Way back in 2016, to close out a difficult year, I reflected upon ten good moments, to accentuate the positive. This year I feel no less defeated by current events, the year has provided me with great happiness, and I would again like to share a few of those (in chronological order).
1. Jon Batiste plays the Cleveland Museum of Art. The most Cleveland thing ever, Batiste was leading his band through the house, playing “When the Saints Go Marching In” on his melodica. The crowd was on our feet, and when he got to our row, Batiste reached past me to shake hands with Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb, who had been seated next to my wife. It must be mentioned, earlier that evening the Mayor had complimented my wife’s boots.
2. Transitive Property. Our children are artists. Who knew? College visits are often scheduled to coincide with a recital, gig, gallery opening or performance event. Our elder child had several this year, including an interdisciplinary semi-improvised dance and music performance, as well as shows in Nelsonville, at Loganberry Books, as well as on campus at Ohio University.
3. The Total Eclipse of the Sun. When my wife got me (us) opening day tickets to see the Guardians last Christmas, I thought — oh, no. Opening Day is usually cold and rainy, often it snows. Well, not only was the weather perfect on April 8, 2024, but the game was bumped a few hours to experience a total eclipse.
4. Queen Mary 2. For the moment, we luxuriate. Last year we took a train to the Southwest, a journey we had ruminated upon for some time. It’s like a pre-retirement age (as though we will ever retire) doing those things we would spend time talking about late into the evening but never had the time to do, until now. And so we took a transatlantic cruise. Friends made references to the Titanic, but I reminded them that that was White Star cruiser, and that the QM2 is a Cunard ship. They rescued the survivors of Titanic.
Seven days and nights, lying in, having coffee in our bathrobes and reading while sitting out on our private balcony overlooking the vast, unbroken sea. In short order we discovered those corners we did (and did not) wish to while away the hours: the library, the Chart Room cocktail bar, The Golden Lion Pub, high tea at three and even karaoke. Yes, I will karaoke when I am leagues from anyone I know.
It was a lovely time to be together alone.
5. Twenty-Fifth Anniversary. Shortly after returning from England, we held an open house to celebrate our anniversary with our nearest and dearest. And we have met a wide variety of wonderful people over the years. Remarkable, too, are those who were not present, those who have died or with whom we have parted or those who have simply vanished from our lives. Twenty-five years is a long time, our wedding was one of the last things we did in the 1900s. Folks my age can get a little freaked out when the kids refer to the 1990s as “the late 1900s” but when you think about it, that really was a different century.
6. Cleveland Guardians. Before the name change, we might have taken in a game each summer, but since they became the Guardians, we’ve gone a little nuts about this team. Yes, we were there on opening day, and maybe a dozen more times besides. Though we couldn’t best the Yankees, the Guards went down proudly … which is more than we can say for, you know, the Yankees. We will miss you, Gimé! Godspeed!
7. Kamala Harris. Put simply, the problem is not that not enough people voted for her. The problem is that far too many people voted for him. That is a sickness which must be remedied, and it will go hard. But Vice President Harris ran a flawless, three month campaign that was full of hope and promise and joy. And the people chose Trump. That’s on the people.
8. Drennon Davis is a comedian and voice actor who became an internet phenom during the Quarantine when he began producing clips of his housebound interactions with his talking cats. We love this guy, and went to see him at the Cat Fancier Association International Cat Show and Exposition at the I-X Center. Don’t know if you’ve ever been, it’s equal parts cat judging competitions, cat swag goes market and cat-themed entertainers, all fairing at the same time. Davis did a presentation that included a “live” video chat with Newt, Toad, Frog and Doug, and we got to say hello and have a lovely picture taken. Business!
9. Cincinnati. The boy is enrolled at the conservatory of music at the University of Cincinnati. He is majoring in jazz, he plays the drums. I so wish my father could see this. A few times a year we attend his end-of-semester gigs at Caffè Vivace. Cincinnati was entirely alien to me before this turn of events. In school we made a couple trips, to see concerts, even to a cattle call for a film. In the past two years we have become familiar with a few neighborhoods and my wife even found a second home at the Gaslight Bed and Breakfast. Hi, Maria!
10. A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens’ tale describing the reclamation of Ebenezer Scrooge is so universal and elegantly told that it continues to stand up to generations of satire and derision. Dealing as it does with an elderly man reflecting upon his life choices, I cannot help but personally feel it becomes more terrorist as one gets older. One youthful heartbreak led to a lifetime of emotional insecurity and cynicism? Why yes, that actually happens, but we can choose to do better.
As should be obvious, I love the season, and having the opportunity to be immersed in the trappings and tropes of the most iconic of holiday stories, eight times a week (nine as we close the run) have only intensified these feelings.
This winter will be hard, the new year is uncertain. We'll have to muddle through somehow.
2. Transitive Property. Our children are artists. Who knew? College visits are often scheduled to coincide with a recital, gig, gallery opening or performance event. Our elder child had several this year, including an interdisciplinary semi-improvised dance and music performance, as well as shows in Nelsonville, at Loganberry Books, as well as on campus at Ohio University.
4. Queen Mary 2. For the moment, we luxuriate. Last year we took a train to the Southwest, a journey we had ruminated upon for some time. It’s like a pre-retirement age (as though we will ever retire) doing those things we would spend time talking about late into the evening but never had the time to do, until now. And so we took a transatlantic cruise. Friends made references to the Titanic, but I reminded them that that was White Star cruiser, and that the QM2 is a Cunard ship. They rescued the survivors of Titanic.
It was a lovely time to be together alone.
5. Twenty-Fifth Anniversary. Shortly after returning from England, we held an open house to celebrate our anniversary with our nearest and dearest. And we have met a wide variety of wonderful people over the years. Remarkable, too, are those who were not present, those who have died or with whom we have parted or those who have simply vanished from our lives. Twenty-five years is a long time, our wedding was one of the last things we did in the 1900s. Folks my age can get a little freaked out when the kids refer to the 1990s as “the late 1900s” but when you think about it, that really was a different century.
7. Kamala Harris. Put simply, the problem is not that not enough people voted for her. The problem is that far too many people voted for him. That is a sickness which must be remedied, and it will go hard. But Vice President Harris ran a flawless, three month campaign that was full of hope and promise and joy. And the people chose Trump. That’s on the people.
9. Cincinnati. The boy is enrolled at the conservatory of music at the University of Cincinnati. He is majoring in jazz, he plays the drums. I so wish my father could see this. A few times a year we attend his end-of-semester gigs at Caffè Vivace. Cincinnati was entirely alien to me before this turn of events. In school we made a couple trips, to see concerts, even to a cattle call for a film. In the past two years we have become familiar with a few neighborhoods and my wife even found a second home at the Gaslight Bed and Breakfast. Hi, Maria!
As should be obvious, I love the season, and having the opportunity to be immersed in the trappings and tropes of the most iconic of holiday stories, eight times a week (nine as we close the run) have only intensified these feelings.
This winter will be hard, the new year is uncertain. We'll have to muddle through somehow.
while the kids tumbled off to sleep is a refresher course in theater of the period, so instead I was opening my eyes to areas in which I am weaker, the art museum, the orchestra, and so on.