Beggars Night, Redux

Beggars Night, Redux

(Email subject headings in order, from Ohio Democrats, on Election Day eve 2018)

This race is about Ohio, not Trump
We don’t fear the future, we shape it
Trump, Hannity, Pence, and DeWine
Mobilizing the state of Ohio to get to the polls
Trump is about to take the stage in Ohio
Tomorrow, we hold Trump accountable.
More empty name-calling from Mike DeWine and Donald Trump - Let's show them what we're made of
The strongest ticket in my lifetime

Final poll alert - last snapshot before Election Day
Join us on election night in Columbus
Last chance before Election Day

Cue Roy Orbison

It's been an absolutely horrible 18 months, not just for me personally, but for the country (and the world, really) to have to endure this disgrace of an election cycle.

About twenty seven and a half hours from now, the polls will close in Ohio. This election may decrease Ohio's influence over the electorate. This means we may be less of a swing state, which means we get fewer ads.

Thank God if that happens.

With Clinton once again, and rightfully, not being under further investigation by the feds concerning the nonsense email scandal the markets shot up today. They were looking for a reason to. After tomorrow, it's all speculation and over-valued.

Good luck to all of us.

A visit to a brutalist structure

After an early morning of soccer action and an Everton win I met my Wife and took her on a surprise field trip to the Ohio History Center. I had not been there for years but have read about budget cuts and other issues that make the place seem like a labor of love to work at and maintain.



The center was holding up well. We particularly enjoyed an exhibit of an actual Lustron house. I thought they were more solid and ceramic, but it was galvanized steel and it seemed flimsy. The structure seems to hold up with no rust though. There were people inside in 1950's outfits who answered questions about the house and stayed in Ozzie and Harriet style character while doing it.

Of course the two headed calf is there. Excuse the flash.



We also ventured outside on a warm day into Ohio Village, a recreation of a pre Civil War Ohio town. There were costumed actors who demonstrated homemaking skills of the time as well as an undertaker. It was a bit more fun than I thought it would be, but a lot of the buildings were empty. It's hard to find volunteers these days.

There were also a few apple trees on the grounds.



Overall it's worth the visit. Ten dollars to get in and I saved a buck with my AAA membership. Very friendly staff, I hope they can get a budget that is worthy of their task to steward and educate Ohio's history.

Reading and repairs

The number of books that I read to my son has now increased to a rotation of four. He lines them up on the floor, and when he decides to put them away he takes them, one at a time, to the bookshelf. We've been in the house a lot because the weather has been extremely cold. There's been a lot of reading.

Last week was only a two day school week with President's Day and two days cancelled due to cold. I'm sure next week will have at least one cold day. Temperatures have been below zero in the morning.

After swimming last week I was driving home in a light snow on a side street and hit a patch of ice. I was only doing about 15-20 miles per hour and slammed into the curb tire first. I knew I knocked the car out of alignment and managed to limp the short distance home. There I saw the tire had some chunks chopped out but it was not flat, yet. Limped to a repair shop that is open on Saturdays and hoped for the best, which did not quite happen. Needed a center arm and ball joint, which they could not get that day, in addition to the alignment so we had no car last weekend.

Picked up the car Monday afternoon, after waiting for the bus downtown in some freezing cold weather and was told the rim on the tire was bent, but they moved it to the rear so the car is drivable. Had to cancel a reading in Pittsburgh after getting the bill and have to make arrangements to get a new rim next week.

Today we had about half a foot of snow, which is equivalent to two feet in just about any other northern city. Roads were a mess. The temperature did get above freezing for most of the afternoon so the heat pump activated. I had to pour water on the blades to get some of the snow off as the fans were not moving. I also noticed this.



Steam freezes into interesting shapes, eh?

Things I learned while the server was being moved

Ohio is full of creatures. This state has it's weirdness, its gateways to Hell, Air Force base hangars that house aliens and whatnot, Mothman and more. Today I learned about the Loveland Frogman, who may or may not be a lizard.

This got me to thinking about my time at CML, and the day two guys came in for library cards and to use our computers for their research. While I was processing their new accounts, they started talking to me about Bigfoot, and how they were seeking its existence in Adams County. I'm sure I wrote a Live Journal post about this, but can't find it. I wrote a lot of posts about the goings on and day to day weirdness and folly at the Hilltop branch. A couple of dudes looking up Bigfoot was not an atypical event. For that place, it was quite scholarly.

Today I found out about a film called Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie, and seriously believe these were the two guys I gave cards to. You can watch it on YouTube, and I did. Here's the link. These two are from the most unkind part of Ohio, Portsmouth, and we see their life struggles. By the end of the hour long documentary, you may not have a clearer conclusion about Bigfoot. However, for all the craziness in this world, you learn these two guys are harmless, and believe in their convictions with pure faith and clarity.

Sometime around 6AM

We were on a road trip, I think my wife was with me. For some reason we were driving through Ohio, no idea what part, or why - just driving.

At some point my car, the car I have now, had one weird steering issue. It was slipping while I turned left and I had to over steer to compensate.

Then we got to the town of Jack Vine, Ohio where the car started running badly and a shut engine off light started flashing on the left side of the dashboard.

I pulled into a parking spot in the middle of the town's business district. It looked like a small town in Ohio. Any small town in America. That's when I woke up.

Not sure where Jack Vine came from, but there does not seem to be any town called Jack Vine anywhere.

March 29th 7:15pm

Nature does not give a crap about anything but nature. You cannot stop nature.

We are born
We suffer
We age
We die
Nature wins
Every time

Road Trip to the Rockmill Brewery and Covered Bridge

Truly a gorgeous autumn Saturday in Central Ohio. Unseasonably warm, with bright sunshine and low humidity. Wanted to do something to get away from the city and get us off the laptops, so I suggested a trip to a brewery to my Scottish Wife. Of course she agreed.

Not just any brewery, but The Rockmill Brewery outside of Lancaster, Ohio. They just celebrated their third year of operation. I've had a few of their Belgian style beers, and they are excellent. Now it was finally time to go to the source.

I checked a map, and thought it would be an easy turnoff of route 33. Did not bring a map with me, which was the wrong move. Ended up going past Lancaster, turning around, taking the wrong Lithopolis Road but seemed to slowly spiral toward the brewery, as if by magic. There was no yelling, no cursing, no gnashing of teeth. We got there safe and sound. We did not even drive past it despite the signage.



It's a very rustic facility. Ended up going into the main house, which is a residence, and not the tasting room. This guy was no help for directions.



Eventually we made our way to the place where the beer is.



For $12 you get a flight of every beer that is available. This was plenty for two as the beers are quite strong and my wife did not want to fall asleep and I had to drive home. For one person, it's a lot of strong beer. The owner/brewer is doing a world class job making authentic Belgian beer in Ohio. He fell in love with Saison Dupont and wanted to recreate it for himself. By coincidence the family homestead has water that is similar to that in the places the good Belgian beer is made. It's a lovely place to reflect on what you're drinking. And they serve the flights in Glencairn glasses. If you order a pint, you get it in a Riedel Crystal tulip. Serious stuff that I really appreciate.



I really want to take some out of town, and in town, beer aficionados here. I think they'll be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the product. It's not cheap, but well worth the price. I really like the Wit, and the Tripel. All the beer is quality. The Dubbel aged in whiskey casks was a bit over the top for me. Very sherry like, but there are people out there who would love it.

Just down the road from the brewery, not even a quarter mile, is The Rockmill Covered Bridge. I checked my pictures when we returned home to see if I had been here before. Back in the nineties, we drove all over Ohio to find covered bridges, as a fun day trip. This bridge was negotiable by vehicle then, not so now.



The bridge was built in 1901 and still looks grand. Right next to it is a mill that was built in 1824 that is being restored to its glory. It overlooks a rather scenic 90 foot gorge.



For perspective the mill wheel is 26 feet in diameter and was restored in 2012. This is a great day trip.



I also saw a couple of these Autism Speaks puzzle pieces painted on the ground for some reason.

What I have not put in Facebook status updates or tweets.

I was at a Barnes and Noble recently, looking through the magazine rack I noticed about half a dozen soccer magazines, none of which were there when I worked there six years ago. I know print has changed, but you know the subject is gaining in popularity.

During last month's storm, the gutter on the front of my house was partially ripped out and hung there in the snow and ice. No way I was going up there. No way a repairman was going up there. Luckily it hung on until the snow and ice melted and I was pleased to find out it was repaired yesterday afternoon. Yes, I have to pay for it, but it's peace of mind.

This last month has been a struggle. Grief is all around me, and it's hard.



I really do not give a shit about who has and who has not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this year.

Hey, we've extended the deadline to apply to read at the 2013 Columbus Arts Festival. Poets, you have until January 28th to submit. You can do that here. It's quick, fun, and free. Showcase your work in one of the coolest venues the city offers you.

I see those fighter planes

Beautiful day for a mini road trip. We headed to Dayton to see the Air Force Museum. I had not been there for about twenty years and was wondering what types of changes had been made. There seemed to be a lot of improvements. A stunning amount of information on the walls and exhibits. What impressed her, and surprised me, was how little flag waving and blatant America F-yeah there was, especially since I have not been there since the end of the Gulf war.



She'd never seen a Wright Flyer up close before. Yes, that thing flew. Both of us were appreciative of the exhibits about the early days of military aviation. Here she is with a Sopwith Camel.



There are a lot of stories about the men and women who flew and did not make it that will rip your heart out. It's an overload of information that is very difficult to absorb in just a few hours. We got through a lot of the exhibits until world war two, and then it became too much.



Approaching the later exhibits up to today I started realizing we really have not learned anything from the lives lost. We're still blowing people up, but with prettier, more technologically advanced machinery. Here's what it's like looking into a bomb drop of a B-52.



There was a very moving exhibit about people from Dayton who had family in the holocaust. They donated a lot of photographs and other personal items, including a death camp uniform that somehow survived the war.

The enemies this country had and defeated were, for the most part, treated with respect. There was a kamikaze plane on display, along with a Japanese fighter and a MIG. The Berlin Airlift was given a good amount of space, with models depicting a Candy Bomber, who dropped parachutes filled with candy and chocolate to the children of Berlin.



You never know when you may come across a Russian checkpoint.



Above all though, the men and women who fought in these wars were all damn brave. You have to respect that. And the astronauts who flew in a Lunar Module the size of a well equipped hot tub get their due as well.



That's Apollo 15.

It's a great place to learn about military aviation, admission is free. Just remember, do not touch anything.



And remember to leave when you have reached your information limit.

Ohio Does the Madison

Today, at the Ohio Statehouse - thousands, if not more, will protest the anti-union, anti-public employee senate bill five. Hard working Americans in public service are being made scapegoats for the current economic problems this country is experiencing. It's a disgrace that millionaires and the wealthy who get tax breaks are ridiculing those who make between $20-30,000 a year for making too much money. While I believe there is a problem with today's union culture, and certain concessions should be made through negotiation, the elimination of collective bargaining is not an article that should be considered.

If you're going, be safe. Be effective.

My friend Tyrone has been in New Zealand for the past several months. He's been all over the country and was in Christchurch as recently as last week. So I was a bit concerned when reading about yesterday's earthquake. He's safe in Wellington, on the other island and did not feel it. Good luck to everyone down there. Another friend of mine does have family in Christchurch she has not heard from yet.

EDIT: Tyrone is safe in Wellington.

The kid is fine. He took a poop yesterday equivalent to his birth weight and clogged the toilet.

I'm Not Cheap When it Comes to Beer, but There are Limits

Friday night we took a voyage up to Whole Foods in Dublin. The journey had a specific purpose. When we walked in the market we went past the produce and saw a very lengthy line of twenty somethings holding empty wine glasses. Must have been wine sample night.

The place was crowded. I really think the number of drinkers was more than the number of people doing their shopping. There were groups of people wandering the aisles, drinking wine. If it helps business by turning a supermarket into a pickup spot one night a week, who am I to be cranky about it? I just was not prepared for the crowds, or at least not expecting a bar when I was shopping for tea and a specific beer.

Rockmill Brewery is located in Lancaster, Ohio. It opened up in September and makes four beers. All of their beers are made from organic products, including grains and hops. Their beers are made in a Belgian style, which made me sit up and take notice as I think Belgium makes the best beers in the world.

Yes, I know Pilsner Urquell is my favorite, but Belgium makes the best variety. If I had to drink the beer of one country for the rest of my life I would choose Belgium.

We chose the Tripel, which is rather pricey, and their most expensive at $16 for a 25oz. bottle. (the other three cost $13)

After negotiating past a belching hipster in the parking lot, and a trip to Jeni's, we made it home and opened the beer.

It had all the right components of the Belgian Tripel - the aroma, the color, the lace of the foam on the glass. Beautifully balanced in flavor with an appropriate for the style alcohol content of nine percent. Honestly, a dead ringer for one of the world's best, made in Lancaster, Ohio. I give the brewers top marks for this and will try the others as soon as I recover from the visit to Whole Foods. I'm glad this brewery's approach is to keep the quality at a top level without going completely over the top with exotic ingredients and excessive alcohol and hop content, like Dogfish Head does. Their production is so limited it is only available for retail in a few spots in Central Ohio.

I'm still a bit concerned about the price point. While shopping today I price checked Chimay Tripel, and it costs $11 for the same sized bottle. I admire Rockmill's commitment to quality, but when your product costs five dollars more than an authentic Trappist Ale, you may want to reconsider your pricing. It's obviously not an every day beer, at least it should not be! It would be nice to be able to afford it more than every few months.

Prepping for the Hayride

The sun is rising today, as it did yesterday, as it will tomorrow. The election cycle is over, for a couple of days, until the shouting beings again. So here I am with a bank lobbyist as my congressional representative and a former fox news talk show host and lehman brothers manager as my governor. This state is facing an eight billion dollar budget shortfall.

Do I want fire protection, or paved roads?