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Post by billhammond on Oct 2, 2023 18:43:26 GMT -5
I saw online that he was born in 1952. That sounds right -- I always figured he was slightly younger than me, though I never asked.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 2, 2023 17:18:30 GMT -5
Somehow, my memory of swimming with bullheads in Wisconsin no longer seems quite as magical. Thanks a LOT, Jan! Great photos, and extra points for perfect hair (are we surprised?) and nicely toned arms (ditto).
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Post by billhammond on Oct 2, 2023 16:02:50 GMT -5
Wow. How old was he? Apparently cancer. It was esophageal cancer, like Lar and Lonnie and George Harrison and so many others, sadly. Al was at least 65, as he was on Medicare, but I don't know his exact age.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 2, 2023 14:12:02 GMT -5
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Post by billhammond on Oct 2, 2023 13:31:20 GMT -5
Al was a drummer before he picked up guitar -- that shows in his rhythmic playing. He also was an outstanding photographer, on staff at National Geographic at one point. Ken Burns used his music in his films, which paid him a pretty penny!
Talk about a Renaissance Man!
I still can't believe this -- he had no vices that I am aware of, seemed to take care of himself well, etc.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 2, 2023 12:30:06 GMT -5
I am in total shock, had not heard this awful news! Al was the heart and soul of the Swannanoa Gathering and beloved by all who came to know him. My dottirs and I visited Al and Amy at their mountaintop NC home on one occasion -- they were so welcoming and gracious. He gave me permission to record "River" on my "speechless" CD, no charge.
HUGE talent, great personality, always smiling. Like I said, I'm in shock. He and Robin Bullock and Marcy Marxer and Cathy Fink and other greats came out of that same Maryland/DC area, quite a few from the same high school. Marcy befriended and encouraged Eva Cassidy when she was just getting started.
I am just sick about this! I need to contact Steve Baughman.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 1, 2023 22:37:00 GMT -5
"I'm so FAMOUS!" Taylor said Swiftly.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 1, 2023 22:05:51 GMT -5
The Strib's new publisher is a young, energetic, digitally savvy guy who has met with the newsroom union reps and other departments in productive sessions and has generally shown himself to be a smart-thinking, cooperative dude.
He's been working with all the relevant parties to get newsroom workers back into the office a few days a week, with emphasis on at least aiming at Wednesdays, as of next week.
The goal is to maximize the in-person brainstorming and collaboration required to produce a kick-ass digital newspaper while not ignoring our many print edition readers. Designers, assignment editors, reporters and others need to gather to map out coverage and come up with grabby presentations. Most of the copy editors I work with do page layout as well as word editing.
I do not. All I do is word-edit -- virtually every piece of features copy that we publish, both online and in print, plus I write the headlines, photo captions and other graphic type elements accompanying it.
It's the kind of job that requires only an occasional communication link with my colleagues, easily handled via Slack and email.
I get up, wash my face, brush my teeth, brew some coffee, log in, and start to shovel copy, which is never, ever caught up, as we deal with so much advance feature sections copy -- Sunday food, homes, gardening, travel, etc., Friday entertainment, on and on and on.
In so many words, there is zero reason for me to work from the office, unlike most of my co-workers.
So I appealed to the copydesk supervisors to exempt me from the upcoming movement to bring us back to Capella Tower, arguing that I have some health concerns (i.e., asthma and circulation probs) that would make it difficult to get up in darkness, freshen up, drive 12 miles in rush hour, park in an expensive garage, hike to the office and park my ass in an environment where my asthma is likely to be triggered by co-workers who wear toxic fragrances, all of the while diminishing my value to the features desk when I could be at home shoveling tons of copy instead.
OK, I used more measured words.
They heard my plea, pondered, and told me today that other than coming downtown for training days, I can stay home for the next six months. I'll be able to get through the winter, start planning my retirement and not worry about trying to work a 40-hour workweek while running a household alone.
I am SO relieved. OMG.
The not-so-good news? Lady friend Barb has self-tested positive for COVID, and although her symptoms are mild, she also has been battling painful canker sores in her cheeks, and is quite miserable and sleepless.
At least now I can be on nearby call to come to her aid.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 1, 2023 20:55:07 GMT -5
Mariachi music deserves honerabke mention. Mike Odd Spanish spelling.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 1, 2023 20:42:01 GMT -5
I'm guessing his dottirs have enlightened him on that front.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 1, 2023 19:57:28 GMT -5
She is attending the Jets-Chiefs game at Arrowhead, and so far I think she has gotten more camera time than Patrick Mahomes (Todd, he is the KC Chiefs quarterback, and is rumored to be quite good).
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Post by billhammond on Oct 1, 2023 15:56:40 GMT -5
I've thought about it and I absolutely cannot answer this question. [ To protect the secret of your love for bubblegum music. ]
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Post by billhammond on Oct 1, 2023 9:04:07 GMT -5
I played a cat and mouse game with the thermostat last night, wanting to keep the humidity reasonable without it getting too warm in the house, wound up at a 76-degree setting, hoping that works all day. Pretty comfy in here at present.
Had one of those nights where my dreams were all about copy editing -- right down to moving commas around. I HATE when that happens!
Pondering the TC Marathon decision, and I think the organizers made the right call.
Vikes play the Panthers, two 0-3 teams. Oh, the excitement! Who will move to 0 and 4?!?!?!?
Guava and Passion Fruit Greek yogurt from Trader Joe's this morning. Pretty tasty.
Have a day, tribe.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 1, 2023 7:58:14 GMT -5
From Strib:
Twin Cities Marathon officials canceled the race early Sunday from Minneapolis to St. Paul when the threat of heat — with forecasted record highs in the 80s and humidity — was deemed too dangerous for participants.
As many as 8,000 runners were set to compete in the 42nd running of the marathon, with 12,000 more in the TC 10 Mile, and thousands of spectators on the streets of both cities.
Sunday's weather conditions elevated the races into black-flag status ("extreme and dangerous conditions"), prompting their cancellation.
In an e-mail early Sunday morning to runners, race organizers said "the latest weather forecast update projects record-setting heat conditions that do not allow a safe event for runners, supporters and volunteers."
Twin Cities in Motion (TCM), organizers of the event, had telegraphed the concern earlier in the week when the races were considered red-flag conditions — extreme caution for runners. When race conditions are deemed to have reached black-flag status, the recommended action is to cancel the event.
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Post by billhammond on Sept 30, 2023 17:32:32 GMT -5
IceSha took Best of Winners in Monroe, MI today. Great eye makeup!
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Post by billhammond on Sept 30, 2023 15:15:13 GMT -5
BTW--anybody else getting the "angry bear" error message when trying to load the "Favorite music" thread? Not everything is affected, though it seems to get worse in threads from earlier in the week. Appears to be fixed.
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Post by billhammond on Sept 30, 2023 14:22:53 GMT -5
You only get 10 choices. Quit cheating everybody. Ignore Marshall in this case. Note the first sentence of my initial post: I was gonna ask for your Top 10 choices, but realized that could be daunting or limiting, so I'd like to leave this open-ended.
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Post by billhammond on Sept 30, 2023 14:00:35 GMT -5
I am very concerned about Terry. Has anyone been in contact? Has he been able to get any relief for his latest hearing problems? I wish the best for him and have him in my prayers. Marty has been the conduit, getting the occasional update from Pat, but it's been a while since he's heard anything, so we're sitting tight. His sons were on hand for a week or so to help out.
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Post by billhammond on Sept 30, 2023 13:36:03 GMT -5
BTW--anybody else getting the "angry bear" error message when trying to load the "Favorite music" thread? Not everything is affected, though it seems to get worse in threads from earlier in the week. Yup, happening to me.
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Post by billhammond on Sept 30, 2023 13:35:30 GMT -5
A girl I dated in high school married into the Dalquist family, to the son of the David mentioned above. Martha's dad was a prosperous Eau Claire psychiatrist, and my Dad taught him to fly. Doc Lorenz eventually bought a Cessna Skymaster (groovy push-pull twin) which he used to ferry the family up to their big pleasure boat in Bayfield, Wis.
The Dalquists also had a big boat there, and that is where Tharma met Dave the Younger.
She remained friends with my folks long after we were no longer involved, and I recall coming home from UW-Green Bay for a visit and finding a dark green Corvette in the driveway, MN plates. Walked in to see Martha chatting with my folks.
A tad awkward, but ultimately, sweet.
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