The Sunshine State, Culturally Speaking

2011-05-19T18:01:00.000-04:00

Photography by Red Hube of Orlando Sentinel

I often discuss the link between photography and art with my students, as well as the idea of how the visual arts (photography included)can show the beauty of human achievement while preserving important events for posterity. If the work of Orlando Sentinel photographer Red Hube near the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Launch isn't an amazing example of this, I don't what is...

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY!Eight Unusual All-American Museums

2011-05-19T10:48:00.001-04:00

Have some fun exploring some of the unique American museums!

Eight Unusual All-American Museums

...and while your at it, take a look at some of the Offbeat Museums of Europe too.

Public Art of Florida, Episode 4 - Yup, even in the Mall too!

2011-05-12T15:18:00.000-04:00

While shopping in the Westfield - Citrus Park Shopping Mall, I spotted these life-sized sculptures of children swimming, playing baseball and frolicking around a fire hydrants and I thought it was a fun example of how art surrounds us, even in the midst of a suburban shopping extravaganza. I have been trying to learn about these sculptures & the artist who created them, but I have not yet been able to find that info. Once I do, I will be sure to post it here.

Other "installments" of the "Public Art of Florida" series:

Public Art of FL Series, Episode 1 - Lakeland Sculpture Invitational (July 5, 2009)

Public Art of Florida, Episode 2 - The Practical Made Beautiful

Public Art of Florida, Episode 3 - Yup, Even in the Airport!

67 County Cultural Challenge #6 - WALTONAn Explosion of Digital Graffiti

2011-05-12T07:40:00.000-04:00

Next on my cultural journey around the State of Florida, Walton County.

Created in 1824 and named in honor of George Walton, Secretary of the Florida territory from 1821 to 1826, Walton County has a population of at least 50,324 residents (according to 2005 U.S. Census Bureau). DeFuniak Springs, Freeport, Miramar Beach, Paxton, Point Washington, Redbay, and Santa Rosa Beach are included within the county borders, with DeFuniak Springs as its county seat.

I wonder what George Walton & the early 19th-century inhabitants of this area would have thought if thy time traveled to 21st century Alys Beach to find digital graffiti celebrated? Well that's just what would happen if they arrived there on June 11, 2011, when Alys Beach hosts the Fourth Annual Digital Graffiti Festival.

The first thing our time travelers would probably ask is "What the heck is digital graffiti?" Well, after explaining almost 200 years of technology, all you have to do is explain that it is the "fusion of design, architecture and technology to create new art forms" and this event gives digital artists a chance to gather together and project their own interactive digital exhibits in the towns white buildings. In Digital Graffiti Festival Paints The Town Red (And Many Other Colors), which discusses the 2010 festival, it is explained how "the event began at night to create the best possible projection conditions where the artists used photos, computer graphics, animation and video, splashing them on the white canvases of the walls of the buildings, using HD-capable LCD projectors. The annual event attracts artists, filmmakers, photographers and designers from all over the world." For information about location, finalists and how to get tickets, visit Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach.

As I browsed The Walton Sun, I came across some other cool cultural opportunities that Walton County has had to offer...

Your ArtsQuest begins now (with SCHEDULE)

Sinfonia Goes Pops in Alys Beach

Turtle Fest 2011

67 County Cultural Challenge #5 - OKALOOSA

2011-05-10T11:22:00.000-04:00

I've been jumping around the State a bit, but here I am back on the Panhandle in Okaloosa County...

This county was created by a 1915 Act, with its name being Native American in origins. Okaloosa is a Choctaw word meaning "black water", with "Oka" meaning water, and "lusa" meaning black. "The Euchees came into the area from the "west" sailing along the coast until "the great spirit told them to stop" in what is now Walton County. They left the Indian Mounds that we see today, one being in what is now downtown Fort Walton Beach. There was even a pirates cove near Mary Esther. Even the notorious pirate LaFitte was said to have docked there." Okaloosa includes Baker, Cinco Bayou, Crestview, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Laurel Hill, Mary Esther, Niceville, Shalimar, and Valparaiso, with Crestview as its county seat.

Central to the arts and culture in Okaloosa County is the Okaloosa Arts Alliance, an organization whose primary role is to promote art and culture throughout the county. Located in Fort Walton Beach, the OAA accomplishes this through:

* sponsoring workshops and seminars for arts organizations and individual artists
* providing grants to non-profit arts organizations
* offering art programs and performances in public schools
* acting as a clearinghouse for arts related information to art organizations and artists
* promoting corporate involvement in support of the arts

One of the community initiatives supported by the OAA is the OVAL Art Program (OVAL = "Okaloosa Volunteer Art Lessons"). In Michelle Obama honors youth arts programs, First Lady Michelle Obama has praised school arts initiatives such as these when she stated "You've seen how the arts and humanities can broaden their horizons and help them discover a talent or a mission or a sense of purpose that they never knew they had." Geared toward helping students broaden their artistic horizons, the OVAL Art Program also helps students broaden their artistic horizons by providing "a series of lessons based on grade-appropriate art prints which have been selected by the [county] School Board. The District also provides an OVAL manual. These lessons, about 30 minutes long each, are provided by volunteers who have been trained in the program. OVAL can be offered to grades K through 5. In these lessons, students learn about the lives and works of the selected artists, and also about some basic art principles (proportion and perspective) and art materials. Lessons are presented in a question-and-answer format, designed to enhance critical thinking skills through observation and comparison, and also in the form of drawing sessions using select works. These drawing projects measure and enhance direction-following skills, as well as visual interpretation of information, and problem-solving skills." The Plew Elementary School OVAL Art Program offers a helpful listing of OVAL Art Useful Links that are great resources for children, parents and educators.

The Okaloosa Arts Alliance also reaches out to the community via Facebook at Okaloosa Arts Alliance (OAA).

Serenity in the Forest of Japan A Bach Spectacular!

2011-05-10T08:45:00.000-04:00

Taking a little side trip from the Sunshine State with this masterpiece that one of my friends posted on Facebook today. (Thanks Gary!)

This incredibly beautiful video, originally intended as an advertisement for Sharp’s SH-08C handset, shows how music can be created in the most unique ways. The setting is a serene forest, away from the noises of civilization. As this single wooden ball rolls down the stepped ramp for two minutes, each "kerplunk" represents one note of the 10th movement of Bach’s Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147, commonly known by its English title, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.

Ironically, this tranquil piece was uploaded to YouTube the day before the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami...

Here are some other renditions of Bach's musical masterpiece for your enjoyment:

Degas in TampaA Review

2011-05-08T17:04:00.000-04:00

When I was a little girl (a baby even), prints of these two lovely Degas Ballerinas graced the wall of my nursery/bedroom inviting me into an imaginary ballerina world, even encouraging me to spend several years enjoying ballet lessons. So to have the opportunity to see some of the sculpture and paintings created by Degas at the Degas: Form, Movement and the Antique exhibit currently on display at the Tampa Museum of Art rekindled childhood memories while inspiring me to learn more about Edgar Degas (1834-1917),the painter best known for his paintings & sculptures of ballet dancers, horse races and women bathing.

Rather than go into a whole biography that has already been written, here are some thorough websites about the life and times of Edgar Degas:

* Mad for Degas/Harvard Magazine
* MetMuseum, Degas
* Edgar Degas Biography
* Hey Kids, Meet Edgar Degas

As I meandered through this exhibit, I was interested to learn that although Degas is generally associated with the Impressionist Movement, he never applied the term "Impressionist" to himself. Instead he considered himself a "Naturalist," who differed from the other Impressionists in that he not only focused on the natural world and modern life for his techniques and materials, but he also looked to the past for subjects, form and movement. In 1903, ardent supporter Louisine Havemeyer asked "Why, monsieur, do you always do ballet dancers?" I find his response fascinating - "It is all that is left to us of the combined movements of the Greeks."

Although the exhibit did not focus on many of Degas beautifully painted ballerinas, the sculpture of the dancers, horses and women bathing were amazing to see. Degas sculptured his ballet dancers in motion (he was fascinated with movement in his art)and quite often his models were nude which accentuates the subtle movements of the graceful ballerina. This is really cool - the illusion of movement in these sculptures is so real that the viewer is not always sure where the front of the sculpture is supposed to be. A brilliant move on Degas' part because it encourages the viewer to walk around the sculpture, capturing its beauty from all angles.

Every fairy tale has a dark side...

So Degas has been a part of my consciousness since I was a baby, with visions of graceful ballerinas illuminating my imagination. But it wasn't until recently that I heard the terms "misogyny" and "antisemitism." Here are some interesting articles/blog posts addressing these issues:

Through a Keyhole

Portrait of a Poisoned Friendship: Edgar Degas, Ludovic Halvy and the Dreyfus Affair

None of this diminishes Degas' artistic genius...but it always good to have a full understanding of the individual behind the art...his thoughts and his motives. It is interesting to note that Degas' stance on the Dreyfus Affair alienated him from many of his contemporaries, especially since the Impressionists generally thought otherwise.

Degas: Form, Movement and the Antique will be on display at the Tampa Museum of Art through June 19,2011.

One More by Mary Cassatt

2011-05-07T15:38:00.002-04:00

Mother & Child, ca. 1900

Another Mary Cassatt painting in honor of Mother's Day...I think this one is my favorites! I especially love the way Degas captures Mom's expression in her reflection in the mirror. :)

67 County Cultural Challenge #4 - HILLSBOROUGH Hillsborough County Treats Mom Right!

2011-05-06T21:13:00.004-04:00

Mary Cassatt. Mother & Child (c. 1905)

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.
~George Cooper

Wow! There's some really cool cultural opportunities available in Hillsborough County for Mother's Day! This is very special to me personally since I live in Pasco County, Hillsborough's next door neighbor and I have access to many of these activities. Hillsborough County consists of Apollo Beach, Balm, Bealsville, Bloomingdale, Brandon, Carrollwood Village, Dover, Gibsonton, Lithia, Lutz, Mango, Orient Park, Plant City, Riverview, Ruskin, Seffner, Sun City Center, Tampa, Temple Terrace, Thonotosassa, Valrico, Wimauma, and Ybor City, with its county seat in Tampa. The county was established on January 25, 1834 and was named for Wills Hill, Viscount Hillsborough of England.

Mary Cassatt. The Bath. c. 1893. Oil on canvas. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

Here are some examples of the activities available, according to Celebrate Mother's Day all weekend:

* Museum of Science & Industry has a $5 Mother's Day Special, reducing admission to just a penny for mom all weekend long. MOSI, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; $5; (813) 987-6000 and www.mosi.org

Mary Cassatt. Maternal Kiss. 1897. Pastel on paper. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, USA

* Mom can visit The Florida Aquarium for free, if accompanied by a paying guest. The Florida Aquarium, 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa; 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; free with one paid admission, $15.25 to $21.95; (813) 273-4000 and www.flaquarium.org

Mary Cassatt. Sleepy Baby. c. 1910. Pastel on paper. Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, USA

* Lowry Park Zoo offers a free visit to any mom accompanied by either a young or grown-up kid who pays admission. Lowry Park Zoo, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Tampa; 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; free with one paid admission, $18.95 to $23.95; (813) 935-8552 and www.lowryparkzoo.com

* The Tampa Bay History Center is free for Mom during its Mother's Day Celebration, even providing arts & crafts for the kiddies. Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Old Water St., Tampa; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; free; (813) 228-0097 and www.tampabayhistorycenter.org

Mary Cassatt. Mother and Child. c. 1900

* Henry B. Plant Museum is also inviting Mom to tour the University of Tampa's museum for free. This was formerly the site of the Tampa Bay Hotel. Plant Museum, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; free; (813) 254-1891 and www.plantmuseum.com

* Ok, this is the one I'm most excited about - The Tampa Museum of Art, where free admission is available for Mom when a companion pays entry. Tampa Museum of Art, 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; free with one paid admission, $5 to $10; (813) 274-8130 and www.tampamuseum.org

I have not yet visited the the Tampa Museum of Art and I have really wanted to see the current Degas: Form, Movement and the Antique exhibit, but instead of going on Sunday, when the museum is bound to be packed with Moms, we're heading over there tomorrow. I'm fortunate in that I can take advantage of the Florida Educator's Admission of $7.50, so I'll do that instead. More on that after my visit...

Mary Cassatt. Young Mother Sewing. 1902. Oil on canvas. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.

"Mother - that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries." ~T. DeWitt Talmage

Sunshine State LiteratureAn AWESOME Floridian Book Website

2011-05-06T15:47:00.000-04:00

I just learned about the coolest website for Floridian literature lovers (which is why I am including this in both Sunshine State, Culturally Speaking and Kindle Kapers)…The Florida Book Review.

Basically, the Florida Book Review “features reviews of books with Florida settings or subjects, or of special interest to Floridians, as well as interviews and essays about Florida's literary scene. “ I am still exploring this well-written and informative site, but here is a sampling of the topics/links included:

Blog

Miami Book Fair 2010

Stephen Crane

John D. MacDonald

José Martí

Laramore Rader

Wallace Stevens

Dan Wakefield

Tennessee Williams

Classic Florida Reads

Fiction

Poetry

Crime Writing

Nonfiction

Florida Sports

Florida History

Environment

Florida Politics

Art & Architecture

Music

Food

Travel

Tales & Legends

Children

Young Adult

Presses & Journals

Bookstores

Florida Literary Links

You can also connect with The Florida Book Review on Facebook for updates.

LOVING IT!

67 County Cultural Challenge #3 - ORANGEMay the 4th be with You!

2011-05-05T23:04:00.002-04:00

I know, I know...how did we get from Santa Rosa County in Northwest Florida all the way to the center of the peninsula, Orange County? Well, blame it on the likes of Luke Skywalker, Hans Solo, Princess Leia, R2D2, Darth Vader and the rest of the Star Wars gang! Yesterday, May the 4th, was Star Wars Day and I really wanted to see how this cultural phenomena was (and still is) celebrated in Florida. This led me to Orange County, particularly Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando, where the Force is strong with Star Wars Weekends, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 20-June 12.

First a little bit about Orange County, of course. Interestingly, Orange County was originally named Mosquito County but it was renamed in 1845 after the county's main fruit product. Comprised of Alafaya, Apopka, Bay Lake, Belle Isle, Christmas, Doctor Phillips, Eatonville, Edgewood, Hunter's Creek, Lake Buena Vista, Maitland, Oakland, Ocoee, Orlando, Tangerine, Windermere, Winter Garden, Winter Park, and Zellwood, the 2006 Census Bureau estimated the population of the county at 1,043,500 inhabitants and growing. Orlando is the County Seat, not to mention home to Micky, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and the rest of the Disney gang at Walt Disney World.

Now Disney may not the best culture that Orange County has to offer is debatable as there are many cultural opportunities throughout the area. But Star Wars Day...now that's real pop culture :)! According to May the Fourth Be With You -- Star Wars Weekend Returns, Star Wars Weekend 2011, "will include Jedi, Sith, Ewoks, Wookiees, galactic bounty hunters and stormtroopers. Star Wars stars will make appearances alongside Jedi Mickey and Princess Leia Minnie. Some of those stars will include: James Arnold Taylor (voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Ashley Eckstein (voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars).Eckstein will host “Clone Wars: Behind the Force,” and Taylor will perform in a one-man show that exhibiting some of the many voices he has performed throughout his career. Disney said more than 60 Star Wars characters will be roaming the theme park, posing for pictures and signing autographs."

So...May the 4th (and the Force!) be with you in Orange County!

67 County Cultural Challenge #2 - SANTA ROSA

2011-05-04T08:34:00.003-04:00

Traveling eastward, next stop Santa Rosa County (in Florida, not California of course!)...

Encompassing the cities and towns of Avalon Beach, Bagdad, Gulf Breeze, Jay, Milton, Munson, Navarre and Pace, Santa Rosa County is home to what the 2005 census estimated as 143,105 inhabitants. The county was created in 1842 and named for Santa Rosa Island, which in turned was named after the Roman Catholic Saint, Rosa de Viterbo. It was Florida's 21st county and the county seat in Milton was incorporated in 1844, making it one of the oldest cities in Florida.

According to an online relocation guide, "The Blackwater River provided transportation for the timber, brick and shipbuilding industries (as well as the area’s nickname 'Scratch Ankle,' for the briars that grew along its banks). Milton’s commercial opportunities were greatly expanded by the Arcadia Mill and the L&N Railroad." With this railroad tradition, it stands to reason that Milton is home to the West Florida Railroad Museum. Dedicated to the Preservation of the Railroad History of Northwest Florida and South Alabama, this museum offers a slice of living history to those who visit. According to the museum's website, "the Museum occupies the L&N Milton combination freight and passenger depot that was built in 1907-09 on the site of the original 1882 P&A depot. The station was closed in 1973, bought by the Santa Rosa Historical Society, and partially restored with a 1976 Bicentennial grant. The Museum moved into the building in 1989 and completed the restoration. Its car displays include L&N Dining Car 2722, Globe Coffee House, L&N Dining Car 2715, two former Pullman sleeper cars, renovated into L&N baggage-dormitory cars 1652 and 1653, L&N caboose 1148, Frisco caboose 1102, L&N box car 18050 and L&N flat car 21107. Outbuildings include a bridge tenders house from the Escambia Bay trestle and a section shed with motor car. The Museum houses a wide variety of memorabilia from the L&N, Frisco, and other railroads." The museum also sponsors the West Florida Model Railroad Club and the Emerald Coast Garden Railroad Club.

According to the relocation guide, "There is always something happening in Milton [and the surrounding to entertain, inform and enchant you. Spend an afternoon painting pottery, catch a play or movie, view local artists’ works in Milton’s outdoor mural project, or tour historic districts and antebellum homes to step back in time and learn more about the area’s rich history." The arts and local heritage are celebrated via a wide array of fairs, festivals and performances held throughout the year. For example, coming up on May 7th and May 8th (2011), the Bagdad Village Preservation will be welcoming Spring with its annual Market Day. In addition to a "White Elephant" sale, a good ol' fashion fish fry, and lots of ice cream, "history buffs will also want to tour the Museum Bagdad Village Museum. Once a bustling lumber mill village, Bagdad was the center of the Southeastern lumber industry for more than 110 years before closing in 1939. At one time Bagdad was the biggest, most modern lumber exporter in the western world and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987."

It looks like a great way to explore both the cultural and the natural Santa Rosa county is at the 7th Annual Beaches to Woodlands Tour in October. "Enjoy family-fun during Beaches to Woodlands . . . from our scenic beach communities to small historic towns to state forests. You're invited to explore local hot spots, enjoy natural treasures, and celebrate Santa Rosa Style with the locals! If you are interested in becoming a part of the Beaches to Woodlands Tour or have a question, contact: Karen Harrell, Tour Coordinator 850-291-1266 or btw@floridabeachestorivers.com."

...and here is some fascinating info about African American sites in Santa Rosa County and beyond in Florida, courtesy of Google Books, paying homage to those who helped build these towns...

67 County Cultural Challenge #1 - ESCAMBIA

2011-05-03T21:35:00.001-04:00

ESCAMBIA COUNTY

So after pondering where to start, I figured the westernmost county in Florida would work...and that would be Escambia County. Created in 1821 and named for the Escambia River (Escambia = "barter" or "exchange" in Spanish), the population of the county according to a 2005 census estimated a population of 296,772. The following cities and towns are included within the Escambia borders - Bellview, Brent, Brownsville, Century, Cantonment, Ensley, Gonzalez, Molino, Muscogee, Myrtle Grove, Pensacola (County Seat), Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key, Warrington, and West Pensacola.

Since Pensacola is the county seat, I decided to research this area for cultural opportunities. Here's what I found...

* Pensacola Museum of Art
* Historic Pensacola Village
* T.T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida Stare Museum
* The Arcadia Mill Archaeological Site
* National Naval Aviation Museum
* Pensacola Lighthouse

Having never personally visited Pensacola, I have not had the pleasure of visiting these attractions. One event that sounds particularly lovely is Pensacola Museum of Art's Art in the Park, scheduled to take place on May 14 and May 15,2011.

"Art in the Park will be held in historic Seville Park, located in the Cultural Arts District, adjacent to the beautiful waterfront and steps away from the Pensacola Museum of Art. This year Art in the Park will provide extended offerings including the addition of 25 artists, on-site cooking demonstrations, live music, and a new featured attraction – Art Cars. Art Cars are street-legal vehicles that have been permanently transformed into mobile sculptures."

...and then there is an unusual piece of landmark architecture on Pensacola Beach...the Alien SpaceShip House!

67 Counties, 67 Cultural Experiences

2011-05-03T21:34:00.001-04:00

I need a new blogging challenge, something to get me back into exploring the Sunshine State, Cultural Speaking. After a writing dry spell, during which time I got overally wrapped up in smartphone apps and other stuff, I actually was re-inspired by one of my other hobbies - Geocaching,particularly the North Florida and South Florida Challenge Quests. These quests challenge geocachers to explore Florida, finding a cache in each of the 67 counties in the Sunshine State.

Well, although I have not yet found a cache in all 67 counties, I would like to take take a look at each county and see what I can find, culturally speaking, via my personal experiences and investigation of news sources and other research. My goal is to try and do this by August 13, 2011, when I leave on my vacation.

So, let's begin...

SWFL artist creates sculpture from ground zero concrete

2011-05-02T21:42:00.002-04:00

"LEE COUNTY, Fla - The death of the mastermind of 9-11, Osama Bin Laden, is creating new inspiration for one Southwest Florida artist. Sculptor San Priest is creating a piece to be placed near ground zero in New York City."

It's very intriguing to see how the death of Osama Bin Laden inspires artists, even those in Southwest Florida. The following article is a great example of this!

SWFL artist creates sculpture from ground zero concrete

For more information about this project, check out the Sancrete website.

A Neighbor in TroubleTerrible Tornado in Alabama

2011-05-01T09:40:00.002-04:00

Tornado Footage...Scary!

The Devastation

College sports is a huge part of Floridian culture and part of the fun of it is our rivalry with our next door neighbor, Alabama. According to Edward Aschoff, correspondent for Gatorsports.com, the rivalry between the Florida Gators and Alabama’s Crimson Tide is growing. He writes, “Growing up, Florida senior safety Ahmad Black loved the excitement surrounding the Alabama-Florida games. They were usually for the SEC title and they were usually every year. Years piled up before those two met in again Atlanta, but now it seems this is turning into an annual showdown inside the Georgia Dome. With the past two winners going on to take the national championship, this series is starting to look more and more like a traditional SEC rivalry.” The growth of this competitive spirit between the Gators and the Tide of course leads to a greater concern for the welfare of our northern neighbor in light of the devastating EF-4 (plus) tornado that wreaked havoc from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham on April 27, 2011, even closing down UAB before final exams and postponing graduation for senior until August.

Here are some articles that provide footage of this disastrous weather…

Storms, Tornadoes Leave Dozens Dead in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee (ABC News)

Tuscaloosa, AL Hospital Treats Over 600 Tornado Victims (Huffington Post)

Tornadoes devastate South, killing at least 281 (Yahoo news)

I am particularly concerned about this devastation as I have family living in Birmingham and a cousin who goes to UAB in Tuscaloosa. My Dad lives in Vestavia Hills and although it did not get the full impact of the tornado, the 100-mph winds that swept through the area did enough damage cause a power outage (he still has no power...fortunately he has hot water),to knock trees down on his house, collapsing the roof of the back porch and ravaging a beautiful backyard. He also has a much-loved Koi pond in which some incredibly beautiful Koi fish lived ...only two of them have survived so far, which is so sad. :( But fortunately Dad is ok (as is my brother and his family, my aunt & uncle and my cousin at UAB) and when I spoke to him he said others are so much worse off. Here are some stories he told me about what's going on around there...

* A friend's father and younger siblings live in a particularly hard-hit area. The roof of their house completely collapsed on them and they were trapped for 10 hours, until the youngest brother figured out a way out. Then he had to run eight miles into town before he could find anyone who could help.

* One woman's roof collapsed on her. The only thing that probably saved her was the fact that her dresser fell on her first, trapping her and protecting her from the impact of the roof.

* The emergency rooms are overflowing and the search for missing persons continues...

Florida is truly concerned about its sports rival and neighbor. Here are some of the efforts being made in the Tampa Bay area, according TBO.com's How to Help Victims of Alabama's Storms:

* "Ten Salvation Army of Florida emergency disaster teams of more than 30 volunteers each were sent to assist in humanitarian efforts...Salvation Army disaster response teams have been deployed to 30 communities across six southern states. As of this morning, nearly 300 people have been killed and many more have been injured. It is the deadliest tornado outbreak in nearly four decades."

* "Progress Energy sent (150) electric workers from Florida to Alabama."

* "Tampa Electric Co. sent nearly 70 workers to Alabama on Thursday to help restore power to the storm-battered region and more employees could be dispatched in coming days. The TECO workers include linemen, damage assessment experts, support crews and supervisors as well as contractors who work with TECO."

* "Teams from West Central Florida's American Red Cross also headed to Alabama, bringing food, equipment and blood....More than 1,600 people sought refuge in 65 Red Cross shelters Wednesday night as the storms forced them from their homes. Red Cross shelters are open in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas."

The following article from BayNews9 also discusses these efforts - Local crews travel to assist storm victims in Alabama

...if you are interested in helping, the American Red Cross is taking donations to provide disaster relief to the victims. Here are some other ways to help, as outlined in the tbo.com article mentioned above -

* The United Way of West Alabama, 2720 Sixth St. No. 100 in Tuscaloosa, needs donations of nonperishable food items, clothes, tarps and feminine hygiene products. For information, call (205) 345-6640. Donations by credit card are also accepted, all of which will stay in Alabama, by visiting the website www.uwwa.org.

* St. Mark United Methodist Church, 1421 McFarland Blvd., in Northport, Ala., is serving as a shelter for displaced families. The church needs nonperishable food and clothes. If you're in the area and have medical training, the church could also use volunteers. For information, call (205) 339-5990.

* The Salvation Army is providing food to displaced families. Donations of $10 can be sent by texting "GIVE" to 80888. To donate online, visit salvationarmyusa.org. By phone, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY and say you would like to designate the donations for the "April 2011 Tornado Outbreak."

Checks should be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, P.O. Box 100339, Atlanta, Ga. 30384-0339.

* Feeding America is distributing food to local food banks that are providing meals to states devastated by the tornadoes. To donate, visit www.feedingamerica.org.

Armed Forces on Display at SPC

2011-05-01T07:50:00.000-04:00

I arrived at work on 4/26/11 to see this awesome display of military uniforms in the lobby of the Downtown St. Petersburg College building. In addition to honoring those who serve our country, the display also advertises the Armed Forces Military Museum, located in Largo, FL at 2050 34th Way North (North side of SR 688/ Ulmerton Road) between Belcher Road and Starkey Road.

"The Armed Forces Military Museum is one of the largest collections of military memorabilia in the state of Florida. On display are authentic artifacts ranging from WWI to the present day soldier. View one of a kind vehicles, and extremely rare items, which few other museums have in their possession. As you tour our 35,000 sq. ft. museum, experience the different aspects of military history."

It's great to see a piece of this history on display in the workplace!

Great Groupon Deal at American Stage Theatre!

2011-04-16T14:10:00.006-04:00

Check out this great ticket deal to "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" from American Stage Theatre Company at Raymond James Theatre. Five Options Available for a limited time only.

Click HERE for more info.

April 16, 2011 to be "Jimmy Buffett Day" in Florida

2011-04-08T07:56:00.000-04:00

To thank Jimmy Buffett for his "charitable efforts, support of the environment, and positive economic impact in the state", a House Resolution has been passed officially declaring April 16, 2011 Jimmy Buffett Day! Perfect timing too since we will be making our annual pilgrimage to a Buffett concert, the Welcome to Finland 2011 Tour, at 1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheater in Tampa on that date!

Margaritaville-April 16, 2011 to be "Jimmy Buffett Day" in Florida!:

Hand Drumming ContestTurning an Annoying Habit into Music

2011-04-07T20:49:00.000-04:00

This is cool...but remind me not to show it to my 13-year-old son! ;-)

Virtual MuseumsTMI? or a Art at Your Fingertips?

2011-04-04T10:11:00.000-04:00

I just read a very interesting article in the Museums Special Section of the New York Times that deals with the growing relationship between museums and social networking media - The Spirit of Sharing. From interviews with the Brooklyn Museumtechnology officer and the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, social media in terms of museums is generally seen as a good thing in that it brings museum collections to those all over the world while at the same time bringing the amateur art historian behind the scenes in the art/museum world. This adds more meaning to the whole museum experience.

The big question that's posed is when is there too much information provided via social media - "The new technology is 'stimulating, and we’re giving a lot of thought to the amount of information we provide,” said Thomas P. Campbell, director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. But “we’ve got to keep people in a heads-up mode, to make sure they are looking at art.'

As technology and all its tools change, so do the challenges facing museums. Among them: how to install wireless Internet access in old buildings so visitors can use their own devices, how to keep up with the constant demands of social media and, most important, calibrating how much the public should influence what goes on the walls." When it comes down to it though, this is what makes the whole issue interesting...I agree totally with Mr. Campbell when he says "Every generation has to find the right modes of communication, and if it helps open doors it’s a good thing.” But of course it is up to the art historians, the educators and the museum personnel to determine how to go about using their creativity to present this information in an effective way.

Here are the other articles in this special section that show how social media is used in museum/art exploration:

Four to Follow
Speaking Digitally About Exhibits
Stopping to Gaze, and to Zoom
Multimedia Tour Guides on Your Smart Phone - I just downloaded the free MOMA app...once i get to look at it, I will write a review.
An Interactive Exhibit for About $30
Social Media as Inspiration and Canvas

I need to further investigate how the museums in Florida are expanding via social media...

Pioneer Culture, Wilderness & GeocachingSeeing Withlacoochee River Park in a Unique Way

2011-04-02T16:30:00.002-04:00

Florida cultural history is infused with colorful stories of Seminoles, pirates, cigar aficionados and rustic pioneers. As amateur cultural historians, many of us get a kick out of time traveling to the past, exploring what remains of these stories in one of the many living museum sites throughout the Sunshine State. One example of such an adventure exists at Pasco County’s Withlacoochee River Park(“WRP”), located in Dade City, Florida.

A Pioneer Trading Post

When you visit WRP, rest assured that there is something for everyone in the family. As far as all those who want to check out some local history, be sure to head first on over to the Boy Scout and group camping area. Right behind these campgrounds, you will experience a replica Florida Pioneer Village, equipped with a pioneer's cabin, achapel/one-room school house and a trading post/general store. I find the chapel particularly pretty, especially way the small stained glass window over the alter reflects off the pews, bathing the invisible worshippers/pupils in colorful light.

Pioneer Cabin

After wandering through the Pioneer Village, continue to the other side of the campground to experience hang out with the Native American ghosts of the past while investigating the Native American Ceremonial Hut and the practice archery range nearby.
These sites are, of course, only a smidgen of the WRP experience! For nature-lovers in all of us, there is access to “a wild and scenic portion of the river and a mosaic of habitat communities, from high sandhills to low riverine swamp,” with many hiking, biking, in-line skating, bird watching, boating and camping opportunities available….for the kiddies, there is a well-equipped playground located adjacent to the large event pavilion.

Take advantage of all these opportunities by visiting Withlacoochee River Park. A perfect opportunity to do so is right around the corner…on Saturday, April 9, 2011 as a matter of fact, when the Florida Geocaching Association hosts the 2nd Annual GeoExtravaganza Weekend of Activities there! This will be an awesome chance for geocachers from far and wide to meet, greet, eat, cache & explore. Those interested in learning more about Geocaching in Florida and welcome are welcome to stop by and join the fun and games! For more information about the weekend’s events, please visit the following links:

GC2MZ32 – 2nd Annual FGA Geo-Extravaganza
GC2MZ3V – S’More Time in the Green Swamp
GC2MZ3H – Withlacoochee River Park Breakfast & CITO

Here's more about this weekend of events in this awesome blog written by Kevin Mim - Geocachers Unite! The 2nd Annual GeoExtravaganza is April 8.

Dali Draws the Crowds

2011-03-31T05:18:00.001-04:00

NEWS FLASH - Since the new Dali Museum opened its doors in January 2011, it has had 100,000 visitors! Pretty incredible considering the old location attracted 200,000 visitors per year! I still haven't been able to get in to the new building but I am hoping to do so soon.

ULS Presents...Rebecca Skloot!

2011-03-30T09:13:00.002-04:00

A Reading Selection - "...you don't mess with Henrietta! She'll sic Hela on your ass!"

One of my favorite books of 2010 had to be Rebecca Skloot's The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks, which I blogged in My 2010 FAVE is also Amazon's #1 Book of the Year back on 12/21/2010 in Kindle Kapers. So I was sooo excited when I heard that Ms. Skloot would be appearing at the USF University Lecture Series for a Book Talk & Signing on Monday, March 29, 2011 from 7pm-9pm.

This is the first time I have attended one of these lectures/events at the University of South Florida ("USF") and I'm glad I did. Beginning in 1986, the ULS, "a student-supported program designed to develop intellectual potential and present interesting and relevant information on a variety of scholastic and community oriented interests",has hosted such speakers as Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Reverend Jesse Jackson, RENT star Anthony Rapp, Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry's, Martin Luther King III, Meghan McCain and even Bill Nye, the Science Guy! Ms. Skloot was the final guest in the 2010-2011 series and I'm anxiously waiting for the 2011-2012 series to be posted...I would definitely like to do this more often!

As far as the book talk itself, Rebecca Skloot is just as awesome a speaker as she is a researcher and writer. When charmingly tells of her experiences with the Lacks family, especially her relationship with Deborah Lacks, while delving into the the more bio-technical aspects of her work in a coherent and understandable way. I also admire her grace and friendliness as she signed all those books.

Only a small portion of the book signing line!

She even posed for a picture with my daughter!

My daughter with the author

What continues to amaze me about The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks is the impact it is having on all ages. Here are some examples:

* "The Henrietta Lacks Foundation strives to provide financial assistance to needy individuals who have made important contributions to scientific research without personally benefitting from those contributions, particularly those used in research without their knowledge or consent. The Foundation gives those who have benefited from those contributions -- including scientists, universities, corporations, and the general public -- a way to show their appreciation to such research subjects and their families."

* On February 17, 2011, the Virginia House of Delegates issued House Resoulution No. 74, declaring "be it RESOLVED that the House of Delegates, during Black History Month, celebrate the life of Henrietta Lacks, in honor of all who have ever faced discrimination & exploitation, & her amazing legacy, which has altered medical research & care & relieved the suffering of untold millions."

* Laurette Johnson, a teacher at Mount Carmel Christian School in Stone Mountain, GA, had her students perform this touching tribute to Henrietta, the Lacks family and of course to Ms. Skloot herself, showing how this issue is inspiring understanding amongst today's youth as well.

Many thanks to Ms. Skloot for taking time to visit us here in Tampa and talking to all of us about your incredible book!

Attn All Smart Phone UsersScan for Immediate Florida Culture Talk

2011-03-23T06:04:00.000-04:00

Renaissance/Medieval Lore + Fantasy = Renaissance Fest Fun!A Slide Show

2011-03-09T19:14:00.000-05:00

In all the years, I've never been to a Renaissance Festival. So when my husband told me that this year he wanted to go to the annual Bay Area Renaissance Festival at MOSI in Tampa, I was very excited!

The following is a photo "montage" of my Renaissance adventure, the photos coming to you courtesy of my husband and my 16-year-old daughter. Thanks to both of you!

Salvador Dali, Reborn! A Wild Dali-esque Museum Promo

2011-03-09T17:51:00.000-05:00

How bizarre! But then again, the surrealist master wouldn't have it any other way! Can't wait to visit the new Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, FL...

Pasco Spine Doc & a Kidnapped Ballerina?!?Art Scandal in the Sunshine State

2011-03-06T07:57:00.001-05:00

Theft...forgery...suspicious international engagements...legal entanglements - yes, art can be a source of crime & intrigue as much as anything else and it looks like the Sunshine State has its share of artsy scandal. Take a look at this article about Dr. Alfred Bonati, owner of a Pasco County Spine Clinic, and what he claims is his Degas Ballerina.

Doctor's legal battle reveals potential art trove - St. Petersburg Times

Of course the jury is still out on authenticity and rightful possession, but here are some of the facts that make me wonder...

* When Dr. Bonati and John McInnis III (of a well-known Alabama road & bridge building family) arrive at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport carrying "The Ballerina", McInnes felt it necessary to carry a gun...

* After customs seized the painting, Bonati hired a Miami-based law firm to get the painting back. According to the law firm, "they were also hired to help him bring in 26 other paintings, purportedly by such masters as Da Vinci, Rembrandt and Picasso, worth, by Bonati's estimate, more than $1 billion"...

* Bonati was carrying $10,000 in cash that he did not declare to U.S. Customs, as required by law...

* According to the article, there are also sorts of strange going-ons with the law firms..broken promises, arrangements that were not honored, etc - take a look at the article for more details...

...AND THE VERDICT IS???? It will be interesting to see what happens.

Kookaburra. K-O-O-K-A-B-U-R-R-A. KookaburraWould you be able to spell it?

2011-03-06T07:10:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to 12-year-old Tommy Foster from Carrollwood, Florida for winning the Tampa Bay regional spelling bee for the second consecutive year!

Carrollwood student repeats as regional spelling bee champion - St. Petersburg Times

Now, onward to Washington D.C. for the Scripps National Spelling Bee!

Hiassen wins Florida Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing

2011-03-04T18:24:00.000-05:00

"Carl Hiaasen, a best-selling author who virtually invented the Florida Noir mystery genre, has won the 2011 Florida Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing. The award will be presented on March 23 in Tallahassee at a special luncheon held at the Governor’s Mansion.

A Florida native who began as a Miami Herald reporter at age 23, Hiaasen has received wide recognition in journalism, commentary, and literature. He has published both fiction and nonfiction, and his work has been translated into 34 languages. Hiaasen, who turns 58 on March 11, has produced a dozen novels,
three books for young readers, two works of nonfiction, and two collections of his Miami Herald columns—which he still writes on a weekly basis...."

Read more about it in the Florida Humanities Council press release titled Carl Hiassen Wins Florida Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing.

Floridian Literary Genius AboundsFlorida Book Awards

2011-03-02T09:29:00.000-05:00

"The Florida Book Awards exists for one purpose--to honor the best work written by Florida authors in the previous year. Begun in 2006, the Florida Book Awards is the most comprehensive state book awards program in the United States, and the only one with a Spanish Language category. The successes and growth the Florida Book Awards have enjoyed in the last five years are testimony to the quality of authorship and the rich culture of books that exists and continues to prosper in the Sunshine State."

Check them out at Florida Book Awards: honoring the best works by Florida authors.

Ponce de Leon's Cousin Alive & Well & Living in Bradenton??Perhaps...

2011-02-22T09:21:00.002-05:00

An interesting piece on Florida's living history -

Is Ponce de Leon's cousin living quietly in Bradenton? Maybe

More World Art NewsOld SOUP??

2010-12-15T06:30:00.002-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Well, I guess you need to have soup with your Chinese noodles, right?
Chinese noodle dinner buried for 2,500 years

World Art NewsRoman-era statue discovered after storm in Israel

2010-12-15T06:24:00.001-05:00

Archaeology is alive and well...with natural forces exposing Roman-style antiquities in Israel! This 1700-year old headless marble statue of a woman, exposed by a storm in Israel, "was found buried in the sand by a resident walking near the shore in the southern city of Ashkelon. The mosaic floor of what is believed to have been a Roman bathhouse was also found."

Check out the article and photos of this really cool discovery -

Roman-era statue discovered after storm in Israel

Electrician Stuns Art World with Trove of Picasso Works of Art; Heirs Not Convinced

2010-12-06T11:40:00.000-05:00

Why can't I find 271 original Picasso paintings in my gararge? Or at least Van Goghs?

Electrician Stuns Art World with Trove of Picasso Works of Art; Heirs Not Convinced

Expert Says Michelangelo Drew Inspiration from Brothels to Paint Frescoes in Sistine Chapel

2010-12-06T11:33:00.000-05:00

Bathroom grafitti at it's best! An interesting alternative look at Michelangelo's inspiration for the paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel...

Expert Says Michelangelo Drew Inspiration from Brothels to Paint Frescoes in Sistine Chapel

Dragged to Hell by the testicles?? Now that IS a punishment!!

Halloween, Part 2 The Witch in Art (Beware those naked witches!)

2010-10-29T22:56:00.001-04:00

Witch Riding Backwards on a Goat, Albrecht Durer (German, 1471-1528), engraving, 1500-1501

Just some really cool art images of the "witch" throughout the years. Happy Halloween!

Krishna-Abhisarika Nayika, Nayika meets a witch and snakes on the way to meet her lover, Early 19th century Indian miniature painting (Period - Rajput, Pahari, Kangra school), ink and color on paper, 9 5/8 x 7 3/8 inches

The Torture of a Witch, Francisco de Goya

Weather Witches: det.: standing witch, Hans Baldung, 1523

Whither, old woman, whither so high-- to rake the cobwebs from the sky?. W.A. Rogers (1854-1931), ca. 1924, Witch, "Scandal monger," dressed as Dame Democracy, flying over United States Capitol on "muck rake."

The Water Witch, oil on panel, 17 3/4 x 12 1/2 (Sight) in., John Archibald Woodside (American, 1781-1852)

Augusta Hartt in witch's costume and Mrs. Wellman in a pilgrim costume, holding a book, creator unknown, photographs/gelatin silver prints, non-projected black & white photographs, 1936

Pumpkin, acrylic on canvas, 1992, Lutz Bacher

Permission granted by ARTstor, under the terms of usage of images for non-commercial, educational/informational purposes only.

Halloween, Part 1 The Real Truth Behind the Costumes, Tricks & Treats

2010-10-29T22:01:00.003-04:00

Happy Halloween to one and all!

Here's a little history of this hauntingly fun holiday...

Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater & his...Pumpkin boat??Pumpkin Regatta=Ultimate Jack-O-Lantern!

2010-10-11T20:36:00.000-04:00

So...you like the art of good ol' pumpkin carving? Well here's a FUN way to take pumpkin carving to the next level...

With Halloween 2010 is only weeks away, I thought I'd look into Floridian pumpkin and Halloween art. Well, the first thing I came across in at Tampabay.com is actually an annual event in, of all places, Damariscotta, Maine - the Pumpkin Regatta! You actually get to carve out a giant pumpkin, get inside it and paddle it around a watery course, hopefully faster than everyone else...we should have one of these in Florida (although gators just might like the taste of pumpkin!!)

More John...All You Need is Love!

2010-10-09T18:24:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday, John Lennon!Google Doodle at its Best!!

2010-10-09T07:53:00.001-04:00

My Alphabetic Challenge taken to next level

2010-10-03T08:36:00.001-04:00

The alphabetic challenge that I discussed in "A" is for "Armed Forces Military Museum in Largo" and "B" is for Baseball in Retro Photography has not been abandoned. However, you will not be seeing that particular series here for now since it's all part of another writing endeavor of mine.

More info to come at a later date...but in the meantime, there's lots more Floridian culture to come right here. :)

Incredible Turnout at "Race for a Cure Event" in St. Pete

2010-10-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

Thinking Pink in the Sunshine StateA tata tribute in all shapes and sizes, statewide!

2010-10-01T23:32:00.005-04:00

Breasts are a hot topic!

There's lots of talk about Breast Cancer Awareness Month. ...and sure, I've posted my virtual pink ribbon and my virtual bra on Facebook to show mammary solidarity. This is a wonderful way to open up dialogue about this important issue on a social level. Of course, in addition to this virtual show of solidarity, there are many many concerned people actively drawing attention to this cause through social, cultural, physical and educational activities, and Floridians are no exception. I am just going to focus on a few of these Sunshine State efforts here, although I am by no means being all-inclusive and I certainly not intentionally excluding any efforts. Feel free to tell us about other efforts in the comments.

First let's take a look at the Tampa Bay area:

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure 10K/5K/1 Mile/Fun Run/Walk in Vinoy Park in St. Petersburg (Suncoast Chapter)

I actually do have a personal interest in this event since I will be running in it tomorrow.

More to come after the festivities...

So what's happening in South Florida?

Well, over on the east coast...

Friday, October 15. 2010 - VIPink Miami Presented by Sports Authority

Wow! This one sounds yummy! Can't beat a culinary fundraiser, especially when there is sushi involved. The proceeds benefit Bright Pink, a non-profit organization providing education, support and a sense of community to young women at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

And on the west coast...

Pink is hot! Fire hot! So hot that even the fire trucks are PINK! On Sunday, September 26. 2010, the Cape Coral firefighter raised funds to fight cancer through participation in the Pink Heals Tour. The Guardians of the Ribbons, a group of firefighters, police officers and leaders in the community whose purpose is to raise awareness and money for the fight against breast cancer, were busy in Cape Coral last weekend touring the Cape and visiting homes of cancer patients in their beautiful pink firetrucks. The Pink Heals Tour has been busy in Florida in the past few weeks, also visiting locations in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando, raising at least $207,000 for breast cancer support, with 50% of the proceeds going to local families falling victim to breast cancer, and the other 50% going to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

You can follow the Pink Heals Tour - Guardians of the Ribbon on Facebook.

What about the Panhandle?

Yup, they care about boobular health up in Northern Florida too! So much so that 'Bras Over Bay', an incredible monument to the all-mighty brassiere. has been erected in Panama City. Thus "bra-ument" consists of approximately 6000 donated bras attached together and suspended by two cranes, hanging about four-stories high and is meant to catch people's eyes and remind women to get regularly checked for breast cancer. According to The Walton Sun, "There are several other breast cancer awareness events that will take place during the month of October including the Think Pink Breast Cancer Survivor Fashion Show. The fashion show will feature breast cancer survivor models, and the free event will be Oct. 5 at the Arnold High School Auditorium, 550 N. Alf Coleman Road in Panama City Beach. To RSVP to the fashion show, call 747-3600. In addition, the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk will be presented by Women’s Imaging Center at Bay Radiology on Oct. 9 at Aaron Bessant Park in Panama City Beach. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the walk begins at 9:30 a.m. To learn more about the walk or to sign up online, visit makingstrides.acsevents.org/panamacity."

From fitness and sushi, to pink firetrucks and bras in public art, Floridians are stepping up to the plate and finding creative ways to inspire awareness and support for breast cancer research.

An Alphabetic Challenge - "B" is for Baseball in Retro Photography

2010-09-23T23:40:00.001-04:00

Just realized that I statused three times in an 8-hour period on Facebook...way, way too many times, without a doubt! Then I realized what must be done...must get back to blogging. So here goes...

The return of my self-blogging challenge - the ABCs of Florida Arts & Culture. Remember - I wanted to see how many times I can make it all the way through the alphabet, exploring the Sunshine State, Culturally Speaking? That was back on August 4th in "A" is for "Armed Forces Military Museum in Largo" . Now I'm finally up to "B."

So..."B" is for Baseball? An example of the Sunshine State, culturally speaking? I'll have to say yes and Florida Memory of the State Library and Archives of Florida agrees - "Floridians love baseball and the game reciprocates. It’s a relationship dating back 100 years and shows no sign of waning. Aside from being played feverishly across the sunshine state’s 58,000 plus square miles, Florida sports two major league franchises and fourteen minor league baseball clubs. It hosts seventeen spring training sites—the most of any state—an annual rite which began in 1888. The Florida Marlins, Miami’s 14-year-old expansion team, has won baseball’s World Series twice: 1997 and 2003." So, with this in mind, it seems only natural that Florida Memory has created a photographic history of baseball in Florida - Batter Up! A Visual History of Baseball in Florida - which chronicles "small towns, colleges and schools, country outings, training camps and even prisons."

This photographic exploration is lots of fun! Not only does it take the "visitor" through photos of teams, players, women and fields, it also brings us back to a time when baseball was less influenced by the media and by the sponsors...and it just shows some really neat views of Floridian baseball memories from days gone by. I really like all of them, but below are links to some of my personal favorites:

PR00661 -De Land baseball team picture

PR07329 - Motion picture actors and crew picture

PR22045 - New York Mets pitcher Ed Lynch at Burger King baseball clinic held at Miami-Dade Community College

c009840-Mary Rountree playing baseball in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League : Opalocka, Florida

These are just a few...

So take yourself out to the ballgames of Florida's past through this photographic retrospective!

Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art.

~ Ansel Adams

More art history under consideration...

2010-09-20T19:10:00.000-04:00

What? I haven't blogged since August 15th? Wow, time sure does fly!

But I haven't abandoned Sunshine State Culture...just been on a little hiatus while trying to figure some stuff out. As my interest in art history keeps on growing, I have been trying to decide whether or not to do some post-Masters graduate work in that area. Not necessarily doctoral work at this point, but enough credits for both personal & professional growth. For a number of reasons, this is a big decision for me...but in the meantime, stay tuned for more "Sunshine State, Culturally Speaking."

Rays Summer Concert Series:Terrific Train at the Trop!

2010-08-15T20:54:00.002-04:00

Lead singer, Pat Monahan

singing "Hey, Soul Sister" (Don't worry! Pat said he is confused & amused that "Hey, Soul Sister" is now on the "10 Great Songs" list on Country Radio...but he accepted this honor by wearing a cowboy hat for a bit!)

Once again the normally white dome of Tropicana Field was glowing orange after an exciting Rays win (Rays 7, Orioles 3, with two home runs courtesy of catcher Kelly Shoppach, one of which was a Grand Slam!) and the Rays Summer Concert Series was underway with the most excellent Pat Monahan and the band Train.

Left to right: Scott Underwood (Drummer), Pat Monahan (lead singer), Jimmy Stafford (guitarist)

According to The Official Train Site, "over the course of 15 years, Train has made its mark on music history with their Grammy-Award-winning song "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" and chart-topping singles "Meet Virginia" and "Calling All Angels." Since forming in San Francisco in 1994, the multi-platinum selling band has traveled a long, successful and sometimes arduous journey. Following their 2006 release, For Me, It's You, the band took a three-year hiatus, and in that time, Train has, for all intents and purposes, experienced an epiphany as a whole. Now, with their fifth album, Save Me San Francisco, Train has channeled their early days, revisiting the roots rock sound that has made the band such a tour de force – and, in turn, the band is united stronger than ever before." They sure are "stronger than ever before." This is one of those bands that is just fantastic in concert! Not only did they sound great but Monahan was awesome when it came to interacting with his fans. This was first evident when he invited some really "short girl fans" on the stage to sing with him (thus of course evoking the "awwwwww, that's the sweetest thing" response from all the Mom fan set). So cute! Then the crowd was electrified as the band ran around the entire exterior of the field singing "Marry Me", giving the camera crew and the security guards the biggest workout of the evening!

It was an all around great night, from the Rays win to this fun concert. So glad that the Rays organization hosts this concert series, bringing two of my favorite things - baseball and music- into one venue in such an entertaining way!

Tell me did you sail across the sun
Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated

But tell me, did you fall for a shooting star
One without a permanent scar
And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there

"Drops of Jupiter", Train

* Thank you, Elayna, for sharing your Macro Land World of Macro Photography with me for use in this blog entry!

Finally a way to weed out those annoying chains of obscene Chinese keywords!! Thank you Blogger.com!

2010-08-13T17:43:00.003-04:00

Spam Inbox

Signs, sign, everywhere a signFlorida Sign Art, 8/6/2010

2010-08-06T08:02:00.000-04:00

Florida Postcard Fridays, 8/6/2010

2010-08-06T07:52:00.000-04:00

This is actually one of the most favorited postcards that I have sent via Postcrossing, especially in Germany for some reason!

Zephyrhills is a city in Pasco County, Florida with a population of 10,833 as of the 2000 census. Zephyrhills is also known as the headquarters of the Zephyrhills bottled water company.

Zephyr Park is a nice little community park with walking trails around the lake, many ducks and other waterfowl, open and sheltered picnic areas, a playground and water park for the kiddies, a tennis court and some awesome trees. A great place to stroll and bring the family!

An Alphabetic Challenge - "A" is for "Armed Forces Military Museum in Largo"

2010-08-04T21:28:00.000-04:00

This is the first in a new blogging challenge for me...the ABCs of Florida Arts & Culture. Let's see how many times I can make it all the way through the alphabet, exploring the Sunshine State, Culturally Speaking.

Patriotism abounds in the Floridian museum scene, as is evident by the presence of the Armed Forces Military Museum in the Pinellas County city of Largo. Founded in 1996 by local businessman and history buff John J. Piazza, Sr., this is one of the largest, non-government funded museums in the State of Florida. Included in the regular exhibits are "completed displays reflecting WWI, an extensive display of Japanese memorabilia associated with the WWII attack on Pearl Harbor, displays of the USMC in the South Pacific, D-Day landings, German Third Reich, Korean War and 8063rd M.A.S.H memorabilia. Exhibits are enhanced with simulations of smoke, sounds of airplanes and tanks, and other audio/visual effects. These effects will make you feel you are part of the action...Future displays will represent the Cold War, Vietnam, Desert Storm (Saudi Arabia), Afghanistan and Iraq. Among the numerous vehicles, equipment and memorabilia – three of the many outstanding artifacts are a wooden cross-bow used in Vietnam, a Ford M151 experimental utility truck, and the only known full service uniform of Saddam Hussein in the United States." Outside the museum, there is a beautifully landscaped memorial walk and garden where important individual are remembered.

Click HERE for information on planning your visit.

I really believe that this is a good way to start my Alphabet Challenge. Many young people, my son included, base their view of military glory on video games such as Medal of Honor for Wii. Sure, those games are action-packed and fun, but important places such as this teach about real live military history and deserving Medal of Honor heroes, especially with the Pentagon recommending awarding the Medal of Honor to a living soldier for the first time since the Vietnam War (He "ran through a wall of enemy fire in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley in fall 2007 in an attempt to push back Taliban fighters who were close to overrunning his squad. U.S. military officials said his actions saved the lives of about half a dozen men.")!

Animation as Art"Despicable Me!" is Awesome!

2010-07-30T22:06:00.000-04:00

Just when I was starting to think that no animated movies have even come close to being a true classic since Shrek, along comes Despicable Me! No spoilers...just a gentle nudge to SEE IT! :)

Minions Rule!

Florida Postcard Fridays

2010-07-30T07:32:00.000-04:00

To celebrate the art of Floridian postcards, here is the first of the "Florida Postcard Fridays" Series. ...and this time this appropriately surreal postcard from the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida actually revolves around art. You can see part of my favorite Dali in the "I"...The Hallucinogenic Toreador.

(Proud member of the Postcrossing community since October 2010)

Florida Memory ProjectDon't forget about gator wrestling & ice cream sundae diving!

2010-07-29T14:04:00.006-04:00

(If you read nothing else here, scroll down to the video of the Little Miss Universe Contestants Demolishing the giant ice cream sundae in Miami Beach! It's a true work of art!!)

"Florida Memory presents a selection of historical records that illustrate significant moments in Florida history, educational resources for students of all ages and archival collections for historical research. The Project utilizes selected original records, photographs and other materials from the collections of the State Library and Archives of Florida."

(LOL! "Florida...where you get school credit for learning to water ski!")

This is a fun website! Organized and maintained by the State Library and Archives of Florida, the idea behind the Florida Memory Project is to make a collection of primary records illustrating significant moments in the state's history available to the greatest audience possible. There are FIVE primary components of Florida Memory, including the Florida Photographic Collection, an Online Classroom (great resource for educators out there), Highlights of Florida History, Collections and a Timeline.

I actually was first led to this website when I discovered that, before Hollywood, Jacksonville was a center of the silent film industry from 1908 through 1918. A cool piece of cultural history that has been brought to life by Florida Memory with the preserved clip from a crazy slapstick 1916 Oliver Hardy film called "Bouncing Baby". Click HERE for the full length version or check out the short clip below for the a bizarre, somewhat surreal silent movie experience...and remember, it all happened here in Florida!

This is just one of those sites that has so much information on it and you just need to explore to discover that which interests you. There is so much to learn about history, culture, the arts, geography, the environment, etc., that it should appeal to a wide range of people. In terms of the arts and culture, I found tidbits from the Florida Folk Festival of 1955, the Florida Folk Arts Conference of 1978, and much more.

But, beyond the arts, I'm personally partial to the film clip showing "contestants in the Little Miss Universe contest voraciously devouring the World’s Largest Sundae floating atop a small raft in the pool of the Carillon Hotel in Miami Beach. In the process, they end up coating themselves in chocolate and digging into the desert with their bare hands. When they have finished, Chef Casey Sinkeldam woefully inspects the remnants of his creation. Produced by the Florida Development Commission."

Now THAT'S culture, baby! :-D

...and of course a sight about Florida culture would not be complete without some good 'ol fashioned gator & anaconda wrestling at the Ross Allen Reptile Institute (this is actually dedicated to my nature-bound Floridian Geocaching friends!):

YIKES!!!!

To follow the State Archives of Florida on Facebook, click HERE.

Classic Florida Postcard Art

2010-07-28T21:30:00.000-04:00

Postcards capture a snapshot of the local culture & environment ... and then fly off to far off lands to share the local with the foreign, bringing the world closer together. Florida is no exception and this is captured in this collection of 80 vintage Florida postcards, featured in the Orlando Sentinel:

Photos: Greetings from Florida -- classic postcards

Here are some vintage Florida postcards that I've collected, mostly from the antique dealer dude in the Big Top Flea Market in Thonotosassa, Florida.

Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine, Florida

Americana Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida (1960s)

Historic Ybor City, Tampa, Florida

Thanks to Postcrossing for the inspiration for this blog entry, as well as other great postcard blogs, such as My Way of Seeing the World. Stay tuned for more Sunshine State Postcard Art on "Florida Postcard Fridays."

Mmmm....Egyptian Chocolate Cake!"Cooking is an art, but you eat it too."~Marcella Hazan

2010-07-27T15:34:00.001-04:00

"Cookery is naturally the most ancient of the arts, as of all arts it is the most important."
George Ellwanger (1848-1906), 'Pleasures of the Table' (1902)

Every semester, when I teach Non-Western Humanities at St. Petersburg College, I allow the students to celebrate all their hard work learning about the humanities of non-western cultures via a "Foods of the World" Fair on the last day of class. If they choose to participate , they can earn extra credit as long as they bring in food from another culture, submit the recipe as well as a description of how this particular food exemplifies that culture. It's fun and non-competitive, but this semester there was a winner in terms of "yummy-ness"...

And first prize goes to...

EGYPTIAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Although there are several variations of this recipe, the following is the recipe provided by my student. Coffee is a main ingredient in this and many other Egyptian dishes (although it is barely noticeable taste-wise) due to the popularity of coffee in Egyptian culture.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp, baking soda

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup dark cocoa powder, unsweetened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup strong, black coffee

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Stir together flour, sugar, baking soda and cocoa powder into a bowl.

3. Add oil and eggs.

4. Stir to combine, then add milk and black coffee.

5. Stir until the batter is smooth then, in greased 9x13" pan, smooth evenly.

6. Bake at 350-degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

But of course it was only Egyptian culture represented amongst these delicious recipes. We also experienced the tastes of India...

ALOO TIKKI

INDIAN SPICED RICE TREATS

...along with some Moroccan cuisine...

MOROCCAN SWEET AND SPICY EGGPLANT

Not to mention some spectacular delicacies from China, Japan, and the Philippines!

"The preparation of good food is merely another expression of art, one of the joys of civilized living"
Dione Lucas

(This is just a cool picture I discovered of food representing culture and art from the Sydney International Food Festival)

How to turn $45 million into $200 million Find Ansel Adams at a Garage Sale!

2010-07-27T09:57:00.001-04:00

"Rick Norsigian's hobby of picking through piles of unwanted items at garage sales in search of antiques has paid off for the Fresno, California, painter."

Ansel Adams photos found at garage sale worth $200 million, according to this CNN report.

Wow! Why I can't I find stuff like this while rummaging through the knick-knacks and doo-dads at garage sales & flea markets?

Garza has Rays first no-hitter | The Heater : Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field, Evan Longoria | tampabay.com, St. Petersburg Times

2010-07-26T22:16:00.002-04:00

Garza has Rays first no-hitter | The Heater : Tampa Bay Rays, Tropicana Field, Evan Longoria | tampabay.com, St. Petersburg Times

It may not be art in the traditional sense, but baseball is undeniably culture of sorts, and when one of our own brings no-hitter glory home to Tampa Bay, it can't go unmentioned here, right?

...and the dome at the Trop is glowing a lovely shade of orange tonight...very artistic indeed! ;-)

Gee Wiz! Bring the GPS ADVENTURES MAZE to G Wiz Science Museum

2010-07-22T09:01:00.000-04:00

A very good friend of mine has started a petition to Bring the GPS Adventures Maze to G Wiz Science Museum. What a great way to combine the wonders of GPS technology with an interactive learning experience in a Floridian museum environment!

So what's this all about? Well, according to Minotaur Maze Exhibits, "GPS technology is changing the way we live. It can be found in surprising places from automobiles to cell phones and is the backbone of the global treasure hunting game called Geocaching. Geo-what-ing? Geo-caching." Hold on, I'll take it from here...Geocaching is a worldwide, high-tech treasure hunting game which involves using a GPSr to locate hidden container called geocaches that are hidden somewhere outdoors. These hides can be anywhere from the swamps, forests, and mountaintops, to local parks, beaches and any number of urban locales. Then the idea is to share these experiences online at the Geocaching website. Not only is this a great way to play with GPS technology, it is also a most awesome way to get out into nature, explore the world and meet lots and lots of really cool people. But I digress...

A GPS Adventures Maze is just one of the many geocaching options out there, but they are few and far between so this makes the possibility of bringing one to Florida even more exciting. Here's an overview of the maze itself (Minotaur Maze Exhibits):

"Get lost in the maze and learn how to find your way using GPS! Visitors simulate a GPS adventure using a unique stamp card that leads each visitor to their own Treasure City. By collecting all 4 stamps, the visitor successfully simulates how a GPS unit locks into 4 satellites to determine a location.
But wait, you’re in a maze! After navigating around impassable obstacles including waterfalls, cliffs, and ravines, you’ll solve cache puzzles in four environments: city, local park, back-country and a historic site to find secret codes and gain access to each of four content-rich satellite rooms:
Satellite Room 1: The History of Navigation – Traditional navigation is complicated. GPS makes it easy.
Satellite Room 2: The Great Outdoors – The outdoors are for everyone. Be prepared, go play and LEAVE NO TRACE.
Satellite Room 3: GPS Today – Geocaching is a hot new GPS-enabled sport of treasure hunting.
Satellite Room 4: The Future of GPS – GPS is changing the way we live.

Once all four stamps are collected, visitors will discover their Treasure City at the World Map Station and can embark on an actual GPS adventure. "

So why is this a good idea?

1. Florida geocachers are awesome and we love opportunities for fun adventures like this in our own backyard! (Ok, so I'm biased...but it's true! :D)

2. This is a wonderful opportunity for both geocachers and non-geocachers (known as "muggles" in geocaching-ese) to learn navigation & GPS technology through a live-action, interactive experience, enhance critical thinking skills and memory retention, and to just get up, get moving, get exploring and discover the wonderful world of geocaching.

3. This is a chance to explore another one of Florida's museums, in this case G.WIZ, The Science Museum, located in the lovely Gulf Coast city of Sarasota, where fun, sun and culture abound.

4. Florida tourism has been suffering due to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, even though much of the Florida coast has not been impacted. The coast of Sarasota is fortunately one such city. Geocachers often travel far and wide to find rare categories of caches, so there is a good chance this would attract out-of-state folks to visit. It may not make a huge impact on tourism, but it certainly can't hurt!

So, if you want to help on this crusade to bring the GPS Adventures Maze to Florida, please click HERE and sign the petition.

The Orlando Sentinel has been reading my mind!Cultural suggestions for a hot day in FL

2010-07-19T07:06:00.000-04:00

The Orlando Sentinel has published an interactive Florida Museum Guide on its website. Here you can find links to approximately 40 museums located throughout the state of Florida. Very helpful to both Florida residents and tourists! To check out this guide, click HERE.

Which ones have you visited? What did you think?

Haitian Apathy? Remembrance, Installment #2Local St. Pete youth making a difference with...Soccer!

2010-07-17T10:57:00.000-04:00

(Ok, so occasionally the Mouse likes to make an appearance :D)

Hug spawns local soccer standout's Many Hearts, One Goal foundation to help Haitian players

I know I've said this before, but once again it fits... sometimes the effort of people to help one another is an art unto itself. And sometimes it comes from the most unlikely sources...even from Soccer! Such is the case with the young lady from St. Petersburg, FL, Bryane Heaberlin, who combined hugs and soccer to create the Many Hearts One Goal Foundation, whose mission is "to bring hope of a better life to Haitians through the game of soccer." ...and to succeed by bringing a group of young Haitian soccer players to the Disney Cup International Tournament this week is quite an accomplishment on the part of Ms. Heaberlin!

Haitian Apathy? Remembrance, Installment #1Keeping Haitian artistic vision alive

2010-07-17T10:56:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti. Remember that?

Of course we do! Yet, there has been much discussion lately about how the world is suffering from post-earthquake amnesia as time goes on. According to a CNN investigative report, most governments that have promised money to helped rebuild the suffering nation have never been delivered. "Donors promised $5.3 billion at an aid conference in March, about two months after the earthquake -- but less than 2 percent of that money has been handed over so far to the United Nations-backed body set up to handle it. Only four countries have paid anything at all: Brazil, Norway, Estonia and Australia.
The United States pledged $1.15 billion. It has paid nothing, with the money tied up in the congressional appropriations process. Venezuela promised even more -- $1.32 billion. It has also paid nothing, although it has written off some of Haiti's debt..."

Not having the knowledge to do so, I will not begin to point fingers at specific world leaders, the politicians, the media. etc. It just isn't that simple...but all this talk has re-awakened me to the plight of the Haitians and in the process has led me to some interesting discoveries about the state of the Haitian arts.

When the earthquake struck Haiti back in January, the arts were devastated along with everything else as the Episcopal cathedral of the Holy Trinity, located in Port-au-Prince, collapsed. Sadly, this led to the destruction of some incredible murals painted during the 1940s by great Haitian Renaissance artists as Philomé Obin, Castera Basile, Rigaud Benoit, Wilson Bigaud, & Prefete Duffaut (check out some of this art by the way...very cool stuff!). Not a mere art appreciation fact...according to Out of Ruin, Haiti's Visionaries, the lush, fruit-colored heavens depicted in these murals "helped turn a politically volatile nation into a tourist destination, and art itself into an export industry." Other Haitian artistic institutions have also suffered destruction..."the Centre d’Art, where these artists once met with André Breton, Aimé Césaire and Wifredo Lam, was seriously damaged, as was the Musée d’Art Haitien. Catastrophically, many of the 12,000 Haitian works, accumulated over half a century, in the Musée/Galerie d’art Nader were lost when the building that housed them, a family home, disintegrated." Any art that has been recovered from these sites has been placed in containers and nearly all these items will require conservation. Of course than there is the issue of the art outside of the traditional museum venue, public art for instance, the recovery of which is much more difficult, impossible in some cases. And this applies to the fate of religious voodoo art, which has its roots in "West Africa, where at some point it met up with European Christianity and, later, in the Caribbean, through the Atlantic slave trade, with indigenous New World religions." The New York Times article gave a great description of these arts:

"These are dedicated to specific voodoo deities, often embodied in a printed picture or statuette of a Christian saint, around which is distributed a purposefully crowded array of devotional objects and substances including dolls, Buddhas, Roman Catholic holy cards, playing cards, political portraits, satin-swathed bottles, perfume atomizers, rosaries, carved phalluses, Masonic diagrams, candles, kerchiefs, money, mirrors, fruit, rum, flowers and human and animal skulls.The largest altars are often in voodoo temples, which can be rooms in homes or shedlike congregational spaces that are decorated with wall paintings and sequined ritual flags called drapo.Wherever it is, the altar is a total, balanced work of religious art, a model of good ritual housekeeping. At the same time, it is unfixed: kinetic and ephemeral, meant to be added to and removed from, to be tasted, touched, lighted, adorned, fanned and fed."

Art such as this generally is not conducive to the museum environment and is generally found tucked away in such place as alleys, basements and garages throught Port-au-Prince and beyond. So it is hard to determine how much of this was lost in the Port-au-Prince quake.

Art, however, persists and even reinvents itself, even in the face of disaster. For instance, Myrlande Constant, a Haitian artisan of ornate and incredibly dense beaded voodoo flags used purely for decorative purposes. is back at work in a borrowed studio after over a month of camping out with her family in Port-au-Prince. Mask maker and painter Civil Didier is now living and painting in New York after being left homeless in Jacmel. Professor Donald J. Cosentino, who specialized in African and diaspora literature and folklore at U.C.L.A. has changed the name of his sequel in 1995 Vodou Art Show from "Haiti in Extremis" to “Haiti in Extremis: After the Apocalypse.”

"So would art being created in direct response to the disaster. In other words, this would be a project whose shape and contents are, like life in Haiti, in the making and unpredictable."

Haiti 1804 :: Nazaire :: Haitian Superflat :: Haitian Mural @ Yahoo! Video

"Pwoblem Mwen - Haiti 1804 Art Video Slide Haitian Art by Nazaire Style :: Haitian Superflat About the Mural: "1804" was a very large mural - 16 feet wide x 6.5 feet - mixed media oil pastels, acrylics, cut paper on black board. "1804" is my tribute to Haiti / Haitians. Themes: The beauty of Haiti. The Suffering of Haitians. Refugees "Boat People" sent back home to die, or found drowning for a dream... I worked on this over 2 years from 2000 to 2002. Only the Neg Mawon section is left. I use it on prints and posters sold online at zazzle. I featured Top Adlerman's Pwoblem Mwen as the music because I really respect Top Adlerman as an artist. Watcha krazem! Hope you enjoy the video - Nazaire"

Another moving trinute to Steinbrenner's local philanthropy

2010-07-16T10:30:00.001-04:00

Just an addendum to Beyond Baseball & Bluster: Memorializing Tampa's Great Philanthropist, George Steinbrenner (1930-2010):

Double Rainbow DeluxeSummer Florida rain creates the prettiest art!

2010-07-15T19:20:00.002-04:00

Marc's photography, Wesley Chapel, Florida, 7/15/2010

Foreign Cultural ExchangeWaking up to 'Sumo's Shady Underbelly'?!?

2010-07-15T09:45:00.005-04:00

ca. 15th century

Woke up this morning and I'm greeted by Sumo Wrestlers. No, not Sumo wrestler in my house (whew!), not in Tampa, not even in Florida....traditional Japanese Sumo wrestlers featured on my internet homepage! So what do I do (that is, after the initial shock of the early morning Sumo images, of course)...I get to thinking about how other cultures entertain themselves through such outlets as sports, theatre, etc....and now here I am blogging about Sumo wrestling. I am almost dropped the issue, thinking I was just losing it, but then I figured, why stop now...Weird, huh?

The article itself talks about how Scandals expose sumo's shady underbelly. The Sumo wrestlers are making front page news because these national Japanese icons are gambling, engaging in outside-the-ring violence and recreational drug use on a wide scale level. This is more than just an unusual feature story to start your day...it's a shame since according to the msnbc.com article, "sumo is more than a sport to Japan. It's like a religion, a bastion of traditional culture and a matter of national pride. Wrestlers aren't just athletes — they are icons, role models and, often, larger-than-life heroes." When figures that serve as youth role models, whether they be athletes, actors, pop stars, etc., get involved in these types of activities, a loss of innocence ensues.

Of course, because of this article, I just had to get some more background about how Sumo Wrestling became this "bastion of traditional culture and a matter of national pride." According to History of Sumo Wrestling, "The earliest written mention of sumo is found in the Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters), a book from the year 712, which is the oldest extant example of Japanese writing. The Kojiki relates a legend about how possession of the Japanese islands was determined by a sumo match. According to the book, about 2,500 years ago, the gods Takemikazuchi and Takeminakata grappled on the shores of Izumo along the Japan Sea coast in what is now Shimane-ken, until the latter finally lost. Thus control of the archipelago was ceded to the Japanese people led by Takemikazuchi, who is said to have established the imperial family from which the present emperor traces his ancestry." Even though there are no written records indicating when and even if Sumo originated in Japan, prehistoric wall paintings indicate the antiquity of the sport, and like so many ancient rituals, appear to have been an agricultural ritual offered as a form of prayer for a good harvest.

...and with my apologies to Mr. Botticelli, the "Birth of...." Sumo Dude??? (Venus is much prettier!)

Beyond Baseball & Bluster Memorializing Tampa's Great PhilanthropistGeorge Steinbrenner (1930-2010)

2010-07-14T09:09:00.002-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows that despite my New York roots, I am not and never have been a New York Yankees fan. The New Yorker in me is a die-hard Mets fan (a long story that can be traced back to my Grandmother) and the Tampanian in me is an avid Rays fans. However, this does not mean I don't feel for the passing of the legendary baseball personality, George Steinbrenner.

Sure, we all know Big Stein for his take-no-prisoners style in his ownership of the Yankee organization for the past 37-years, a style which admittedly lead the team to 11 pennants and seven World Series titles (...sigh!). However, as a philanthropist and patron of the arts, the Boss's influence extends beyond the baseball diamond. His home was right here in Tampa and he really gave back to the community. According to A Tampa legend (A St. Pete Times Editorial), "over three decades, he contributed generously to the noblest causes in town, from giving the children of slain police officers the chance to go to college to supporting the arts, area hospitals, youth sports and the schools...For all his money and occasional bluster, Steinbrenner was easily moved by a stranger's personal tragedy. Friends said he was often the "anonymous donor" who opened his wallet when the paper wrote about a family's dashed Christmas or a child in need of lifesaving care."

Mr. Steinbrenner was a strong supporter of education in the Tampa Bay area, both from the academic and extracurricular perspective. In Lutz, Florida, for example a new high school recently opened named after the Boss himself - George M. Steinbrenner High School. There is even a BOSS program in the classroom for students interested in sports marketing, athletic training, event planning, and even turf care. BOSS, by the way, stands for "Business of Sports at Steinbrenner." According to At namesake Lutz school, Steinbrenner lauded for service to community, "Over the years, Steinbrenner also paid for lights at Little League fields, saved middle school sports programs from budget cuts, paid to bury a former high school football star, replaced musical instruments stolen from a high school band and paid college expenses for scores of needy students. In 2005, he gave $37,000 so that the Gaither High School band could march in the presidential inaugural parade." For a good video click that I have for some reason been unable to successfully embed, click HERE.

Yes, he really cared about the young people of Tampa and felt it was important for those from all socio-economic backgrounds have access to the education, sports and the arts. A fabulous example of this is the Steinbrenner Christmas Concert, which has been paid for by Steinbrenner and the George Steinbrenner Foundation for the past 20 years. Every year, children from the Boys and Girls Clubs in Tampa get to visit the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center to listen to the Florida Orchestra, watch dance, and watch as well-known personalities read Twas the Night Before Christmas (Derek Jeter, Hulk Hogan and even the late Billy Martin read have participated in past years!). ...and up until now, the Boss himself has attended every single year!

This support of the arts goes back a number of years, even as far back as his childhood, when, according to Yankee owner Steinbrenner would ask 'Who needs money?', "he marveled at the wonders of his state fair and at the sounds of the Cleveland Orchestra." In 1996, for instance, Steinbrenner donated $1,000,000 to the Florida Orchestra to help keep it alive. According to longtime Florida Orchestra bass trombonist & players' committee chairman Harold Van Schaik, ""It was looking like we would cease to exist. His was the lead gift in a major capital campaign that saved the orchestra."

And the philanthropic list continues...

All this being said, the Rays are two games back behind the Yankees in the AL East...and there's some big games coming up this weekend, sooooo....GO RAYS! (No disrespect to Mr. Steinbrenner...he was a sport fan...and I'm sure he appreciated the nature of the competition...as long as the Yankees won, of course! :P)

R.I.P. Mr. Steinbrenner, and thank you for all you've done!

FloriLit 101 Florida has many tales to tell

2010-07-13T21:52:00.001-04:00

The Florida Humanities Council has been compiling a "To-Read" list on both Facebook and the Florida Humanities Forums for those who want to read books, both fiction and non-fiction, pertaining to the Sunshine State. These are the suggestions that they have come up with so far (since I have not read these books, the descriptions are quoted from the Florida Humanities Council ).

1. HOW TO LEAVE HIALEAH, Jennine Capó Crucet, 2009: “This is a collection of short stories presenting glimpses of the Cuban exile community in South Florida.”

2. FLORIDA: A SHORT HISTORY, Michael Gannon, 1993, revised in 2003: “Millennia packed into a slim, readable volume.”

3. THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE OF FLORIDA, David Colburn, Jane Landers, eds., 1995: “An anthology of the role African Americans have played in Florida’s development since the Age of Discovery’s Spanish explorers.”

4. THE EVERGLADES: RIVER OF GRASS, Marjory Stoneman Douglas, 1947: “This changed the nation’s perception of the Everglades, from wasteland to treasure.”

5. FLORIDA: ITS SCENERY, CLIMATE, AND HISTORY, Sidney Lanier, 1876: “An interesting look at 19th-century Florida, commissioned by the Atlantic Coast Line railroad to promote the state.”

6. THE YEARLING, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, 1939: “This Pulitzer winner captures the isolation and challenges of a family living in barely settled Florida.”

7. THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD, Zora Neale Hurston, 1937: “A masterpiece once nearly forgotten, set mostly in an African-American town.”

8. A LAND REMEMBERED, Patrick Smith, 1984: “A multigenerational saga about Florida settlers who carve homes out of a fierce wilderness, eventually exploiting it”.

9. LAND OF SUNSHINE, STATE OF DREAMS, Gary Mormino, 2005: “The growth and evolution of Florida, from post-WWII backwater to today’s megastate.”

10. BIZARRE FLORIDA / SUNSHINE NOIR: “This is the genre we mentioned. In the subcategory of Bizarre, well, the authors of this fiction (including Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey) say they get their ideas directly from the newspapers. In the Noir subcategory, check out such authors as Randy Wayne White, Edna Buchanan, James Hall, the late John D. McDonald, and relative newcomers like Jonathon King, Glynn Marsh Alam, and Michael Lister.”

11. PALMETTO COUNTRY, Stetson Kennedy. “First published in 1942, this early study won high praise from folklorist Alan Lomax and famed singer Woody Guthrie. It still ranks as one of the best ever written on the subject of Florida folk life.”

12. TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, Ernest Hemingway. “Well, of course; how can we not include Papa on a list of Florida literature? The Depression-era Key West setting and a plot reflecting Florida’s time-honored tradition of smuggling brought this 1937 novel our Hemingway nomination.”

13. THE BLACK SEMINOLES, Kenneth W. Porter. “A Florida story not widely known is that of runaway slaves forging generational bonds with the Seminoles and helping them during the Second Seminole War.”

14. SHADOW COUNTRY, Peter Matthiessen. “This is the multi-generational story of the fearsome Edgar Watson, the Chokoloskee bad man often credited with killing outlaw queen Belle Starr – not to mention numerous others. The dark tale also evokes life in rural Florida, particularly the Everglades, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”

15. THE SWAMP, Michael Grunwald. “A riveting political, social, and environmental history of the Everglades, this account focuses on the characters and companies that exploited what they considered a wasteland and traces current efforts to restore what is now considered a national treasure.”

16. TROPIC OF CRACKER, Al Burt. “Moonshine, mullet, Conchs and cow hunters are major themes in this series of essays that captures old-time Floridians who were here before Disney World, time shares, and coast-to-coast subdivisions.”

17. THE PINK MOTEL, Carol Ryrie Brink. “For younger readers (although adults enjoy it, too), this book recalls the 1950s Florida boom, telling it from the viewpoint of a youngster from the chilly Midwest whose family comes to the Sunshine State intending to manage a motel.”

18. MANATEE INSANITY, Craig Pittman. “The effort to protect one of Florida’s endangered creatures has been going on for more than forty years. In microcosm, the saga reflects the decades-long struggle between development and wildlife, and how one has impacted the other during Florida’s booming growth.”

19. THE BAREFOOT MAILMAN, Theodore Pratt. “The first United States mail route stretched along the shore from Palm Beach to settlements in Dade County. Another classic novel of old Florida, it tells the story of James E. Hamilton, the most famous of the shoeless couriers.”

20. FLORIDA COWBOYS, Carlton Ward Jr. “Page after page of stunning ranchland images by eighth-generation Floridian Ward reveals a side of the state infrequently recognized by visitors and new residents. Florida is most definitely cowboy country, as this coffee table-sized volume demonstrates. Patrick Smith, author of the beloved A Land Remembered, wrote the foreword.”

21. MIRAGE, Cynthia Barnett. “Despite gulf and ocean on three sides, and despite its hundreds of lakes, rivers, and springs, Florida’s unquenchable demand for water has become one of the state’s defining problems. Barnett shows how Florida’s quandary mirrors water difficulties in all of the eastern United States.”

So, what's missing? What other books should be on this list?

101

2010-07-13T09:40:00.000-04:00

Huckleberry Hound? Hey, he's art! And he makes me smile! :-)

101 blog entries...which is significant since my personal goal was 100 by July 15, 2010. Whew, just made it!

Writing this blog is lots of fun and is very important to me. Here I get to speak freely about art, literature, culture in Florida and the world as a whole while expressing myself through the written word. It's expanded my personal horizons while hopefully providing some eye-opening cultural information about the Sunshine State to my readers (and hopefully providing some entertainment as well.) It has also helped me divert my attention from some really petty and hurtful things that have gone on as a result of some social networking mishaps & miscommunications. There are too many cool things going on in the world - whether it be museums, theaters, geocaching, hiking, Postcrossing, literature or whatever floats your boat - to dwell on all that nonsense. Anyway, enough of that...thanks to all of you who have been following my blog since day one and beyond! It means so very much to me.

But anyway, check this out... a "saucy" postcard museum in Britain!

Donald McGill 'king of saucy postcards' celebrated

Saucy postcard are fun! :)

'The Glades' Beyond the Mouse, Snowbirds and Sweat, for sure!

2010-07-12T23:43:00.000-04:00

Well, at least beyond the Mouse & Snowbirds...I definitely spotted some sweat there!

...and even Eric Deggans, St. Petersburg Times TV/Movie Critic agrees as he write Ambitious new A&E TV series 'The Glades' looks beyond Florida's blue skies.

Anyway, this is a stream-of-consciousness blog as I am writing it while watching The Glades on DVR (it actually premiered last night, 7/12/2010), and I just think it is so cool how this really does take place on-location here in Florida.

The setting is actually the fictional Floridian town of Palm Glade, although right now I feel like I am seeing a great deal of the Tampa Bay/Central Florida area (actually, as we "speak," I'm watching some forensic dude begrudgingly conducting an alligator autopsy, but that's beside the point... ewww! he just found a human jaw! But I digress...) Once I got beyond the fact that the show opened with a young couple parked on the banks of a river swamp finding a floating bloody human torso, I thought how familiar the palm & cypress-lined swamp looked after personally spending so much time hiking and paddling in such locations. And oh the beautifully draped Spanish moss! Then I saw some other familiar sites, like the Tampa skyline at night and the big pink Don Cesar Hotel on St. Pete Beach (Hey! I was just there on Saturday! :) )

Wait a minute, Jim Longworth, the brilliant ex-Chicago homicide detective who relocated to Florida after his Captain accused him of sleeping with his wife (and then shoots him), is standing in a swamp...at night...and I don't hear frogs...or crickets...or any other swamp sounds common in the Florida night. Oh well...guess we have to be able to hear the dialogue, right?

In any case, this is a really good story and I like Matt Passmore in the lead role...and even though some of you who live in places like Hollywood and the Big Apple are probably shrugging your shoulders at the whole "film-on-location" thing, it's not often you see this part of Florida featured in a show like this.

And the premier of the show has proven successful, bringing in 3.6 million viewers. According to A&E's 'The Glades' gets solid start, "this is the most-watched drama series telecast in the network's history."

Click HERE if you want to follow 'The Glades' on Facebook.

(An aside - This is my 100th blog entry!)

Chihuly comes to St. Pete...permanently ...and I get to learn about another cool artist!

2010-07-12T10:38:00.000-04:00

I'll be honest here. Until recently I never heard of this master of glasswork art, Dale Chihuly. But now here he is, or here his art is, in a specially built facility, operated by the Morean Arts Center, which opened on Sunday, July 11, 2010. Since I have yet to experience what appears to be an incredible visual extavaganza, let's take a look together. Here's a good article from the July 11th St. Petersburg Times:

Chihuly Collection opening a triumph

Now, begin your interactive tour of the exhibit by clicking HERE.

And for a cool slide show, click HERE.

Happy 50 Year Anniversary 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Which banned books have played a role in your life?

2010-07-11T18:53:00.001-04:00

I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks.

~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 23, spoken by the character Scout

Young Scout sure was smart, wasn't she? And her words, as well as those of the likes of her father, Atticus Finch, still reverberate echo through time and still apply to our lives today. And yet, like literary classics such as Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter, Twain's Huckleberry Finn, Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, Blume's Forever, Cormier's The Chocolate War, Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, and even the more current J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, these words still frighten the censors & book burners so much that even today To Kill a Mockingbird remains amongst the top books on the American Library Association's list of the Most Frequently Challenged Books.

Whether it be challenged, censored, banned or burned, it just doesn't seem to matter. Harper Lee's one and only novel continues to be read and debated 50 years after its initial publication on July 11, 1960. Set in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression, this story, told from the perspective of Scout Finch, the daughter of the prominent local lawyer, Atticus Finch, deals powerfully with the sensitive issues of racism and social inequality as a whole. According to Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird', "like any enduring book, Mockingbird has its detractors, and not just the would-be censors who try to have it yanked off library shelves and school curricula. Critics and other novelists have been dissing the book practically since it was published." The book has been accused of "sentimentality, melodrama, stereotyping, pomposity, underwriting, overwriting, racism, reverse racism, liberal politics, unfit parenting and glorifying a lawyer." The critics have even gone as far as calling Atticus Finch an ineffective crusader of racial injustice and commenting how the story's "bloodless liberal humanism is sadly outdated." Times Book Editor, Colette Bancroft, debates these critiques effectively when she writes,"If Mockingbird's depiction of a culture of racism and one man's doomed but noble stand against it seem dated to us half a century later, it is in part precisely because the book has done its work."

So it took an eight-year-old child to bring 'em to their senses.... That proves something - that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human. Hmp, maybe we need a police force of children.
~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 16, spoken by the character Atticus

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So now for some fun. The following are two lists of Frequently Challenged Books, according to the American Library Association. Which ones have you been "bad" enough to read? Did they corrupt you in any way? How did they really influence you? Post your personal banned book list and responses as a comment.

Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books: 2000-2009

1 Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling
2 Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
3 The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
4 And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell
5 Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck
6 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
7 Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
8 His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman
9 TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Myracle, Lauren
10 The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
11 Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Meyers
12 It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris
13 Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
14 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
15 The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison
16 Forever, by Judy Blume
17 The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
18 Go Ask Alice, by Anonymous
19 Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
20 King and King, by Linda de Haan
21 To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
22 Gossip Girl (series), by Cecily von Ziegesar
23 The Giver, by Lois Lowry
24 In the Night Kitchen, by Maurice Sendak
25 Killing Mr. Griffen, by Lois Duncan
26 Beloved, by Toni Morrison
27 My Brother Sam Is Dead, by James Lincoln Collier
28 Bridge To Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson
29 The Face on the Milk Carton, by Caroline B. Cooney
30 We All Fall Down, by Robert Cormier
31 What My Mother Doesn’t Know, by Sonya Sones
32 Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya
33 Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson
34 The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler
35 Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison
36 Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
37 It’s So Amazing, by Robie Harris
38 Arming America, by Michael Bellasiles
39 Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane
40 Life is Funny, by E.R. Frank
41 Whale Talk, by Chris Crutcher
42 The Fighting Ground, by Avi
43 Blubber, by Judy Blume
44 Athletic Shorts, by Chris Crutcher
45 Crazy Lady, by Jane Leslie Conly
46 Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
47 The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby, by George Beard
48 Rainboy Boys, by Alex Sanchez
49 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey
50 The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
51 Daughters of Eve, by Lois Duncan
52 The Great Gilly Hopkins, by Katherine Paterson
53 You Hear Me?, by Betsy Franco
54 The Facts Speak for Themselves, by Brock Cole
55 Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Green
56 When Dad Killed Mom, by Julius Lester
57 Blood and Chocolate, by Annette Curtis Klause
58 Fat Kid Rules the World, by K.L. Going
59 Olive’s Ocean, by Kevin Henkes
60 Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson
61 Draw Me A Star, by Eric Carle
62 The Stupids (series), by Harry Allard
63 The Terrorist, by Caroline B. Cooney
64 Mick Harte Was Here, by Barbara Park
65 The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien
66 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor
67 A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
68 Always Running, by Luis Rodriguez
69 Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
70 Harris and Me, by Gary Paulsen
71 Junie B. Jones (series), by Barbara Park
72 Song of Solomon, by Toni Morrison
73 What’s Happening to My Body Book, by Lynda Madaras
74 The Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold
75 Anastasia (series), by Lois Lowry
76 A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving
77 Crazy: A Novel, by Benjamin Lebert
78 The Joy of Gay Sex, by Dr. Charles Silverstein
79 The Upstairs Room, by Johanna Reiss
80 A Day No Pigs Would Die, by Robert Newton Peck
81 Black Boy, by Richard Wright
82 Deal With It!, by Esther Drill
83 Detour for Emmy, by Marilyn Reynolds
84 So Far From the Bamboo Grove, by Yoko Watkins
85 Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, by Chris Crutcher
86 Cut, by Patricia McCormick
87 Tiger Eyes, by Judy Blume
88 The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood
89 Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissenger
90 A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’Engle
91 Julie of the Wolves, by Jean Graighead George
92 The Boy Who Lost His Face, by Louis Sachar
93 Bumps in the Night, by Harry Allard
94 Goosebumps (series), by R.L. Stine
95 Shade’s Children, by Garth Nix
96 Grendel, by John Gardner
97 The House of the Spirits, by Isabel Allende
98 I Saw Esau, by Iona Opte
99 Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume
100 America: A Novel, by Frank, E.R.

Banned and Challenged Classics

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
2. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
3. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
6. Ulysses by James Joyce
7. Beloved by Toni Morrison
8. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
9. 1984 by George Orwell
10. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
11. Lolita by Vladmir Nabokov
12. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
13. Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
14. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
15. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
16. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
17. Animal Farm by George Orwell
18. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
19. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
20. A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
21. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad22. Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne
23. Their Eyes are Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
24. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
25. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
26. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
27. Native Son by Richard Wright
28. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
29. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
30. For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
31. On the Road by Jack Kerouac
32. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
33. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
34. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
35. Portrait of a Lady by Henry James
36. Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin
37. The World According to Garp by John Irving
38. All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren
39. A Room with a View by E. M. Forster
40. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
41. Schindler's List by Thomas Keneally
42. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
43. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
44. Finnegans Wake by James Joyce
45. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
46. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
47. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
48. Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence
49. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess50. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
51. My Antonia by Willa Cather
52. Howards End by E. M. Forster
53. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
54. Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
55. The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
56. Jazz by Toni Morrison
57. Sophie's Choice by William Styron
58. Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
59. A Passage to India by E. M. Forster
60. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
61. A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor
62. Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
63. Orlando by Virginia Woolf
64. Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence
65. Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
66. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
67. A Separate Peace by John Knowles68. Light in August by William Faulkner
69. The Wings of the Dove by Henry James
70. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
71. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
72. A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
73. Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs
74. Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
75. Women in Love by D. H. Lawrence
76. Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe
77. In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway
78. The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein
79. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
80. The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer
81. Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
82. White Noise by Don DeLillo
83. O Pioneers! by Willa Cather
84. Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
85. The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
86. Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
87. The Bostonians by Henry James
88. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
89. Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
90. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
91. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald
92. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
93. The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles
94. Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
95. Kim by Rudyard Kipling
96. The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald
97. Rabbit, Run by John Updike
98. Where Angels Fear to Tread by E. M. Forster
99. Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
100. Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie

CELEBRATE BANNED BOOKS WEEK (9/25/2010-10/2/2010)!

Military Forts, Florida-Style

2010-07-11T13:37:00.000-04:00

Much of Floridian culture and historical development can be traced to its strategically defensive geographic location. According to Alejandro M. de Quesada in his 2006 book, A History of Florida Forts, there have been at least 300 "camps, batteries, forts and redoubts" in Florida since the European incursion of the 15th-16th centuries. A number of these forts still remain here for Floridians and visitors to explore, giving an incredible opportunity to learn more about local history and culture.

Yesterday I spent a great day with my family walking the sandy beach and nature trails of Fort De Soto Park, located in Tierra Verde, FL and named America's Top Beach for 2009 by TripAdvisor, the world's largest online travel community. Furthermore, in 2005, Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a.k.a. “Dr. Beach,” named Fort De Soto the nation’s #1 Beach. Can't say I disagree with this ranking. Not only are the clean, sandy beaches a beautiful place to relax and take in some incredible views of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Egmont Key and the clear blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, but there are also some scenic nature trails and much wildlife to enjoy. But that's not all...there's also some fascinating history to explore here as you meander through the remains of the military fortification and the surrounding areas intended for the use of military personnel and their families. Rather than go into the whole history, an excellent synopsis of all that is historically important here can be found if you click HERE. Then take a look at the slide show below.

Can't deny it, if your going to spend some time exploring some historical forts, might as well do it at some of these scenic Floridian locations.

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, located in Key West, is another great example of this that I had the opportunity to visit back in 2004. Another strategically located fortification with some important history behind it (not to mention one of the best places to watch the famed Key West sunset!)...click HERE to read all about it.

Dry Tortugas National Park, a cluster of seven islands located about 70 miles west of Key West and location of the large military base known as Fort Jefferson , is another spot that combines natural beauty with strategic location & local history. I've not yet had the opportunity to visit this site although it is definitely on my bucket list.

Of course, I hope that I will be able to enjoy the location as it is now, and not as a site heavily impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Here are some updates from various sources about the potential impact of the oil spill to these islands.

* Dry Tortugas National Park Oil Spill Response
*Oil heads toward Dry Tortugas, as U.S. presses BP on claims money

An Exterior Glimpse of the New Dali Museum

2010-07-10T18:09:00.002-04:00

"Surrealize the Dream" has been the motto for the building of the new and expanded Salvador Dali Museum on 3rd Street South in St. Petersburg, Florida. So I thought it was cool when we got to see the construction in progress while wandering around St. Pete today...and my husband was kind enough to humor me and take a few photos of this work-in-progress so I could share them here.

You can click HERE for more information about this new and improved surrealistic experience.

Starting 'em young in Florida... and keeping 'em here

2010-07-09T21:58:00.001-04:00

The future of the arts here in the Sunshine State depends on quality art, music, theater and dance programs for young people as well as a growing community of youthful artists who are looking to stay here and develop an artsy Floridian community. Well, despite budget cuts that could threaten the arts in the schools throughout the region, there has been some encouraging news on both these fronts.

Young children are being artistically encouraged in Floridian summer camps specifically geared toward the arts. This is the case at the HiBrow Art Gallery on 7th Street in Dade City, for instance, where Summer Art Camp 2010 is currently in progress. Dade City Center for the Arts camp allows kids to be creative through their five weeks of art camps in June and July which encourage children 14 years and younger to use their imagination while painting dolphins, sea turtles, baby polar bears or whatever else inspires artistic talent. According to teacher Pat Mitchell, the activities are adapted to the childrens' specific talents. "They all find their level. Kids are very creative, and they experiment with color so what you get is this beautiful sophistication that's colored by innocence."

Beautifully said, Pat Mitchell! So beautiful that it inspired me to look into some other art camps/experiences for youth here in Florida. Of course, there are many of them but one that particularly has caught my attention is the Homestead Arts Camp, located in Homestead, Florida. This camp is the result of collaboration between two organizations - ASTEP and enFamilia -in a successful effort to implement an Arts-in-Action experience for young people in the Homestead, Florida area.

Here's some background about these two organizations:

"Artists Striving To End Poverty (ASTEP) uses the arts as a tool to empower young people with creativity, knowledge, and a strong sense of self-esteem, factors which help them advance their lives and communities. At ASTEP, we provide artists with opportunities to connect with global youths, allowing them to use their gifts to create meaningful and effective change for young people in need."

enFamilia's mission is "to build healthy family relationships, examine and preserve cultural values, and enrich the quality of life through education and the arts."

And now for the Arts-in-Action Experience created by the collaboration of these two groups:

"The Art-in-Action Experience provides dance, drama, music, poetry, playwriting, literature and visual art workshops that not only engage these young people in the joy of creating art, but also enable them to develop critical life skills, including communication and teamwork. Workshops are conducted by ASTEP's professionally trained volunteer artist educators and take place at the Everglades Community Association, a housing and community development corporation serving rural poor, migrant, and seasonal farm workers. For many of the participating children, the Art-in-Action Experience is their first exposure to the arts and a rare opportunity for them to develop their own creativity. In order to eliminate economic barriers to participation, the experience is offered free of charge to all of the students..."

Click HERE to see more information about the overall impact of this program.

So good to see the many opportunities to use art to both inspire youthful creativity and affect social change. Of course, the hope is that some of this home-grown artistic talent will stay in Florida to help fuel the local cultural scene. Fortunately, this seems to be the case in Miami where Young artists ignite creative boom in South Florida neighborhoods. According to this article, featured in the Miami Herald on July 4, 2010, "young, South Florida-bred artists, educated at top arts schools such as New World and exposed to international players and ideas by Art Basel, are producing more -- and more sophisticated -- work that is energizing Miami's cultural scene." Many of these young artists are, in their minds, returning to the mini-paradise of their youth to create an exciting, vibrant cultural scene in Miami. Hopefully this will spread throughout Florida, reaching out to all walks of lives.
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Photo Credit: The drawing photographed at the beginning of this blog entry holds a special place in my heart. My daughter drew this rendition of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the classic childhood tale told by the amazing Eric Carle. After she drew it, my little girl decided that she wanted to send it to Eric Carle to see what he thought of it. Not only did he sign it, but he also gave it an A+!! So of course we had to go and get it framed for posterity. :D

Separation of Church and Stage?? A Key West Dilemma

2010-07-09T09:35:00.003-04:00

Dinner Theater ... n. A restaurant that presents a play during or after dinner.

OK...sounds innocent enough, right?

An owner of a vacant building on Eaton Street in Key West wants to open a dinner theater in a really cool, vintage building that at one time was Club Chameleon and the former site of the annual Flamingo Follies variety show.

Fun! So what's the problem?

Church opposes dinner theater

Why? It all has to do with a city law that prohibits alcohol sales within 300 feet of a Church, funeral home or similar entity. St. Paul's Episcopal Church, which faces Duval Street, Now the Key West City Commission is trying to decide whether to issue a variance to this law and allow the theater to open.

Of course controversy ensues. On the one hand, you have property owner Lynn Kephart who has been willing to make following compromises:

He has altered his proposed operating hours and pledged never to remain open past 2 a.m. on weekends, midnight on weekdays.
He would make the theater space available for wedding receptions for the congregation of St. Paul's and donate 10 percent of his profits to the church or a charity of its choice.
Mr. Kephart agreed to pledge in writing that the building could never be used for adult entertainment or as a traditional bar if the dinner theater ultimately fails.
The property also points out that the bulk of his business would be in the evening hours and would generally not interfere with Church activities.

On the other hand, there is St. Paul's Episcopal Church as well as other nearby churches still opposing any exceptions to the existing law and are adamant in not allowing this dinner theater to open based on the alcohol sales.

I could go into a whole historical discussion linking theater to the Greek god Dionysus in Ancient Greece, then talk about the importance of theater in Medieval Christian Europe, and then talk about the references to wine & drink in the Bible itself, but that would take forever, could definitely get dry and boring and might lead to some extreme off-topic discussion. However I think Mr. Kephart might find some good arguments in these examples from the past...

Something to keep in mind though...there are at least 50 bars on Duval Street alone. I wonder how close the nearest one of these bars is to St. Paul's...400 feet? 500 feet? And do these bars offer such a pleasant diversion as dinner theater? The Key West City Commission has postponed dealing with this issue until July 20th...I hope some sort of compromise can be reached so this theater can open. I'd like to see a show there the next time I visit Key West!

Ancient Antiquity Alert! 4,300 year old tombs uncovered in Egypt

2010-07-08T10:19:00.000-04:00

Cool stuff!

Egypt unveils discovery of 4,300 year old tombs...area, if excavated can uncover the largest known cemetery of Ancient Egypt

Dali Museum co-founder Eleanor Morse dies at 97 Survived by Wonderfully Surreal Legacy in St. Pete

2010-07-08T09:16:00.000-04:00

"The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret. "
Salvador Dali

Perhaps this is the case, but something leads me to believe that Eleanor Morse, the co-founder of the Dali Museum located in St. Petersburg, FL who died on July 1, 2010 at 97, was privvy to some of these secrets....otherwise, how could she be so instrumental in bringing this surrealist vision to life at this premier museum? Otherwise, how could she have translated several works by and about Dalí, including "Dali de Draeger" (1968), "The Tragic Myth of Millet's Angelus" (1986), "Salvador Dali: The Work the Man by Robert Descharnes" (1984). She must have been "in-the-know!"

Together with her husband, Ms. Morse began collecting Dali's art in 1943, eventually amassing a collection valued at $150 million by 2000. The collection opened in Cleveland and moved to the Dali Museum in St. Pete in 1982 (all with the approval of Senor Dali himself as the Morses befriended the surrealist Master soon after acquiring his 1940 painting, "Daddy Longlegs of the Evening, Hope.").

Eleanor Morse was an accomplished, educated woman in her own right. A graduate of Rollins College, located in Winter Park, FL, with a Bachelor of Music, furthered by graduate studies in music at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy, and a Master's degree in French and Spanish from Case Western Reserve University.

For more information about the Morse Legacy, click HERE.

My personal thanks goes out to Ms. Morse, may she R.I.P., and her family for bringing this wonderful gem of a museum to the Tampa Bay area. Dali's art is just so unusually weird and freaky that I am constantly drawn to it and, whether one loves it or hates it, you have to admit that it brings an alternate artistic reality to the region, thus opening the Floridian mind to this surrealistic vision of Salvador Dali!

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"I don't do drugs. I am drugs."
Salvador Dali

Dali may have hit it on the head with that one! Here are some guideline to understand some of his masterpieces (these are my favorites anyway):

Meet the Hallucinogenic Toreador in St. Pete

"Take me, I am the drug; take me, I am hallucinogenic. "
Salvador Dali

Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea which at Twenty Meters Becomes a Portrait of Abraham Lincoln

"The only difference between me and a madman is that I'm not mad."
Salvador Dali

FLORIPEDIA! All the things you never knew that you needed to know about Florida

2010-07-07T23:10:00.000-04:00

What? Don't you mean Wikipedia? Nope...you heard right. It's Floripedia!

Floripedia is a really cool, alphabetized collection of articles about Florida and Florida History, most of which were written way-back-when. There's a little bit of everything here and it's fun to read these facts from the perspective of those living during those time periods.

One minute you can check out 1915 Bungalow Estimates in Florida and then on to a 1931 excerpt about Celery, brought to you by the State of Florida Department of Agriculture.

It's addicting!

Florida Museums Welcome Military Personnel

2010-07-07T22:42:00.000-04:00

Approximately 850 museums nationwide, in partnership with Blue Star Families and the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA), are offering free admission to military families from Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, through Labor Day, September 6, 2010, by participating in the Blue Star Museums program.

Formed in 2008 by a group of military spouses attempting to raise awareness of the challenges of military family life, Blue Star Families has expanded to include families from all branches of the military (including the National Guard and Reserve) and all walks of life. It is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to "support, empower and connect" military families. This is done through a number of different efforts, including Blue Star Museums, Operation Appreciation and Books on Bases, Smiles on Faces.

The reason this even caught my attention in the first place was because I saw that the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art is a Blue Star Museum. Located on the campus of St. Petersburg College at 600 Klosterman Road in Tarpon Springs, this museum houses the Expressionist collection of artist Abraham Rattner as well as other visiting art collections.

Other Florida museums are also welcoming military families:

* Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum in Sanibel, FL
* Bass Museum of Art in Miami, FL
* Boca Raton Museum of Art in Boca Raton, FL
* Children's Museum of the Highlands in Sebring, FL
* Cracker County Living History Museum in Tampa, FL
* Explorations V Children's Museum in Lakeland, FL
* Flamingo Gardens in Davie, FL
* G.Wiz - The Science Museum in Sarasota, FL
* Gateway Centre for the Arts in DeBary, FL
* Historic Spanish Point in Osprey, FL
* Historic Stranahan House Museum in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
* History of Diving Museum in Islamorada, FL
* HistoryMiami in Miami, FL
* International Swimming Hall of Fame in Ft. Lauderdale, FL
* Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum in Jupiter, FL
* Key West Art & Historical Society in Key West, FL
* Miami Art Museum in Miami, FL
* Military Heritage Museum in Punta Gorda, FL
* Mission San Luis in Tallahassee, FL
* Museum of Art/Ft. Lauderdale, Nova Southeastern University
* Museum of Arts & Sciences in Daytona Beach, FL
* Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in North Miami, FL
* Museum of Florida Art in Deland, FL
* National Navy SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, FL
* Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, FL
* Orlando Museum of Art in Orlando, FL
* Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland, FL
* Riley House Museum in Tallahassee, FL
* Schoolhouse Children's Museum and Learning Center in Boynton Beach, FL
* Seminole Tribe of Florida Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum in Clewiston, FL
* Tallahassee Museum in Tallahassee, FL
* The Wolfsonian (FIU) in Miami Beach, FL
* Vero Beach Museum of Art in Vero Beach, FL
* Veterans Tribute and Museum-Museum of Military History in Kissimmee, FL

Click HERE if you want to check out Blue Star Museums elsewhere in the USA.

Click HERE if you want to follow Blue Star Museums on Facebook.

Then, after having the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of these Blue Star Museums, military family members are welcome to share their experiences and stories on the Blue Star Museums Blog.

The Glorious Art of the Roman Empire Crumbling?? Alternative funding an issue in ancient art preservation

2010-07-07T07:34:00.000-04:00

Modern art is ok, if you like that sort of thing. ...and admittedly, I like some of it...and a lot of it I don't "get", but that's just me. Art is a personal expression and 20th & 21st century art touches the creative sensibilities of many art admirers.

That being said, the conflict between progress and restoration of the past is evident when it comes to places such as Rome, the supposed Eternal City when it comes to architectural wonders.

According to New York Times culture correspondent Michael Kimmelman in his column Abroad - As Rome Modernizes, Its Past Quietly Crumbles, there's a problem when $233 million is spent on the construction of an " ostentatious national museum for contemporary art," such as Maxxi, while such sites as the Domus aurea and the Colosseum are architecturally threatened.

"Exhibit A: the Domus Aurea, the Golden Villa that Nero built near the Colosseum, where a vaulted gallery fell this spring. Nobody was hurt, fortunately. That’s because the place has been closed since 2008, plagued by structural problems and humidity, which threatens the frescoes. To much fanfare, the city opened part of the site for tourists in 1999. Then heavy rain collapsed a section of roof, the site was closed, reopened a while later, then closed again.

...After the Domus Aurea gave way, some chunks fell off the Colosseum. Salvo Barrano, vice president of Italy’s Association of National Archaeologists, afterward listed threats to the aqueducts, the Palatine. The country is basically one giant archaeological site, Mr. Barrano said, with every town and region vying for resources, no politician willing to make hard choices, and too few qualified engineers and archaeologists in charge.

'The problem for the last 12 or 13 years is that the country has stopped investing in culture,' he said. 'In cases like the Domus Aurea, there just isn’t a quick enough political payoff for politicians to invest more resources.'"

Economic constraints can obviously put a damper on culture and art-related issues, like everything else that might be considered "unnecessary" by the powers-that-be. But the architectural wonders of Ancient Rome is a glorious ancestor of modern art & architecture in the Western World and while welcoming the changes in society's vision of art as a whole is important, we should not forget where it all began.

So where are the funds for restoration projects such as this? How can public support be rallied for the restoration of these antiquities? I don't know if this is a practical answer in today's world, but I can't help recalling the efforts on the part of UNESCO in the 1960s-1980s to rescue Nubian monuments such as the Temple of Ramses the Great at Abu Simbel. These massive tributes to ancient Egyptian past were being threatened by the rising waters of Lake Nasser as a result of the building of the Aswan Dam. In 1959, an international donations campaign was conducted by UNESCO to save these awe-inspiring monuments and beginning in 1964, at an overall cost of approximately $40 million, the entire site was cut into large blocks (some of which weighed as much as 30 tons!), moved about 215 feet higher and 650 feet back from the water, and re-assemble like a big jigsaw puzzle. UNESCO's World Heritage Sites list in Italy is extensive...just wondering if an organization such as this has the ability to once again garner support to help restore the glory of the world's artistic and cultural heritage.

St. Pete Author Makes it Big with a Gatsby "Sequel" Banana Republican: From the Buchanan Files

2010-07-06T23:39:00.004-04:00

"Can't repeat the past?…Why of course you can!"
~ The Great Gatsby, Chapter 6, Gatsby

Well, author Eric Rauchway certainly thinks so as he takes us back to the age of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Gatsby...but this time we get a new perspective on the Roaring Twenties as we learn about it from the point of view of Daisy Buchanan's philandering, old-money-rich husband Tom Buchanan. According to Author Eric Rauchway starts where 'The Great Gatsby' left off, Banana Republican: From the Buchanan Files is "set not long after the events of Gatsby" with Buchanan "having money and marital troubles (golden girl Daisy is a bit tarnished). At the behest of his Aunt Gertrude, who holds the purse strings to the family's fortune, he goes to Nicaragua to pursue their business interests — which means cheerfully immersing himself in bribery, corruption, arms trading and sundry other reprehensible activities."

I read The Great Gatsby many years ago and I have not yet had the opportunity to read Rauchway's novel, but he did grow up in St. Pete after all...Florida's literary finest all grown up, a Stanford University Ph.D, a professor at the University of California at Davis and a published author who bravely tried to continue where the late, great F. Scott Fitzgerald left off!

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
The Great Gatsby, Chapter 9, Nick on resilience.

Outsider Art Goin' Mobile in Orlando

2010-07-06T22:12:00.000-04:00

Would you buy art out of the back of a truck?

If you asked me that question before seeing this video clip and seeing the Mobile Art Slide Show in the online Orlando Sentinel, my answer probably would've been "No." But after learning about TheDailyCity.com Mobile Art Show , it's possible that I am having a change of heart.

The Mobile Art Show, an art show on wheels produced by Mark Baratelli (owner of TheDailyCity.com) and the staff of the culture blog The DailyCity.com, is just one of those off-center artsy business ventures that has been attracting attention in the city of Orlando. Voted one of the 10 Wackiest Businesses on Wheels, this is a monthly art show located in a UHaul every third Thursday from 7-9pm at the corner of Orange and Pine in downtown Orlando. Otherwise, the idea is to follow the Mobile Art Show on Twitter, Facebook and/or Foursquare to see what surprises are on the agenda.

With a new artist featured monthly, "outsider art" is the main focus here. In 1972, art critic Roger Cardinal used this term as a synonym for "art brut." Art brut as an artistic genre emerged from French artist Jean Dubuffett's conception of art created outside the official boundaries of culture (the term itself actually translates as "raw art" or "rough art"). As a matter of fact, Dubuffett focused his attentions on art created by patients at mental institutions. Of course, nowadays such art has a much broader meaning. but it still is often connected with extreme mental states, unconventional ideas or elaborate fantasy worlds. There are other terms also associated with outsider art, including Folk Art, Intuitive/Visionary Art, Marginal art/Art singulier, Naïve art, Neuve Invention and Visionary environments.

Perfect for an off-center artsy business venture...one that promises to introduce Central Florida to an alternative way of looking at art as a whole!

Cinema, Theatre & Teenage Pop Culturein Florida and Beyond

2010-07-02T09:04:00.002-04:00

Just the other day, I was grading student papers that focused on local cultural explorations. Very pleased the with the writing this semester, but that's besides the point. The reason this even comes to mind right now is because one of my students included a discussion of a live performance of High School Musical 2 at the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, located at 300 Brevard Ave. in Cocoa, FL and just now I came across a Newsweek slide show featuring The 13 Best Movies About High School. Yup...High School Musical was one of them.

Wait...back up for a minute...a college-level cultural exploration paper that addressed a production of the Disney "tween" extravaganza High School Musical??? Well, it was a live theatrical performance ... but what made this particularly interesting was how the production was analyzed as the prototypical example of modern American high school youth culture. So when I saw the Newsweek feature, I couldn't help meander down memory lane...

BLACKBOARD JUNGLE

BYE BYE BIRDIE

From the Broadway production, via the Ed Sullivan Show, with Dick Van Dyke...

...and of course, Ann-Margret!

GREASE

AMERICAN GRAFFITI

THE BREAKFAST CLUB

OK, I love this movie and I really wanted to post a clip...but it appears that all the good stuff has been disabled by request for some reason. So here's a link to one of my favorite clips: The Breakfast Club - Ending Scene

FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF

etc., etc.

Sorry, no High School Musical here...but that's ok, it was an "A" paper anyway! ;-)

...and just to show how theater is certainly not new to Florida, check out the website for the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, a theater dating back to 1924 that currently serves over 55,000 audience viewers each year, as it features musical productions, the Brevard Ballet Theatre, Children's Theatre and much more.

Blue Dog Thief Still on the Loose! Sick 'em, BD, Sick 'em!

2010-06-29T19:13:00.000-04:00

Not all art is meant to be seen...

2010-06-29T00:06:00.000-04:00

Sometimes art comes in small packages...and may even arrive via the USPS in the form of a postcard! This is one of the reasons I enjoy Postcrossing so much. I never know what little piece of art will show up in my mailbox each day from somewhere (could be anywhere) in the world. From scenery, to local culture and tourist spots, to pop art and cartoons, and even to classics such as Marc Chagall prints, the possibilities are endless.

But this is not a blog about Postcrossing...

This is a blog about a man who took his interest in postcards and used it to help others.

The man is Frank Warren, founder and curator of the PostSecret project, which is an ongoing collection and public presentation of the inner-most secrets of anonymous strangers from around the world via postcards. Warren receives 100s of postcards weekly and every Sunday he posts a bunch of them on his blog at PostSecret. This blog currently register 345-million visitors so far! Wow!

Why? Well, the primary reason behind the blog is to help people not feel so alone in their feelings about themselves and the world as a whole. But Frank Warren's fans also love him for using his platform to fight against suicide, raising thousands of dollars for Hopeline and currently encouraging readers to help win $250,000 in a Chase Bank Charity competition. What makes this fun, according to Behind the Scenes with PostSecret, is the fact that his weekly blog post, his books of collected postcards and his public speaking are "filled with emotion, humor, sexual frustration, pleas for help, love letters and so much more."

So as far as the postcard art...well the best way to see it is to check out Mr. Warren's blog because, understandably, he did not allow reporters to take pictures of the collection. But not being able to see the whole collection does not take away from the artistic value of the postcards...these represent the art of the free expression of human feelings used to reduce loneliness & isolation and to help others realize that life is indeed worth living.

But here's a way to get a little glimpse of the work Frank Warren does...

Rays Summer Concert Series: Barenaked Ladies Entertain Under the Orange-Colored Dome

2010-06-27T22:17:00.000-04:00

It's the perfect time of day

To throw all your cares away

Put the sprinkler on the lawn

And run through with my gym shorts on.

Take a drink right from the hose

And change into some drier clothes

Climb the stairs up to my room

Sleep away the afternoon.

It's like a dream - you try to remember but it's gone, then ya

Try to scream but it only comes out as a yawn, when ya

Try to see the world beyond your front door.

~Pinch Me, Barenaked Ladies

Well, it was sort of like a dream. There I was, standing in the outfield of Tropicana Field, basking in the glow of the orange-illuminated dome signifying the 5-3 victory of the Tampa Bay Rays over the Arizona Diamondbacks, waiting for one of my favorite bands to take the stage...

But it was for real! Thanks to the 2010 Rays Summer Concert Series, presented by Hess Express, I was transported back to the '90s to be entertained by the Barenaked Ladies. These themed Saturday nights at the Trop, capped off by concerts that reach out to those of different musical tastes and generations, make a lot of sense in terms of generating attendance...getting people out to the ballgame who normally would be elsewhere...and who knows, maybe they'll enjoy the sport enough to come back another time.

The concert itself was so much fun. BnL sang some of my favorites, including Get in Line , One Week, Pinch Me, Falling for the First Time, It's All Been Done, If I Had a Million Dollars and a bunch of songs from their new album, All in Good Time. I've always liked their music, but they are one of those bands that is just all the more entertaining and amusing live-in-concert...and they even made the acoustics at the Trop sound good!

The Rays Summer Concert Series continues to provide contemporary musical entertainment to the Tampa Bay area throughout the Summer Season, as you can see if check out the Concert Schedule. Train is the next one on my list for August 14th!