No Fixed Plans

  What a lovely chair! They don't make 'em like this anymore. What a pity. Here are some chairs from times past: Warner, W. (1840)  The arm chair / W. Warner . , 1840. [?] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2013650041/. She looks so uncomfortable. Sitting on grandma's lap is much better. (ca. 1873)  The Old Arm Chair . , ca. 1873. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2003654008/. Detroit Publishing Co, P.  Girl, Posed by Chair . , None. [Between 1880 and 1910] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2016818279/.    To see more Sepia Saturday chairs, etc. click here .

  If we were having coffee, I'd tell you I need to leave by 11:30 am because my first substitute teaching gig starts at noon. I'm not quite sure on what I'll be doing. I'm to fill in for the CLC Director. I just got access to the list of openings yesterday and that was one that was open. I figured why not. I also signed up to teach social studies next Friday, all day. I'm planning to sub while I look for a permanent job. This week I self-published a play I wrote called Dora McDonald on Trial. Set in the early 20th century, the play covers Dora's trial for shooting her lover. Dora was married to Gambling King Mike McDonald, who had wealth and power. She took up with Web Guerin, who when the affair started was half her age. After 16 years together, Web tired of Dora's drama and jealousy. Nowadays theaters are looking for plays with small casts and I just couldn't figure out how to have all the lawyers, family members and witnesses and keep the play under...

It's invigorating to watch a smart, insightful discussion of a great book and this video is a great example of that. Michael Knowles hosted Dennis Prager on this Book Club and they discuss Exodus, from the Bible, not the Leon Uris novel, which I would like to read sometime. Dennis has dedicated his life to better understanding of Hebrew scripture and I loved his insights. Thought there's definitely a shared understanding of Moses and the Israelites' story, it's fascinating to learn a Jewish perspective on Exodus.   

  Peter Schweizer's Red-Handed, How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win explains how powerful government, business and academic leaders cash in with big pay offs from China. I already knew about many of the examples, like the NBA, the Bushes, Mitch McConnell and the Bidens. I also knew that American colleges will sweep problems under the rug to continue lucrative deals with China. (I could write a book on that.)  However, I wasn't aware of how Former Secretaries of State, Kissinger and Albright cashed in on their relationships formed when in office as they opened up consulting firms focused on China. They made fortunes bowing to China's best interests.  Because I worked in higher education the bulk of my teaching career and spent more time teaching in China for an American college, I was most interested in the chapter on academics. I was saddened to learn that though Yale admitted Hong Kong dissident Nathan Law when he was in danger in China, they tried their best...

 

  New York Yes, everyone's different, but these guys all have the same facial expression. Hmm. If you want to see more murals, click here to get to the home of Monday Murals, hosted by Sami.

  This week's prompt first inspired me to look for photos of harps, but the Library of Congress had numerous covers of Harper's magazine. Thus street musicians seemed easier. Here's what I found in their archive. United States Resettlement Administration, Shahn, Ben, photographer.  Street musicians, Maynardville, Tennessee . United States Tennessee Maynardville, 1935. Oct. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2017730463/. Pray, Eleanor Lord, photographer.  Street musicians with a harp and violin in the upper yard of Dom Smith, Vladivostok, Russia . Russian Federation Russia Federation Vladivostok, 1899. [?] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2003652865/. A Couple Cartoons Pughe, J. S. , Artist.  No rest for the wicked / J.S. Pughe . , 1897. N.Y.: Published by Keppler & Schwarzmann. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2012647686/ Pughe, J. S. , Artist.  Bad for business / J.S. Pughe . , 1896. N.Y.: Published by Keppler & Schwarzmann. Photograph. https:...

I've put my play up for sale on Amazon. You can learn about Dora McDonald: On Trial by clicking here . I think historical fiction buffs should like it. It's the story of the wife of Chicago Gambling boss Mike McDonald. Dora's eye wandered as her much older husband aged. She took up with Webster Guerin, a young boy from across the street and that affair lasted 15 years till Web felt suffocated by Dora's jealousy.

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  Beijing - sports mural - seen in a park. This mural was painted right before the 2008 Olympics

 

 Happy Easter! This week I'm veering away from the inspiring prompt and sharing some Easter magazine covers. I can't say I understand them all. What is the significance of the little fellow all in red dancing or skipping along in the second image? He looks devilish. Why? In the third image, the lady is looking over her shoulder and in the distance there seems to be a trio of friars. Why? Glackens, L. M. , Artist.  Puck Easter / L.M. Glackens . , 1903. N.Y.: J. Ottmann Lith. Co., Puck Bldg., April 8. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2010652252/. Glackens, L. M. , Artist.  Easter Puck / L.M. Glackens . , 1901. N.Y.: J. Ottmann Lith. Co., Puck Bldg., April 6. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2010651395/.   Glackens, L. M. , Artist.   Puck Easter/ L.M. Glackens . , 1905. N.Y.: J. Ottmann Lith. Co., Puck Bldg. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2011645693/. Glackens, L. M. , Artist.  Puck Easter / L.M. Glackens . , 1904. N.Y.: J. Ottmann Lith. Co., Puc...

  If we were having coffee, or in my case tea, I'd say it was a quiet but good week. Sunday was Palm Sunday and I went to church with my parents. Usually, the scripture readings are dramatized with different priests and the congregation reading different parts. At this church they had a parishioner who's a professional actor. He did all the roles and it was riveting. While a service can be great without a professional actor, this was excellent in a new way for me. (I usually attend a different church.)  I had a job interview for a short term teacher training/English workshop in Albania. The students will be Afghan women and it'll last about 6 weeks. I don't know anything about Albania so if I get an offer and I accept, I'll have to look into the country. I'm pretty zen-like about the job. It sounds like this NGO is organized and professional. I'm not sure what the pay is as the interviewers said they'd tell the chosen teachers that when they offer the po...

  Small Town Charm Columbus, Indiana - a work in progress, my contribution to Sami's Monday Mural Challenge.  To see more murals, click here . 

  If we were having coffee, I'd have you over and offer you some honey citron tea that I got at an Asian grocery store. Give it a try. But if it's not your thing, I've got tea and coffee. You'd be able to see that it's been gray and rainy out, which is way I loved going to The Garfield Park Conservatory with my friend Patti. Timely - Peace for Ukraine It's so energizing to visit a greenhouse or conservatory when the weather's gloomy. On Thursday I made Chinese food for my parents, sister and sister-in-law. My sister was here on business from Utah so we got to see her. The food wasn't as good as the first Chinese dinner I made last month. I'm not quite sure why. I've started my taxes and am doing some spring cleaning to declutter. I want to get rid of the papers I don't need which seem to proliferate. 

  Kyoto's one of my favorite cities to walk around. Can you see why? Above is my post for Alive & Trekking's Which Way Challenge. You can see more streets, alleys, paths, trails, stairs, maps, signs, etc by clicking here .

  This photo of people dancing the tango on the beach. What a prompt! There's much to find joy in -- the old swimwear and the dancing on the beach. I was inspired to find some more images of dancing that make me smile. Harris & Ewing, photographer. (1923)  Bathing Beauties Dancing on Beach . United States, 1923. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2016892533/. Genthe, A., photographer.  Three Dancers on the Beach . , None. Between 1896 and 1942; from a photograph taken between 1896 and 1942. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2018704057/. (1900)  The skirt dance on the beach, Atlantic City, N.J . , 1900. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2018650901/.

  Scary I have no idea why a hostel, which aims to welcome travelers, would have this bizarre, hostile , manic mural in its stairway, How many people might turn around and find somewhere else to stay. I have no idea what the Chinese says. Do I want to know?  To see more Monday Murals, click here to get to Sami's welcoming site. 

This wedding party inspires Sepia Saturday bloggers this week. I have sought out some wedding parties  To see more inspired posts, click here . President Woodrow Wilson's daughter Jessie's wedding party, 1913. Irish wedding party, commissioned by Mr. J. Ryan, no date. Three wedding parties in Yarrabarah, Queensland, circa 1930. Bride Prieva Rickles Smith with her wedding pary, 1919. All photos were found on Flickr Commons.

 

What happened? I happend by this poor door while I was walkind down Clark St. in Chicago. Any theories on why it's there? To see more doors, click here .