Monday, February 18, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
back home...
After a whirlwind week of traveling to and from Los Angeles and Philadelphia...it is good to be back in the Central timezone. I'm a little exhausted from the several hours spent in airports, airplanes, and taxi cabs - but it was great to go to both of these places and see some sites that I might have never thought to go see on my own. From the famed cement hand and foot prints along Hollywood Blvd. to the historical home of the Declaration of Independence...the cities of angels and brotherly love were certainly intriguing - and definitely warmer than the frigid temperatures of this windy city.
In other news, I have an interview for a position on the staff that supports the summer institute in Houston for this coming June/July. It's the school operations manager role - which means, you run all the logistics/operations for one of the schools that incoming corps members teach at during their 5 weeks of training. This is just part-time/summer job - so I would live in Houston for 6-7 weeks during the summer and then return back to my regular job. If I get it - it will be a really great experience to have within the organization...so if you have a moment to think of me at 4:30pm CST this Tuesday - I'd appreciate it!
And since I have tomorrow off for President's Day - check this out:
In other news, I have an interview for a position on the staff that supports the summer institute in Houston for this coming June/July. It's the school operations manager role - which means, you run all the logistics/operations for one of the schools that incoming corps members teach at during their 5 weeks of training. This is just part-time/summer job - so I would live in Houston for 6-7 weeks during the summer and then return back to my regular job. If I get it - it will be a really great experience to have within the organization...so if you have a moment to think of me at 4:30pm CST this Tuesday - I'd appreciate it!
And since I have tomorrow off for President's Day - check this out:
PRESIDENT’S DAY
Back in Seventeen ninety-six
Is when this Holiday began
For the birthday of ol’ George
At least that was the plan.
It was his last full year
Of his Presidency
Born February twenty-second
Or the Eleventh, ‘cause you see
The old calendar was different
Than the one we use today
And some celebrated one
Some people on the other day.
By the early Nineteenth Century
Celebrated every year
Birthnight Balls were held
Taverns reveled in good cheer.
Public figures gave their speeches
And Receptions given by a few
Then along came ol’ Abe Lincoln
His Birthday in February too.
In Eighteen and sixty-five
The year after Booth’s fatal shot
Both House’s of Congress gathered
For a Memorial and solemn thought.
Not a Federal Holiday like George’s
But legal in more than one State
And then a Resolution was enacted
Back in Nineteen sixty-eight.
They made the third Monday of the month
To make for a three day weekend
To honor Washington and Lincoln
And this story comes to it’s end.
~Del "Abe" Jones~
01-28-2005
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Sunday, February 03, 2008
getting started...
As I begin this next year of my life, I sit thinking about the last several birthdays I've celebrated with friends and family. While I didn't do much on my actual birthday besides watch KU lose in Manhattan, KS for the first time in my lifetime...I did have a wonderful birthday celebration over the past month - visits with Blair and the Reddigs; packages coming from Kansas, Ohio, and Iowa; the flowers that technically came from both the east and west coasts; and all the e-mails the phone calls wishing me a happy day. Thank you to everyone! While my family and friends don't live right down the street - I know that I'm still close with all of them and well, that's something I can always hold on to when I'm feeling lonely.
This weekend, I finally got started on my new year's resolution list. I planned that my first Chicago site would be the Chicago History Museum. It seemed like a good starting place. My plans were almost scratched due to the admission price ($14)...which seemed steep for a general museum. However, I found out that you can check-out passes at the public library - so that's just what I did! Technically, another adult and 2 children could have come along with me for free, but when the museum employee asked me, "How many are with you?" - I just said, "Oh, it's just me!" I checked my coat, took my audio tour iPod, and headed off to learned how this Windy City came to be.
This museum certainly has some great exhibits - a Lincoln gallery brought back memories of the family trip to D.C. and our tour of Ford's Theatre. The exhibits with the founding "Checaugo" and the establishment of Fort Dearborn helped me figure out that the reason for all the crazy diagonal streets was that they were old Indian trails that the city planners kept in place as the grid-system was being laid out. Learning how this 'Second City' is really second to none ibecause it is the birthplace of so many things that we often take for granted...the retail department stores like Marshal Field, Macy's, Sears, Crate and Barrel; and other companies like Schwinn bicycles and the Playboy Bunny. Sadly, one of these things that its start in Chicago is the Pill - which was not included on the audio tour. Interesting...
Learning more about the Great Fire, the Haymarket riots, Race riots - brought back a lot of Mr. Ortmann's U.S. history class discussions. I find it interesting that the two cities I've live in have dealt with such turmoil and have both burned to the ground, but rose from the ashes. Of course, my favorite area was the Jazz section - even though it was pretty small in comparison to the rest of the exhibits. And yes, there was the Chicago's sports exhibits - including a pair of Michael Jordan's shoes. I only wish there was some interactive exhibit were you leaned the 'Super Bowl Shuffle'.
Overall, a interesting visit for the historian in me. I feel that with all these outings I'll be making - I should probably have some sort of rating.
Taking time, price, accessibility, and overall enjoyment into account, on a scale of 1-5. 1 being don't waste your time and 5 being a must see in Chicago.
Chicago History Museum: 4
Until next time...
-mitzi
This weekend, I finally got started on my new year's resolution list. I planned that my first Chicago site would be the Chicago History Museum. It seemed like a good starting place. My plans were almost scratched due to the admission price ($14)...which seemed steep for a general museum. However, I found out that you can check-out passes at the public library - so that's just what I did! Technically, another adult and 2 children could have come along with me for free, but when the museum employee asked me, "How many are with you?" - I just said, "Oh, it's just me!" I checked my coat, took my audio tour iPod, and headed off to learned how this Windy City came to be.
This museum certainly has some great exhibits - a Lincoln gallery brought back memories of the family trip to D.C. and our tour of Ford's Theatre. The exhibits with the founding "Checaugo" and the establishment of Fort Dearborn helped me figure out that the reason for all the crazy diagonal streets was that they were old Indian trails that the city planners kept in place as the grid-system was being laid out. Learning how this 'Second City' is really second to none ibecause it is the birthplace of so many things that we often take for granted...the retail department stores like Marshal Field, Macy's, Sears, Crate and Barrel; and other companies like Schwinn bicycles and the Playboy Bunny. Sadly, one of these things that its start in Chicago is the Pill - which was not included on the audio tour. Interesting...
Learning more about the Great Fire, the Haymarket riots, Race riots - brought back a lot of Mr. Ortmann's U.S. history class discussions. I find it interesting that the two cities I've live in have dealt with such turmoil and have both burned to the ground, but rose from the ashes. Of course, my favorite area was the Jazz section - even though it was pretty small in comparison to the rest of the exhibits. And yes, there was the Chicago's sports exhibits - including a pair of Michael Jordan's shoes. I only wish there was some interactive exhibit were you leaned the 'Super Bowl Shuffle'.
Overall, a interesting visit for the historian in me. I feel that with all these outings I'll be making - I should probably have some sort of rating.
Taking time, price, accessibility, and overall enjoyment into account, on a scale of 1-5. 1 being don't waste your time and 5 being a must see in Chicago.
Chicago History Museum: 4
Until next time...
-mitzi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)