news stories on CNN this morning: Michael Jackson…) Any death is, of course, sad for those directly involved…family and friends, and we should pray that their sorrow will be lifted, but for an entire nation, or, as CNN put it, “the world” to mourn such an event for days on end is ridiculous. Where is the mourning for the people who are actually suffering real life crises right now? Perhaps if people put their hearts, minds, and hands into caring about real issues, there wouldn’t be quite so many to have to worry about.
2. Heat? I think this is another perceived problem in the developed/westernized world. I understand that this particular heat wave in the Midwest came on strong, and temps moved from one end of the thermometer to another in a short time. But, I do question whether a society that tries to control everything, including its continual ambient temperature is out of touch with reality. Perhaps if one were not going from one super air conditioned structure to another constantly, one would be less likely to feel affected by the actual outside temperature. Again, millions of people in the world live in such heat day in and day out, don’t have a/c to save them, and function just fine. Adapt people. And am I mistaken in believing that the use of air conditioning (aka more electricity) actually contributes the degradation of the environment?
http://www.alternet.org/environment/37882
Dino Corvino
10:17 pm on June 28th
I am a little freaked that no one commented on Tony Burton.
Barry Liss
7:55 am on June 30th
1. There are heroes in all directions…always…Cheryl’s right – it’s a mistake to confound celebrity with heroism…
2. I was in St. Louis for the media ecology conference and it was 98 degrees with high humidity…I walked into the sea of poverty stricken prawl and the heat burst into rain – for little care I the cautions of the sedentaries who shudder ‘don’t walk here alone – it is unsafe’ – because it is unsafe I must needs see with mine own eyes…
3. Often enough…technology breeds barbarism and savagery…and most of all cowardice…
4. On the contrary, seems like we court disapproval…
5. Hierarchies are everpresent…
6. See no 5…it’s only that for which you barter yourself that signifies…
7. No, nor do I enjoy catching dragon flys, or eating them in a saute sauce…
Jim Rosenberg
2:06 pm on June 30th
“…I walked into the sea of poverty stricken prawl and the heat burst into rain – for little care I the cautions of the sedentaries who shudder ‘don’t walk here alone – it is unsafe’ – because it is unsafe I must needs see with mine own eyes…”
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Nice! :)