Provision Theater’s World Premier September 24, 2008
Posted by Steve in : The City, Chicago, Breaking News, The Cultural Conversation, The Arts in the City, Provision Theater, Culture and Faith , add a commentIf it is starting to cool outside and football is in full swing, then it must be theater time in Chicago. This year will prove to be an exceptional year in Chicago Theater, especially for Provision Theater, who starts off their season with a WORLD PREMIER of Truman Capote’s best -selling books, A CHRISTMAS MEMORY and THE THANKSGIVING VISITOR, that have been adapted by Provision’s Artsitic Director, Tim Gregory. Come check out the world premier at the Royal George Theater from November 5 to December 21.
Thanksgiving and Christmas mean something different to everyone. For seven-year-old Buddy, it means a new home and a new family. When his parents drop him off with distant relatives in a town with no other children his age, Buddy becomes close with an older, simple woman named Sook. Before long, the two find themselves on one amazing adventure after another, proving that friendship is the greatest gift of all. Based on the best selling books by Truman Capote, A CHRISTMAS MEMORY and THE THANKSGIVING VISITOR are sure to warm the heart or your entire family this holiday season!
New Year’s Resolutions January 2, 2008
Posted by Steve in : Weblog, Family, Methods & Strategies , add a commentEach year, I read about lots of people’s new year’s resolutions. Long lists of things they want to accomplish in the current year — many of which are abandoned before the long winter nights of February are through. I am not doing the list of 57 things this year.
This year, I am setting five simple new year’s resolutions:
1. Love God,
2. Love my wife well
3. Love my children well
4. Do well in leading others at work
5. Spurred on by a competition with my daughter — to read 52 books this year.
On the last resolution, iron sharpens iron and the more I read, the better decisions I make and the more I learn from outsiders that can help me understand, shape and clarify my views and my way of doing things.
First books up are:
“American Pharoah: The Story of Richard J Daley” – I love Chicago and it history and this is a great one.
“Now Discover your Strengths” - Gallup — Knowing what one’s strengths are is a good reflective exercise and allows you to see what other talents you need around you to succeed.
What are you resolving to do this year?
Congress: 14% Say Doing a Good Job June 21, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Weblog , add a comment(Gallup) In the latest Gallup poll, only 14% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in Congress. This 14% Congressional confidence rating is the all-time low for this measure, which Gallup initiated in 1973. The previous low point for Congress was 18% at several points in the period of time 1991 to 1994. What does this say? Will we see great change in 2008 if no one is happy with their politicians? Will the disgruntled public change out their elected reps? What should our response be if so many are not happy with the decisions being made by Congress?
It’s worth remembering that Congress is basically nothing more than a mechanism for the representation of the people’s wishes. We all can’t go to Washington. So we elect men and women and send them off in our stead. It’s not an optimal situation, it seems to me, when such a low percentage of average Americans have confidence in this system. Generally speaking, Americans have been skeptical about Congress for decades now. But the current 14% confidence rating for Congress is down from 19% last year and is the lowest in Gallup’s history, surpassing the 18% confidence in Congress measured in 1991, 1993 and 1994.
Congress is now nestled at the bottom of the list of Gallup’s annual Confidence in Institutions rankings, along with HMOs. Just 15% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in HMOs. (By way of contrast, 69% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the military, which tops the list. More on this at galluppoll.com on Thursday).
An Extra Month of Daylight Savings March 1, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Weblog , add a commentIn August of 2005, the United States Congress passed the Energy Policy Act, which changes the dates of both the start and end of daylight saving time (DST). When this law goes into effect in 2007, DST will start three weeks earlier (2:00 A.M. on the second Sunday in March - March 11 in 2007) and will end one week later (2:00 A.M. on the first Sunday in November) than what had traditionally occurred.
Why do we do this? One of the biggest reasons we change our clocks to Daylight Saving Time (DST) is that (more…)
