Found this site earlier, and found it very amusing.
I took the quiz and scored 85% correct, which meant I guessed correctly on 17 out of 20 pairings.
So, how is YOUR gaydar?
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Another Curious Coincidence
I went to see a matinee of The Forgotten, starring Julianne Moore and Gary Sinise and Alfre Woodward at my favorite matinee theatre in Hudson. As usual, I had a private screening. I hope they get a lot of business in the evenings, because I like going there in the afternoons, and I am quite frequently the only patron in the place.
Anyway, I liked this movie. After seeing it, I came home and read a lot of reviews. Most of them were of the negative variety. And while I agree that the film doesn't really answer the questions it raises (such as why these things are happening) I find that life itself rarely gives answers either. I thought the concept and the acting were quite good, and perhaps this is more of a foreign film - Americans like their films all wrapped up nice and tight...we don't seem to like having to think or really discuss art.
And I did like the ending...I guess I am a sucker for determination winning out in the end. I liked seeing a happy ending. God, does that make me an optimist?
Oh, about the coincidence...when I woke up this morning, I found that great Virginia Woolf quote...then I went to the movie, which I wasn't planning on, and Julianne Moore was in The Hours, which was about (more or less) Virginia Woolf...It isn't like Virginia Woolf crosses my path every day...
Anyway, I liked this movie. After seeing it, I came home and read a lot of reviews. Most of them were of the negative variety. And while I agree that the film doesn't really answer the questions it raises (such as why these things are happening) I find that life itself rarely gives answers either. I thought the concept and the acting were quite good, and perhaps this is more of a foreign film - Americans like their films all wrapped up nice and tight...we don't seem to like having to think or really discuss art.
And I did like the ending...I guess I am a sucker for determination winning out in the end. I liked seeing a happy ending. God, does that make me an optimist?
Oh, about the coincidence...when I woke up this morning, I found that great Virginia Woolf quote...then I went to the movie, which I wasn't planning on, and Julianne Moore was in The Hours, which was about (more or less) Virginia Woolf...It isn't like Virginia Woolf crosses my path every day...
Wisdom From Virginia Woolf
The only thing in the world is music-- music and books and one or two pictures.
--Virginia Woolf
--Virginia Woolf
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
New Music Tuesday
Well, I had every intention of getting QUEEN LATIFAH's new CD, The Dana Owens Album, when it was released today.
From the opening notes of Track 1, I can assure you all that this is the must-have CD of 2004. While only having time to give it a rather rudimentary perusal, this CD is destined to be one of my favorites of all time. If you are familiar with her tracks from the soundtrack to Living Out Loud, and, like me, yearned for more tunes ala Going Out Of My Head , Be Anything and Lush Life, the wait is over.
The CD is mostly soul, R&B and jazz covers, with a few ballads, and a great cover of California Dreamin' with nice guitar work. Go get this CD.
While I was picking up the Queen, I saw that JOSS STONE's new CD, Mind, Body & Soul also came out today, and it was on sale for $9.98.
Again, only time for a cursory listen, but it is also a highly recommended listen. Her first CD (EP really), Soul Sessions blew me away. I really am amazed by her voice - but I must admit to being a bit freaked out by the fact that not only is she a mere child of 16, but she is also British. To consider these facts while listening to her sing makes my head hurt. It is improbable at best. To me, I hear a soulful refined Joplinesque quality in her singing - a lot of living and feeling - and then I remind myself that she is a blond, 16 year old Brit. Amazing.
From the opening notes of Track 1, I can assure you all that this is the must-have CD of 2004. While only having time to give it a rather rudimentary perusal, this CD is destined to be one of my favorites of all time. If you are familiar with her tracks from the soundtrack to Living Out Loud, and, like me, yearned for more tunes ala Going Out Of My Head , Be Anything and Lush Life, the wait is over.
The CD is mostly soul, R&B and jazz covers, with a few ballads, and a great cover of California Dreamin' with nice guitar work. Go get this CD.
While I was picking up the Queen, I saw that JOSS STONE's new CD, Mind, Body & Soul also came out today, and it was on sale for $9.98.
Again, only time for a cursory listen, but it is also a highly recommended listen. Her first CD (EP really), Soul Sessions blew me away. I really am amazed by her voice - but I must admit to being a bit freaked out by the fact that not only is she a mere child of 16, but she is also British. To consider these facts while listening to her sing makes my head hurt. It is improbable at best. To me, I hear a soulful refined Joplinesque quality in her singing - a lot of living and feeling - and then I remind myself that she is a blond, 16 year old Brit. Amazing.
Monday, September 27, 2004
Time and Love
At long last, today is the day I celebrate owning my own copy of the CD, Laura Nyro: Live at the Bottom Line 1988!
I received it from an EBAY seller in California, after several years of waiting for a copy in excellent condition that one could purchase for less than $35. To make the waiting even more excruciating, I had borrowed a copy of the CD via inter-library loan from the New York Public Library...but the disc was so damaged it could not be copied, and barely played. Imagine my joy at a shiny, scratch-free disc!
Laura's live performances of Wedding Bell Blues, Stoned Soul Picnic and a "new" song, Companion are three of my favorite tracks of all the Nyro oeuvre.
I highly recommend giving this CD a listen. Delightful.
Time and Love refers to a Nyro tune, of course. To round off my day, I purchased four Fossil watches. I have no idea what came over me. I intended to buy one, but....there was a sale....and, well...I have a nice square sack of Fossil tins now. One is a gift, so three is slightly less self-indulgent, and with my current watch family of two, I think the five of us won't be seeing any additions at any point in the next decade or so. If you haven't checked out the majorly cool watchbands on the newest Fossil watches, I suggest you do so. But be forewarned, they appear to be surprisingly addictive...
Sadly, I visited the Fossil website, and found another "must-have"...I warned you about their addictive quality...
I received it from an EBAY seller in California, after several years of waiting for a copy in excellent condition that one could purchase for less than $35. To make the waiting even more excruciating, I had borrowed a copy of the CD via inter-library loan from the New York Public Library...but the disc was so damaged it could not be copied, and barely played. Imagine my joy at a shiny, scratch-free disc!
Laura's live performances of Wedding Bell Blues, Stoned Soul Picnic and a "new" song, Companion are three of my favorite tracks of all the Nyro oeuvre.
I highly recommend giving this CD a listen. Delightful.
Time and Love refers to a Nyro tune, of course. To round off my day, I purchased four Fossil watches. I have no idea what came over me. I intended to buy one, but....there was a sale....and, well...I have a nice square sack of Fossil tins now. One is a gift, so three is slightly less self-indulgent, and with my current watch family of two, I think the five of us won't be seeing any additions at any point in the next decade or so. If you haven't checked out the majorly cool watchbands on the newest Fossil watches, I suggest you do so. But be forewarned, they appear to be surprisingly addictive...
Sadly, I visited the Fossil website, and found another "must-have"...I warned you about their addictive quality...
Sunday, September 26, 2004
An Odd Coincidence - A Book Review
My best friend just took a fancy job at Stanford University in California, so while she and her husband are out there looking for a place to call home, I am house-sitting their soon-to-be sold home for them.
I settled in for a bit of reading, with a book I found at my new favorite bookstore, Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Legacy Village (Cleveland).The book is: River of Shadows -Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West by Rebecca Solnit (ISBN 0142004103).
Muybridge was the "father" of instantaneous motion photography. Solnit posits that he is also the father of cinema, and by a complicated, albeit fascinating chain of events, she argues that he is the father of the whole "modern" world that we live in, and the manner in which we perceive it. The book is a wonderful history of early western exploration, photography, cinema, Native American relations, and the effects of the railroad not only on opening up the country, but the effect it had on time, and on man's perception of time.
These are all topics I find intriguing in and of themselves, and it takes place in my favorite time period...but one of the major characters in this tale is LELAND STANFORD. This book is also a history of Stanford University, and California history! Very strange how life will lead you to connections like these...
And by the way...if you think of Muybridge as just a "motion photographer", (if you think of him at all) there is a world waiting to be discovered! Not only was he a gifted landscape and panoramic photographer - he was also a murderer! Ah, those wacky, crazy days of yore...
I settled in for a bit of reading, with a book I found at my new favorite bookstore, Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Legacy Village (Cleveland).The book is: River of Shadows -Eadweard Muybridge and the Technological Wild West by Rebecca Solnit (ISBN 0142004103).
Muybridge was the "father" of instantaneous motion photography. Solnit posits that he is also the father of cinema, and by a complicated, albeit fascinating chain of events, she argues that he is the father of the whole "modern" world that we live in, and the manner in which we perceive it. The book is a wonderful history of early western exploration, photography, cinema, Native American relations, and the effects of the railroad not only on opening up the country, but the effect it had on time, and on man's perception of time.
These are all topics I find intriguing in and of themselves, and it takes place in my favorite time period...but one of the major characters in this tale is LELAND STANFORD. This book is also a history of Stanford University, and California history! Very strange how life will lead you to connections like these...
And by the way...if you think of Muybridge as just a "motion photographer", (if you think of him at all) there is a world waiting to be discovered! Not only was he a gifted landscape and panoramic photographer - he was also a murderer! Ah, those wacky, crazy days of yore...
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Restaurant Review - SERGIO's
I had a lovely lunch on this chilly and rainy, kinda Pacific Northwest day with my pal, Heather, at Sergio's, my new favorite restaurant in University Circle.
It advertises that it specializes in South American (Argentinean) cuisine, yet I am still not entirely sure what that means. Last time I was here (two weeks ago exactly), we were able to sit outside on their lovely patio. I must point out that the charming facade of the restaurant as well as its name does indeed lead one to think that it is an Italian eatery. But those kinds of identity dichotomies intrigue me - I suppose because I can relate to them so well.
The other great thing about the location of Sergio's (besides being in walking distance of the Botanical Gardens, the Cleveland Art Museum and the Cleveland Cinematheque), is that the Frank Gehry-designed Peter B. Lewis building of Case Western Reserve is across the street, and that is one cool building. Just trying to figure out how they managed to get the walls and windows to curve kept me entertained for the walk back to my car.
Okay, back to the review. The ambiance, the setting, the staff (I had the same waitress who did remember me and what I had ordered two weeks ago, including the type of wine I had, which impressed me perhaps more than it should have) and the food are all outstanding, and the prices are certainly reasonable.
I can highly recommend the orecchiette pasta, which is served with caramelized onions, chicken and spinach in a lovely wine sauce. And whatever you do, you must have the French press pot of Brazilian coffee after your meal. For me, that has become the sole reason for going there. But I must say for the record that Heather is an excellent dining companion, and the conversation was stimulating - even if I am filled with envy that she is leaving tomorrow for a much-deserved trip to the Toronto Film Festival. I am making a cyber-note to go next year!
Sergio's 1903 Ford Drive Cleveland, OH 44106 216-231-1234 (nice number!)
It advertises that it specializes in South American (Argentinean) cuisine, yet I am still not entirely sure what that means. Last time I was here (two weeks ago exactly), we were able to sit outside on their lovely patio. I must point out that the charming facade of the restaurant as well as its name does indeed lead one to think that it is an Italian eatery. But those kinds of identity dichotomies intrigue me - I suppose because I can relate to them so well.
The other great thing about the location of Sergio's (besides being in walking distance of the Botanical Gardens, the Cleveland Art Museum and the Cleveland Cinematheque), is that the Frank Gehry-designed Peter B. Lewis building of Case Western Reserve is across the street, and that is one cool building. Just trying to figure out how they managed to get the walls and windows to curve kept me entertained for the walk back to my car.
Okay, back to the review. The ambiance, the setting, the staff (I had the same waitress who did remember me and what I had ordered two weeks ago, including the type of wine I had, which impressed me perhaps more than it should have) and the food are all outstanding, and the prices are certainly reasonable.
I can highly recommend the orecchiette pasta, which is served with caramelized onions, chicken and spinach in a lovely wine sauce. And whatever you do, you must have the French press pot of Brazilian coffee after your meal. For me, that has become the sole reason for going there. But I must say for the record that Heather is an excellent dining companion, and the conversation was stimulating - even if I am filled with envy that she is leaving tomorrow for a much-deserved trip to the Toronto Film Festival. I am making a cyber-note to go next year!
Sergio's 1903 Ford Drive Cleveland, OH 44106 216-231-1234 (nice number!)
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
New Music Tuesday
PATRICIA BARBER: Live - A Fortnight in France
Oh, how I do adore Ms. Barber. And how excited I was to get this CD in my hands.
Ms. Barber kindly posted the CD on her website a few days ago, so I had heard and fallen madly in love with this performance, which I was already predisposed to adore, as I am inordinately fond of live albums.
I was most taken aback by Witchcraft which sounds like the opening act for Sinatra at the Sands...I have never heard her play in this manner before, and it is a great tune.
Other favorites are Gotcha , Dansons La Gigue! Call Me (not the Blondie tune) and Laura.
Oh, how I do adore Ms. Barber. And how excited I was to get this CD in my hands.
Ms. Barber kindly posted the CD on her website a few days ago, so I had heard and fallen madly in love with this performance, which I was already predisposed to adore, as I am inordinately fond of live albums.
I was most taken aback by Witchcraft which sounds like the opening act for Sinatra at the Sands...I have never heard her play in this manner before, and it is a great tune.
Other favorites are Gotcha , Dansons La Gigue! Call Me (not the Blondie tune) and Laura.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Reunited With a Old Friend
I've been having a huge urge to get outside and do some shooting (photography, not guns).
Today I got up early and grabbed by gear - my old friend, the Nikon N70. With a roll of color and roll of black and white film, and a fresh battery, and the obligatory stop at Starbuck's, I was off for my photography adventure.
I went to Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland Heights. It is well-known for its Victorian angels, which is one of my favorite subjects for photography. A few very famous folks are resting there, including President Garfield, Eliot Ness (The Untouchables) and Mr. John D. Rockefeller. I think because of these high profile and wealthy residents, the enormous, unending grounds of the cemetery are in meticulous upkeep. Which means that though there are indeed many, many statues in the cemetery, they are almost, without exception, in perfect condition. No missing limbs, decay or untimely decapitations to be found here.
I think that the most dramatic photos from this shoot came from two bronze statues that have excessive patina stains that look like either tears, or a very abstract Cirque du Soleil performer's make-up. Once I figure out the photo posting thing, I will share my findings with you.
My trip was over very quickly, even with two rolls of film, as I dedicated practically the entire B&W roll to one statue. This means a return trip is called for...and there is so much more cemetery to explore...
Today I got up early and grabbed by gear - my old friend, the Nikon N70. With a roll of color and roll of black and white film, and a fresh battery, and the obligatory stop at Starbuck's, I was off for my photography adventure.
I went to Lakeview Cemetery in Cleveland Heights. It is well-known for its Victorian angels, which is one of my favorite subjects for photography. A few very famous folks are resting there, including President Garfield, Eliot Ness (The Untouchables) and Mr. John D. Rockefeller. I think because of these high profile and wealthy residents, the enormous, unending grounds of the cemetery are in meticulous upkeep. Which means that though there are indeed many, many statues in the cemetery, they are almost, without exception, in perfect condition. No missing limbs, decay or untimely decapitations to be found here.
I think that the most dramatic photos from this shoot came from two bronze statues that have excessive patina stains that look like either tears, or a very abstract Cirque du Soleil performer's make-up. Once I figure out the photo posting thing, I will share my findings with you.
My trip was over very quickly, even with two rolls of film, as I dedicated practically the entire B&W roll to one statue. This means a return trip is called for...and there is so much more cemetery to explore...
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Captain Saint Lucifer - The Lyrics
Just in case you were curious about the title of this blog of mine, I have taken it from one of Ms Nyro's songs...Here are the lyrics...
mama mama
you're a whiz and a scholar too
mama open up the room lock
sip sip
I'm going to the moon dock
he gives to me
buckles off shingles
off a cockleshell on norway basin
coke and tuna
boots and roses from russia
now I'll live and die and rise
with my captain
mama say go
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
now don't you know I love you
meet me captain saint lucifer
la la la la la la la la
oo I love you
love you I do
mama mama you're a whiz and a scholar too
mama I'm at anchor in your glow now
sip sip
even as I go now
he gives to me
buckles off shingles
and a jangle from a congo love chase
early bloomers made of earth and love lace
now I'll live and die and rise
with my captain
mama be happy
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
gutters in stacks
is where I come from
buckles off a poverty drum
oh my love trumpet soul
tell gabriel
to tell the captain
thank you baby
you're my baby now
mama mama
you're a whiz and a scholar too
mama open up the room lock
sip sip
I'm going to the moon dock
he gives to me
buckles off shingles
off a cockleshell on norway basin
coke and tuna
boots and roses from russia
now I'll live and die and rise
with my captain
mama say go
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
now don't you know I love you
meet me captain saint lucifer
la la la la la la la la
oo I love you
love you I do
mama mama you're a whiz and a scholar too
mama I'm at anchor in your glow now
sip sip
even as I go now
he gives to me
buckles off shingles
and a jangle from a congo love chase
early bloomers made of earth and love lace
now I'll live and die and rise
with my captain
mama be happy
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
meet me captain saint lucifer
darlin' I'll be there
don't you know
gutters in stacks
is where I come from
buckles off a poverty drum
oh my love trumpet soul
tell gabriel
to tell the captain
thank you baby
you're my baby now
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Sean's Cultural Tour of Ohio - Day 5
I felt very bad about getting Sean up so early on her last day, but we were expected at Stan Hywet at 7:30 am.
Stan Hywet is an enormous Tudor Revival estate that was built by the Seiberling's, the founders of Goodyear Tire and Rubber (Akron was the rubber manufacturing capitol of the world, and it is still the location of the hangar for the Spirit of Goodyear Blimp). Sean and I were going on an early morning walk of the grounds, a private event they host occasionally, before the estate is open to the public for tours at 9 am. It was a rather chilly, overcast, gray day, and it looked like the sky was thinking over whether or not it should rain on us now or later.
But, the house and the grounds are lovely. I especially like the secluded English garden with its reflecting pool, and the vista from the lookout of the back patio. Sean thought the view must be amazing in the fall and winter, because the amazing amount of deciduous trees that the house looked out over. I promised to come back and take a photo for her. One of my other favorite areas was the birch allee, a long "hall" lined on either side with birch trees. This allee culminates at two tea houses, which overlook a man-made lagoon.
We were also allowed to go down into the Japanese garden, which is not part of the regular walk, but time has not been kind to this Japanese garden. The plants have gone wild, and are out of size, and to compensate they had introduced (temporarily, thank goodness) an odd assortment of tropical foliage, that is certainly not Japanese. I am hopeful that this garden too, will be restored, as funds permit.
After the walk, we went back to the carriage house where we were served coffee and bagels. And, joy of joys, there was a penny squishing machine in the gift shop! Sean found a little stuffed William Shakespeare Christmas ornament that she thought I should have, and I agreed. I pointed out to her how clever I had been to start her visit with Shakespeare and to end it in a Tudor mansion. Nothing like closure.
Stan Hywet is an enormous Tudor Revival estate that was built by the Seiberling's, the founders of Goodyear Tire and Rubber (Akron was the rubber manufacturing capitol of the world, and it is still the location of the hangar for the Spirit of Goodyear Blimp). Sean and I were going on an early morning walk of the grounds, a private event they host occasionally, before the estate is open to the public for tours at 9 am. It was a rather chilly, overcast, gray day, and it looked like the sky was thinking over whether or not it should rain on us now or later.
But, the house and the grounds are lovely. I especially like the secluded English garden with its reflecting pool, and the vista from the lookout of the back patio. Sean thought the view must be amazing in the fall and winter, because the amazing amount of deciduous trees that the house looked out over. I promised to come back and take a photo for her. One of my other favorite areas was the birch allee, a long "hall" lined on either side with birch trees. This allee culminates at two tea houses, which overlook a man-made lagoon.
We were also allowed to go down into the Japanese garden, which is not part of the regular walk, but time has not been kind to this Japanese garden. The plants have gone wild, and are out of size, and to compensate they had introduced (temporarily, thank goodness) an odd assortment of tropical foliage, that is certainly not Japanese. I am hopeful that this garden too, will be restored, as funds permit.
After the walk, we went back to the carriage house where we were served coffee and bagels. And, joy of joys, there was a penny squishing machine in the gift shop! Sean found a little stuffed William Shakespeare Christmas ornament that she thought I should have, and I agreed. I pointed out to her how clever I had been to start her visit with Shakespeare and to end it in a Tudor mansion. Nothing like closure.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Sean's Cultural Tour of Ohio - Day 4
We knew today was going to be a full one! We got an early start and headed up to Cleveland to the Cleveland Museum of Art. There were no big exhibits to see, which was fine with me, because I really wanted to spend time showing Sean the museum itself.
There were two small exhibits drawn from the permanent collection that I was particularly interested in though - Nature Sublime, which was a gathering of landscapes from the 19th century. My favorite work was the unexpected inclusion of a Munch woodcut masterpiece, Melancholy (Evening) 1896 , which Sean and I shared a moment of silence in front of to honor its missing brethen. We were considering a sit-in until the stolen two works were returned, but thought better of it.
The other exhibit was Trophies of the Hunt: Capturing Nature as Art. Many of these images were photographs of dead or dismembered animals, and in the case of a Joel-Peter Witkin photo, a dead baby that had been autopsied. Sean was disturbed by this exhibit. Not fond of it at all. For myself, I was very taken with Barbara Bosworth's black and white picture of a jar of fireflies. It was magnificent.
Anyway, we had a great time, and Sean was impressed with the size of the museum and the collections there. Our only complaint was that we both neglected to bring a sweater or a jacket and we were freezing inside - outside, of course it was sweltering.
Sean said she had not seen an El Greco before in person, and the museum has two on display What is amazing about El Greco's Christ on the Cross, which is not apparent in the picture, is the vivid, numerous drops and splashes of blood falling down from the cross. Very modern, unsettling and disturbing.
We spent a lot of time in the Dutch rooms. The manner in which those painters captured light is phenomenal! We also visited the new prize of the museum, the bronzestatue of the Apollo Sauroktonos attributed to Praxiteles. A patron was mesmerized by this statue, and I was mesmerized because he was shooting with a CONTAX G1, my prized rangefinder camera from my Seattle days. I commended his good taste in equipment.
We decided to go to Sergio's for lunch (see review in September posts). It was a tremendously wonderful meal. Nothing beats sitting outside on a beautiful day with excellent food and wine and company. And the Brazilian presspot coffee...one of my favorite things in the world!
Walking back to the museum, as we had spent four hours there already but had to see the Asian and South American art, we passed the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and Sean really wanted to see them. Never having been there, it sounded like an excellent adventure.
The gardens feature a glass house, which houses two disparate ecosystems, the spiny desert of Madagascar and a cloud forest from Costa Rica. After watching the introductory films, Sean and I had the phrase "spiny desert" stuck in our heads. The narrator had an odd English accent, and every time she repeated that phrase, we just had to mimic her.
Anyway, the desert was very, very spiny indeed. Everything had protective thorns. And big ones at that. We also were visited by a tortoise.
The cloudforest was great because it was home to 20 species of free-flying butterflies. After walking under a waterfall, we ascended 25 feet up to the top of a Strangler Fig tree, and looked down upon the canopy of the forest. Orchids were in bloom everywhere. There was also a telescope that you could use to watch an army of leaf cutter ants at work. That was really amazing. Sean was effervescent with ideas to use in the classroom from this experience.
We went outside where they have a wonderful water garden of lotus, waterlily and other water plants, then walked about through the woodland garden and the Japanese Gan Ryuu Tei garden (Dry Rock Stream), which was beautiful.
Sean liked the Western Reserve Herb Society Garden most of all, enjoying the aromas from all of the plants.
We then left and attempted the final two rooms of the museum, but we both discovered we were suffering from visual stimulus overload and we simply couldn't look at anything anymore.
Happily, it was time to stop in at Bossa Nova, a lounge in Woodmere that was offering complimentary massages and manicures, and $3 cosmopolitans. We settled in and had a few drinks - I had a massage and Sean had the manicure.
Thus relaxed, we headed home to watch one of my favorite films, Croupier. Sean had seen part of it and wanted to see the end, and was thrilled to find it in my cabinet.
A little snack of left-over potstickers, a fine film...a great end to a long but wonderful day.
There were two small exhibits drawn from the permanent collection that I was particularly interested in though - Nature Sublime, which was a gathering of landscapes from the 19th century. My favorite work was the unexpected inclusion of a Munch woodcut masterpiece, Melancholy (Evening) 1896 , which Sean and I shared a moment of silence in front of to honor its missing brethen. We were considering a sit-in until the stolen two works were returned, but thought better of it.
The other exhibit was Trophies of the Hunt: Capturing Nature as Art. Many of these images were photographs of dead or dismembered animals, and in the case of a Joel-Peter Witkin photo, a dead baby that had been autopsied. Sean was disturbed by this exhibit. Not fond of it at all. For myself, I was very taken with Barbara Bosworth's black and white picture of a jar of fireflies. It was magnificent.
Anyway, we had a great time, and Sean was impressed with the size of the museum and the collections there. Our only complaint was that we both neglected to bring a sweater or a jacket and we were freezing inside - outside, of course it was sweltering.
Sean said she had not seen an El Greco before in person, and the museum has two on display What is amazing about El Greco's Christ on the Cross, which is not apparent in the picture, is the vivid, numerous drops and splashes of blood falling down from the cross. Very modern, unsettling and disturbing.
We spent a lot of time in the Dutch rooms. The manner in which those painters captured light is phenomenal! We also visited the new prize of the museum, the bronzestatue of the Apollo Sauroktonos attributed to Praxiteles. A patron was mesmerized by this statue, and I was mesmerized because he was shooting with a CONTAX G1, my prized rangefinder camera from my Seattle days. I commended his good taste in equipment.
We decided to go to Sergio's for lunch (see review in September posts). It was a tremendously wonderful meal. Nothing beats sitting outside on a beautiful day with excellent food and wine and company. And the Brazilian presspot coffee...one of my favorite things in the world!
Walking back to the museum, as we had spent four hours there already but had to see the Asian and South American art, we passed the Cleveland Botanical Gardens, and Sean really wanted to see them. Never having been there, it sounded like an excellent adventure.
The gardens feature a glass house, which houses two disparate ecosystems, the spiny desert of Madagascar and a cloud forest from Costa Rica. After watching the introductory films, Sean and I had the phrase "spiny desert" stuck in our heads. The narrator had an odd English accent, and every time she repeated that phrase, we just had to mimic her.
Anyway, the desert was very, very spiny indeed. Everything had protective thorns. And big ones at that. We also were visited by a tortoise.
The cloudforest was great because it was home to 20 species of free-flying butterflies. After walking under a waterfall, we ascended 25 feet up to the top of a Strangler Fig tree, and looked down upon the canopy of the forest. Orchids were in bloom everywhere. There was also a telescope that you could use to watch an army of leaf cutter ants at work. That was really amazing. Sean was effervescent with ideas to use in the classroom from this experience.
We went outside where they have a wonderful water garden of lotus, waterlily and other water plants, then walked about through the woodland garden and the Japanese Gan Ryuu Tei garden (Dry Rock Stream), which was beautiful.
Sean liked the Western Reserve Herb Society Garden most of all, enjoying the aromas from all of the plants.
We then left and attempted the final two rooms of the museum, but we both discovered we were suffering from visual stimulus overload and we simply couldn't look at anything anymore.
Happily, it was time to stop in at Bossa Nova, a lounge in Woodmere that was offering complimentary massages and manicures, and $3 cosmopolitans. We settled in and had a few drinks - I had a massage and Sean had the manicure.
Thus relaxed, we headed home to watch one of my favorite films, Croupier. Sean had seen part of it and wanted to see the end, and was thrilled to find it in my cabinet.
A little snack of left-over potstickers, a fine film...a great end to a long but wonderful day.
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Sean's Cultural Tour of Ohio - Day 3
This morning I got up and made my infamous smoothie concoction, based on my favorite smoothie from Bibo's, a Portland crepe and smoothie cafe.
That was just to tide us over until we could get to Kent, where we had breakfast at Wild Goats, mainly because I am fond of their potato pancakes, and it was on the way to our destination of the day. Sean was developing breakfast fatigue, as this was the third day in a row that she had an official Midwest breakfast...but, we needed our energy.
We drove through Kent and headed south to Canton, taking route 43, a back road so that Sean could see something of Ohio, rather than just urban Cleveland. Passing through Hartville was fun, as it is a very old-timey Ohio town, with antique stores, wooden sidewalks and restaurants featuring homemade pies daily. But, amazingly we did not stop for pies!
We went to the Canton Museum of Art, which was showing Andrew Wyeth's Helga pictures. There were 70 works on display, and this had to be one of my favorite exhibits that I have attended. What made it so enjoyable for me was that there were many preliminary sketches of the final works presented, so that you could study the choices Wyeth made in composing his final work. In most exhibits, it is nothing but a parade of finished works...this exhibit focused on the process of making art and the choices that the artist makes. Not only was the insight into process valuable, to see his egg tempuras in person was extremely moving. The detail of the wool sweater in one of the works (Braids, 1979, tempera) continues to amaze me. It doesn't seem possible that anyone could bring about the level of realism that he accomplished. So, while it was a small exhibit, it was very powerful.
Cruising through the giftshop, we found small, gilt framed reproduction magnets of the purloined Scream, and purchased two to be the centerpiece of our shrine. Candles lit and Norwegian music playing until the dear paintings find their way home safe and sound.
We stopped in Kent on the way back, and I gave Sean a tour of the campus, and pointed out the sites of the May 4, 1970 events, including the bullet hole in the Don Drumm sculpture outside of Taylor Hall.
As we were walking around the campus, it was becoming quite hot...so we had to stop in the adjacent Starbuck's for lemonade iced teas. The location of the Starbuck's used to be a campus fixture, a restaurant called Captain Brady's which was in a two-story Tudor Revival building. Back in the day, Trish and I ate there several times a week, mostly grilled cheese sandwiches. When your order was ready, the somewhat elderly cook would grab a megaphone and call out your order - which was helpful if you took a table up the rather rickety staircase, but definitely overkill if you were seated on the ground floor at the booths, which were about 3' from the grill...And now Brady's is gone, replaced by the evil corporation...which, I suppose, I too would be irate over, except it IS a Starbuck's...and I love them.
So, as I mentioned earlier, it was getting very hot outside, and as I do not have air conditioning, I thought the wisest course of action would be to go to movie. We went to Hudson and saw Collateral with Tom Cruise and Jaimie Fox. I think there were maybe four other people at the matinee. I told Sean that is why I like to go to the Hudson theatre, because no one was ever there...she seemed amazed at the lack of people...
After the film, we went back to the sweltering house, and I foolishly made a Chinese meal: egg rolls, rice, pot stickers and stir-fried vegetables. We ate and watched Addams Family and Munsters reruns and some of the Olympics, then we needed to get out of the house.
Sean was hoping to catch a firefly, but our timing was bad...I think she missed the season probably by a day.
We walked to Highland Square, where my friend Brian had just opened a bar, and went in and had a couple of Knob Creek whiskeys on the rocks. That seemed to buy us enough time for the place to cool down, and we were able to get to get some rest.
That was just to tide us over until we could get to Kent, where we had breakfast at Wild Goats, mainly because I am fond of their potato pancakes, and it was on the way to our destination of the day. Sean was developing breakfast fatigue, as this was the third day in a row that she had an official Midwest breakfast...but, we needed our energy.
We drove through Kent and headed south to Canton, taking route 43, a back road so that Sean could see something of Ohio, rather than just urban Cleveland. Passing through Hartville was fun, as it is a very old-timey Ohio town, with antique stores, wooden sidewalks and restaurants featuring homemade pies daily. But, amazingly we did not stop for pies!
We went to the Canton Museum of Art, which was showing Andrew Wyeth's Helga pictures. There were 70 works on display, and this had to be one of my favorite exhibits that I have attended. What made it so enjoyable for me was that there were many preliminary sketches of the final works presented, so that you could study the choices Wyeth made in composing his final work. In most exhibits, it is nothing but a parade of finished works...this exhibit focused on the process of making art and the choices that the artist makes. Not only was the insight into process valuable, to see his egg tempuras in person was extremely moving. The detail of the wool sweater in one of the works (Braids, 1979, tempera) continues to amaze me. It doesn't seem possible that anyone could bring about the level of realism that he accomplished. So, while it was a small exhibit, it was very powerful.
Cruising through the giftshop, we found small, gilt framed reproduction magnets of the purloined Scream, and purchased two to be the centerpiece of our shrine. Candles lit and Norwegian music playing until the dear paintings find their way home safe and sound.
We stopped in Kent on the way back, and I gave Sean a tour of the campus, and pointed out the sites of the May 4, 1970 events, including the bullet hole in the Don Drumm sculpture outside of Taylor Hall.
As we were walking around the campus, it was becoming quite hot...so we had to stop in the adjacent Starbuck's for lemonade iced teas. The location of the Starbuck's used to be a campus fixture, a restaurant called Captain Brady's which was in a two-story Tudor Revival building. Back in the day, Trish and I ate there several times a week, mostly grilled cheese sandwiches. When your order was ready, the somewhat elderly cook would grab a megaphone and call out your order - which was helpful if you took a table up the rather rickety staircase, but definitely overkill if you were seated on the ground floor at the booths, which were about 3' from the grill...And now Brady's is gone, replaced by the evil corporation...which, I suppose, I too would be irate over, except it IS a Starbuck's...and I love them.
So, as I mentioned earlier, it was getting very hot outside, and as I do not have air conditioning, I thought the wisest course of action would be to go to movie. We went to Hudson and saw Collateral with Tom Cruise and Jaimie Fox. I think there were maybe four other people at the matinee. I told Sean that is why I like to go to the Hudson theatre, because no one was ever there...she seemed amazed at the lack of people...
After the film, we went back to the sweltering house, and I foolishly made a Chinese meal: egg rolls, rice, pot stickers and stir-fried vegetables. We ate and watched Addams Family and Munsters reruns and some of the Olympics, then we needed to get out of the house.
Sean was hoping to catch a firefly, but our timing was bad...I think she missed the season probably by a day.
We walked to Highland Square, where my friend Brian had just opened a bar, and went in and had a couple of Knob Creek whiskeys on the rocks. That seemed to buy us enough time for the place to cool down, and we were able to get to get some rest.
Monday, August 23, 2004
Sean's Cultural Tour of Ohio - Day 2
Early to rise...and Sean's first visit to the ubiquitous Bob Evan's, a midwest staple of breakfasting. Something on the cover of the USA Today in the paper box outside the entrance to Bob's caught my eye...Edvard Munch's The Scream had been stolen! Luckily I had a couple of quarters on me, and we read about the brazen theft while waiting for our meal. It seemed odd that our week of art indulgence should start off with the disappearance of such an icon!
After the traditional breakfast fare of biscuits, eggs, bacon and hash browns and coffee, we were off to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Annie Leibovitz's American Music photographs were on display, and I was completely surprised at the dimensions of the photographs. All of them were exquisite, but to see the actual photographs, as compared to seeing the pictures in her book, was a moving experience. Annie had recorded commentary about each photo that you could listen to as well, and I found that very interesting. It was a marvelous show.
The Rock Hall is really an amazing place...Sean was determined to see every film and exhibit in the place, and I can say with certainty that the Rock Hall was her favorite stop on her visit.
On the top floor, Mary Wilson of the Supremes had a showing of the Supreme's gowns. Reading about this did not excite me very much, as I am not terribly interested in couture. However, there really was something fascinating about seeing the volume of gowns, and realizing what it must have been like to be burdened by them while traveling and performing. It also, was a very interesting display.
I preferred the areas of stage costumes on display to the cases of ephemera and memorabilia that lined the walls of the museum. While this material made for a compelling historical chronology, there really wasn't enough explanation of the individual items for my taste.
As for the costumes, Sean was most impressed, I think, with the three David Bowie costumes. For me, it was seeing Madonna's Gautier "Victorian" dress with monocle that she performed Vogue in. The reason for this was that Madonna's costume looked like high couture - it looked elegant and expensive and impressive. All of the other performers outfits were interesting to see "in real life", but for the most part, they were just clothes. Gautier's work for Madonna is art.
I had expected that the Rock Hall would take a couple of hours, and in fact, there was so much of interest, so much to see and do that we weren't really done and the museum closed!
Sean was quite upset because we missed one of the many films that were playing.
The only other disappointing element to the Rock Hall was the gift shop. We were both hoping for some Leibovitz souveniers, but to no avail.
And, just for the record...how can they call it a Rock Hall of Fame when there was NO MENTION OF LAURA NYRO???? I just may become an activist over this oversight...
So, having been kicked out of the Rock Hall, we walked for a few blocks so I could see the Claus Oldenburg FREE STAMP sculpture, which I thought was very cool, but seemed to underwhelm Sean a bit. It seemed to me that the only way to bring her around was to feed her, and I realized we were very close to the Flats, so I suggested we drive down there.
That evening there was some strange convention of motorcyclists in the parking lot of the Powerhouse, so we parked and walked down the boardwalk to Shooter's. We got a nice table outside, sitting on the dock, and watched the jet skiers and yachters coming and going as the sun set...eating our Caesar Burgers (hamburgers with Caesar dressing, a specialty of the house) which were fabulous.
After the traditional breakfast fare of biscuits, eggs, bacon and hash browns and coffee, we were off to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Annie Leibovitz's American Music photographs were on display, and I was completely surprised at the dimensions of the photographs. All of them were exquisite, but to see the actual photographs, as compared to seeing the pictures in her book, was a moving experience. Annie had recorded commentary about each photo that you could listen to as well, and I found that very interesting. It was a marvelous show.
The Rock Hall is really an amazing place...Sean was determined to see every film and exhibit in the place, and I can say with certainty that the Rock Hall was her favorite stop on her visit.
On the top floor, Mary Wilson of the Supremes had a showing of the Supreme's gowns. Reading about this did not excite me very much, as I am not terribly interested in couture. However, there really was something fascinating about seeing the volume of gowns, and realizing what it must have been like to be burdened by them while traveling and performing. It also, was a very interesting display.
I preferred the areas of stage costumes on display to the cases of ephemera and memorabilia that lined the walls of the museum. While this material made for a compelling historical chronology, there really wasn't enough explanation of the individual items for my taste.
As for the costumes, Sean was most impressed, I think, with the three David Bowie costumes. For me, it was seeing Madonna's Gautier "Victorian" dress with monocle that she performed Vogue in. The reason for this was that Madonna's costume looked like high couture - it looked elegant and expensive and impressive. All of the other performers outfits were interesting to see "in real life", but for the most part, they were just clothes. Gautier's work for Madonna is art.
I had expected that the Rock Hall would take a couple of hours, and in fact, there was so much of interest, so much to see and do that we weren't really done and the museum closed!
Sean was quite upset because we missed one of the many films that were playing.
The only other disappointing element to the Rock Hall was the gift shop. We were both hoping for some Leibovitz souveniers, but to no avail.
And, just for the record...how can they call it a Rock Hall of Fame when there was NO MENTION OF LAURA NYRO???? I just may become an activist over this oversight...
So, having been kicked out of the Rock Hall, we walked for a few blocks so I could see the Claus Oldenburg FREE STAMP sculpture, which I thought was very cool, but seemed to underwhelm Sean a bit. It seemed to me that the only way to bring her around was to feed her, and I realized we were very close to the Flats, so I suggested we drive down there.
That evening there was some strange convention of motorcyclists in the parking lot of the Powerhouse, so we parked and walked down the boardwalk to Shooter's. We got a nice table outside, sitting on the dock, and watched the jet skiers and yachters coming and going as the sun set...eating our Caesar Burgers (hamburgers with Caesar dressing, a specialty of the house) which were fabulous.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Sean's Cultural Tour of Ohio - Day 1
My pal Sean arrived from Portland last night. This is her first visit to the Midwest. We stayed up late talking, eating a selection of cheeses and crackers and having a few glasses of wine.
We went to bed, and Sean read for awhile from her latest book, Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. And she taught me a new word - AMBIGRAM, which while not being terribly useful, sure is fun to say and to know. And it gives you a little mental gymnastics while trying to work it into a conversation.
In the morning, we went to Coventry in Cleveland Heights and had brunch at Tommy's, a well-respected mainly vegetarian restaurant. It was quite nice, and I was particularly impressed by the photographs on display, but I was not able to get the name of the photographer to share with you.
After brunch, we strolled up and down Coventry and, of course, stopped in to the BIG FUN store, which is famous for being jammed from corner to corner, floor to ceiling with every bit of ephemera, kitsch and toy from your childhood.Always a good time at the BIG FUN store.
We headed downtown to Playhouse Square, but as we were a bit early, we found a parking lot that overlooked Lake Erie and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sean was pretty impressed by the size of the lake, and I told her about my self-induced childhood delusions that if I looked really, really hard across the lake, I could see Canadians. We tried, but even on a clear day, you just can't see Canada from there.
We got to Playhouse Square and proceeded to the adjacent Starbuck's for San Pellegrino's and to wait for Heather, who was joining us. We were seeing The Great Lakes Theatre Festival's The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Abridged. As we were finishing our beverages, a lavish horse-drawn carriage came down Euclid Avenue, with Queen Elizabeth. Not the current QE II, but THE Queen Elizabeth. Members of the troupe were outside the theatre on the sidewalk in costume (codpieces, tights and high top tennis shoes) and this had all of the earmarks of a "happening", so we quickly crossed the street to catch some of this pre-show excitement. What was best about this little event was the Queen was fairly obviously, in drag - a REAL drag queen, if you will. Anyway, the Queen officially opened the theatre, and we were allowed in.
The show is crazy - all of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets in two hours, performed by three male performers. The actors, Lynn Robert Berg, M.A. Taylor and Jeffrey C Hawkins, are all accomplished physical comedians, and I presume accomplished improvisers as well. While all of the great bard's works are at least mentioned, not all of them are done in their "entirety”. For example, almost all of the comedies are put together to make one commingled work, which, when you really think about it, makes sense. Are they really that different?
Happily for me, my favorite of Bill's plays, Titus Andronicus (thanks to the genius of Julie Taymor) is given a star treatment - as a cooking show starring Julia Child. Very amusing. Among the frenetic hysteria of the performance, M.A. Taylor gives a completely serious reading of the great "What a piece of work is man" speech from Hamlet, which underscores the fact that these guys AND Shakespeare are GOOD.
The other highlight of the show, for me, was the conclusion, in which Hamlet is performed, and then performed again in double time, then again in triple time, and finally, they perform it in reverse - flawlessly and hilariously. (Hamlet's ghost has a walk-on, carrying a sign reading "BOO"...in the reverse performance, the sign, of course, reads "OOB")
Following the show, Sean and I met two other friends of mine for dinner at Pad Thai in Hudson. That was a bit disappointing, as Sean and I were frequent diners at Thai restaurants in Portland, and our favorite dish, which we remember as being called Phad Ram, was not on the menu. But we found acceptable substitutes.
After dinner, we returned to my friend's house, as she had gone to the trouble of baking peach pies for dessert!
It was a very full day, and we were eager to get to sleep, as tomorrow's plans were quite exciting...
We went to bed, and Sean read for awhile from her latest book, Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. And she taught me a new word - AMBIGRAM, which while not being terribly useful, sure is fun to say and to know. And it gives you a little mental gymnastics while trying to work it into a conversation.
In the morning, we went to Coventry in Cleveland Heights and had brunch at Tommy's, a well-respected mainly vegetarian restaurant. It was quite nice, and I was particularly impressed by the photographs on display, but I was not able to get the name of the photographer to share with you.
After brunch, we strolled up and down Coventry and, of course, stopped in to the BIG FUN store, which is famous for being jammed from corner to corner, floor to ceiling with every bit of ephemera, kitsch and toy from your childhood.Always a good time at the BIG FUN store.
We headed downtown to Playhouse Square, but as we were a bit early, we found a parking lot that overlooked Lake Erie and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sean was pretty impressed by the size of the lake, and I told her about my self-induced childhood delusions that if I looked really, really hard across the lake, I could see Canadians. We tried, but even on a clear day, you just can't see Canada from there.
We got to Playhouse Square and proceeded to the adjacent Starbuck's for San Pellegrino's and to wait for Heather, who was joining us. We were seeing The Great Lakes Theatre Festival's The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Abridged. As we were finishing our beverages, a lavish horse-drawn carriage came down Euclid Avenue, with Queen Elizabeth. Not the current QE II, but THE Queen Elizabeth. Members of the troupe were outside the theatre on the sidewalk in costume (codpieces, tights and high top tennis shoes) and this had all of the earmarks of a "happening", so we quickly crossed the street to catch some of this pre-show excitement. What was best about this little event was the Queen was fairly obviously, in drag - a REAL drag queen, if you will. Anyway, the Queen officially opened the theatre, and we were allowed in.
The show is crazy - all of Shakespeare's plays and sonnets in two hours, performed by three male performers. The actors, Lynn Robert Berg, M.A. Taylor and Jeffrey C Hawkins, are all accomplished physical comedians, and I presume accomplished improvisers as well. While all of the great bard's works are at least mentioned, not all of them are done in their "entirety”. For example, almost all of the comedies are put together to make one commingled work, which, when you really think about it, makes sense. Are they really that different?
Happily for me, my favorite of Bill's plays, Titus Andronicus (thanks to the genius of Julie Taymor) is given a star treatment - as a cooking show starring Julia Child. Very amusing. Among the frenetic hysteria of the performance, M.A. Taylor gives a completely serious reading of the great "What a piece of work is man" speech from Hamlet, which underscores the fact that these guys AND Shakespeare are GOOD.
The other highlight of the show, for me, was the conclusion, in which Hamlet is performed, and then performed again in double time, then again in triple time, and finally, they perform it in reverse - flawlessly and hilariously. (Hamlet's ghost has a walk-on, carrying a sign reading "BOO"...in the reverse performance, the sign, of course, reads "OOB")
Following the show, Sean and I met two other friends of mine for dinner at Pad Thai in Hudson. That was a bit disappointing, as Sean and I were frequent diners at Thai restaurants in Portland, and our favorite dish, which we remember as being called Phad Ram, was not on the menu. But we found acceptable substitutes.
After dinner, we returned to my friend's house, as she had gone to the trouble of baking peach pies for dessert!
It was a very full day, and we were eager to get to sleep, as tomorrow's plans were quite exciting...
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
New Music Tuesday
JULIA FORDHAM: That's Life
Julia's new CD came out today, and initial impressions are favorable, but not off the chart.
Porcelain is one of my top 5 CD's of all time, so the expectations for Ms. Fordham are quite high. This disc is similar in style and sound to her last CD, Concrete Love, but I must say that there is no particular stand-out track on this new CD, where Concrete Love had 4 tracks that I loved immediately.
This may be a CD that grows on me, to be discovered in a few months, or maybe years. I am glad for the addition to the collection, but not terribly enthusiastic about this one.
Julia's new CD came out today, and initial impressions are favorable, but not off the chart.
Porcelain is one of my top 5 CD's of all time, so the expectations for Ms. Fordham are quite high. This disc is similar in style and sound to her last CD, Concrete Love, but I must say that there is no particular stand-out track on this new CD, where Concrete Love had 4 tracks that I loved immediately.
This may be a CD that grows on me, to be discovered in a few months, or maybe years. I am glad for the addition to the collection, but not terribly enthusiastic about this one.
Monday, August 09, 2004
13 Hours of Photoshop
I accepted a very last minute assignment from my supervisor to complete a store picture of our staff. While that sounds simple, it most certainly was not.
Rather than assembling a group shot, because of time limitations, I had to take individual photos of my co-workers, and then edit them together to make it appear that we had all posed together.
I chose the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland as the background layer for my Photoshop extravaganza, and began cutting out backgrounds, fixing levels and colors, and resizing about 55 photos. 13 hours later, it was completed. I was able to email the completed photo to our home office 15 minutes before the scheduled deadline.
Addendum - We just discovered the secret purpose for the home office's request for this group photo...our store won BEST NEW STORE OF THE YEAR, and they used the photo on the plaque that was given to our store manager and assistant manager at the Leadership Meeting they attended!
Rather than assembling a group shot, because of time limitations, I had to take individual photos of my co-workers, and then edit them together to make it appear that we had all posed together.
I chose the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland as the background layer for my Photoshop extravaganza, and began cutting out backgrounds, fixing levels and colors, and resizing about 55 photos. 13 hours later, it was completed. I was able to email the completed photo to our home office 15 minutes before the scheduled deadline.
Addendum - We just discovered the secret purpose for the home office's request for this group photo...our store won BEST NEW STORE OF THE YEAR, and they used the photo on the plaque that was given to our store manager and assistant manager at the Leadership Meeting they attended!
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