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ocaladumpsterrentalsfl · 9 months

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Is Ocala Florida A Good Place To Live?

Nestled in the heart of Florida, Ocala is a city that boasts a small-town charm and a rich equestrian history.

With a rapidly growing population of approximately 60,000 people, Ocala is a mid-sized city that provides a balance of urban conveniences and a relaxed lifestyle.

With more and more people relocating to the sunshine state, Ocala has become an attractive option.

But the question remains…is Ocala Florida, a good place to live? In this post, we’ll explore the city’s pros and cons to help you make an informed decision about whether Ocala is the right fit for you.

First, lets take a look at some of the positives associated with the town.

Family Friendly Located in huge Marion County, Ocala nonetheless has a small-town feel.

First of all, there is a noticeable community spirit. Folks know each other and still wave and speak when meeting.

Another huge plus is that there isn’t any hardcore traffic congestion. Like other, more urban parts of the state such as Orlando.

Next, everything is accessible. Just hop in your car. A mere 25 minute drive can get you across the entire city area.

Not a city person. Take a short drive to exit the city limits and the surroundings turn rural.

In case you are looking to invest in farmland or find some acreage to build a house on, there are plenty of options.

Finally, the crime rate is low and there are a ton of great school options.

So, as far as raising a family goes, this is a great choice.

Enviable Cost Of Living You won’t have to break your budget by moving to Ocala as the cost of living here is very reasonable.

According to BestPlaces.net, the overall cost of living is about 17% less than the Florida average.

The median home value is the largest contributor to the savings as housing prices are approximately 35% less compared to the rest of Florida.

One of the biggest draws to moving to Florida in general is the tax situation.

No State Income Taxes Just by deciding to move to any city in Florida, you can save on taxes.

Because while you will still pay federal income taxes here, there is NO state income tax.

Depending on what state you are moving from, and how much money you make, this savings can be substantial.

Plenty Of Fun Things To See And Do Ocala enjoys some big town amenities such as:

Tons of shopping An eclectic collection of restaurants A downtown square A historic district Several upscale movie theaters

One of the biggest attractions in the city is the annual “Light Up Ocala” celebration. It kicks off the holiday season with a tree lighting ceremony that attracts thousands.

There is also a thriving art community here and that passion is evident in the “Fine Arts For Ocala Art Festival”, the Appleton Museum of Art, the Reilly Arts Center, and the Ocala Civic Theater.

Outdoor Activities For outdoor lovers, Ocala is a great place to live.

One of the most popular outdoor destinations in the city is the Ocala National Forest.

This vast forest, which spans more than 600 square miles, is home to a variety of wildlife, such as black bears, white-tailed deer, and bald eagles. Many walking and biking trails can be found throughout the forest, providing plenty of possibilities to enjoy the outdoors.

The Florida Trail, which traverses the state for more than 1,000 miles, and the Salt Springs Observation Trail, which provides breathtaking views of the forest and its wildlife, are two of the most well-known routes.

If you enjoy the water, Ocala offers a lot of options for kayaking and canoeing. With its clean waters and a variety of species, the Silver River State Park is a very popular paddling location. When you paddle along the river, you might even see a couple of manatees.

Or you can visit one of the numerous local lakes for a day of swimming or fishing for a more relaxed experience.

In addition, there are plenty of parks and gardens to explore in Ocala for those who prefer a slower pace.

Families could visit the Tuscawilla Park and Discovery Center, which features playgrounds, a splash pad, and educational exhibits. Another well-liked location is the Sholom Park, which has 44 acres of tranquil landscapes and winding walking pathways.

Finally, there is a thriving golf community. with numerous local courses for students of every ability level.

Horses And Horse Farms Ocala is known as the Horse Capital of The World. Although some in Kentucky would argue that point, the city is indeed a hotbed for horse-related activities.

Most importantly, Ocala is home to the World Equestrian Center. It was constructed in 2021 and is the largest equestrian complex in the United States.

Furthermore, in the rural areas. You will find miles and miles of beautiful horse farms.

Horse related events such as riding, training, and competition are a weekly occurrence here.

Finally, many people work in the equine industry here in one capacity or another.

Excellent Location Ocala is located in Central Florida which is the perfect place to be.

Why? Located right off the interstate, the town is only a little over an hour drive from the tourist capital of the world, Orlando. Here you can enjoy the best theme parks, water parks, fine dining, professional sports, fantastic nightlife and more.

A mere hour and a half drive will land you in the most famous beach on the planet, Daytona Beach.

Or perhaps you fancy the west coast of the state? Well, again, it is only an hour and a half drive to the Gulf of Mexico.

Metropolitan areas such as Jacksonville and Tampa are two hours away.

The University of Florida with all the things a college town offers is a mere 45 minutes to the North.

And while all these are amazing places and easy to get to, they have problems that Ocala doesn’t.

Health Care Ocala has some excellent health care facilities. Some of the options include:

The HCA Florida Ocala Hospital which is a top destination for cardiac care.

Next, HCA Florida West Marion Hospital, which is notable for its orthopedic care.

Finally, there is UF Health Shands Hospital in nearby Gainesville. A highly regarded teaching hospital. It is associated with the University of Florida Medical School.

The Weather So what is the number one reason people move to Florida? sunshine

The weather.

Living in Ocala means that you won’t have to worry about winter. Because the temperature very rarely drops below 40 degrees.

It is a researched fact that sunshine makes people feel better, hence the large senior population.

Hurricane Protection In addition to its pleasant weather and family-friendly atmosphere, Ocala, Florida is renowned for its prime storm protection.

Ocala is less likely to be directly struck by hurricanes or tropical storms because it is located further inland than other coastal cities.

Ocala is also less likely to flood due to its location, making it a safer spot to live during hurricane season.

The location of Ocala is one of the strongest arguments as to why it is a good place to live.

Conclusion Ocala, Florida, is a city that offers a plethora of attractions and amenities for residents and visitors alike.

From its natural beauty and outdoor activities to its excellent hurricane protection and small-town charm, Ocala has something to offer everyone.

So, whether you’re a retiree looking for a peaceful place to settle down or a family seeking a thriving community with plenty of opportunities, Ocala, Florida, is definitely worth considering.

So, Is Ocala Florida A Good Place To Live? The answer is a resounding… YES!

ORIGINALLY FOUND ON- Source: RDR Property Maintenance and Dumpster Rental LLC(https://www.ocaladumpsterrentals.com/is-ocala-florida-a-good-place-to-live/)

#Ocala dumpster rental #roll off dumpster rental #dumpster rental service

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truerespite · 2 years

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Tonight we're gonna do it! That's right--we'll be pouring at @marylandbeer's Love Thy Beer winter warmer beer festival at the Silver Spring Civic Center. Featured will be our luscious "Certified Banger" Aphrodisiac Stout (10.5%). This naughty accoutrement to the season of love will be on full display at the event, vying for the "Cupid's Curse" trophy awarded at the event. Join us for a ménage à MANY great beers tonight in Silver Spring. "Certified Banger" is available exclusively at Love Thy Beer and in the tap room tonight! . . . #bethekey #mytruerespite #certifiedbanger #aphrodisiacstout #aphrodisiac (at Silver Spring Civic Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/CofIKGWOJ_l/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#bethekey #mytruerespite #certifiedbanger #aphrodisiacstout #aphrodisiac

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acarrebeauty · 2 years

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Join the women of Beautiful Believers for their First Beauty and Wellness Expo on Saturday, October 8th from 10am-3pm at the Silver Spring Civic Center in Maryland!

Get ready to hear from our very relatable speakers on how to #startsomewhere with your wellness goals and how to take care of yourselves (body, mind, and spirit). Also come and shop to meet AcARRE.

They are talking about ways to build up your confidence and create the balance you need in order to be the best version of yourself.

Everyone has their own fitness journey, so this is a no judgement zone!

Deets to register: www.beautiful believers.org

Day will consists of

+free beauty swag bags

+afrobeats zumba class

+panel speakers

+vendors

+food and raffles

Hashtag for our event: #bbexpo22

www.beautifulbelievers.org

#beauty #beautifulbelievers #beautywellness #bbexpo22 #dmvevents #womenempowerment #womensconference #silverspringmd #wellnessexpo #confidence #afrobeats #afrobeatszumba #dcvendors #silverspringmdevents #civiccenter #marylandevents #women #womensupportingwomen #ubiquitous #womeninbusiness @beautifullbelievers @acarrebeauty #fypシ #viral

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scotianostra · 2 years

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September 6th 1826 saw the birth of Alison “Eilley” Bowers (nee Oram) at a farm near Forfar.

Although she had little interest in religion, she was dissatisfied with her prospects should she remain in Scotland, and is said to have joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints as means to get across the Atlantic, and so it was after marrying the first of her three husbands, Stephen Hunter at aged just 15, she emigrated to America at 17. Other sources say she never became an actual follower of the Mormons, as they are generally known nowadays, but her Husband was baptised into the faith. I admit a lot of her life story is conjecture and on every occasion I have researched her new information arises.

Following the Mormon custom of her day, her husband, Stephen Hunter, took several wives after they had settled in Utah. Eilley, however, did not enjoy the polygamous lifestyle and soon divorced Hunter. In 1853, she married Alexander Cowan.

The two moved to the Carson Valley where they purchased 300 acres in Washoe Valley. In 1857, Cowan, who was also Mormon, returned to Salt Lake City during troubles between the church and the U.S. government.

Eilley chose to divorce Cowan rather than return to Utah and moved to Johntown, a mining camp below Virginia City, where she opened a boardinghouse.

During this time, she acquired a handful of mining claims from boarders unable to pay their debts and met a Comstock miner, Lemuel “Sandy” Bowers, who would become her third husband.

The two combined their mining holdings and, as luck would have it, ended up owning one of the Comstock’s earliest major silver strikes. Within a short time, the Bowers were among Nevada’s first mining millionaires.

Deciding to spend their seemingly limitless wealth, in 1864, the Bowers’ began building the huge stone mansion on Eilley’s acreage in Washoe Valley. While the home was under construction, they traveled to Europe to purchase furnishings. When it was completed, the mansion was one of the most magnificent homes in the state and the Bowers were willing party hosts. During the next four years, they indulged themselves on the finest clothing, furniture, and collectables.

In 1868, however, Sandy Bowers suddenly died of silicosis at the age of 35. By then, the original mine had become tapped out and he had invested much of their money in several unprofitable mining ventures.

After the estate was finally settled, Eilley found herself penniless. Despite her best efforts to hold on to the mansion, she was unable to keep it. Her misfortune continued when, in 1874, her adopted daughter, Persia, died at the age of 12. Since her days in Salt Lake City, Eilley had been intrigued by the occult.

Apparently during that time she acquired a crystal ball for fortune telling and had prognosticated for friends, although other sources say she brought the “Seer Stone” from her home in Scotland.

In 1875, following her many financial and personal setbacks, Eilley set up shop in Virginia City as the “Washoe Seeress.” Despite skeptics, she practiced her arcane arts for nearly a decade, until the decline of the Comstock.

In the 1880s, she moved to San Francisco, where she worked in various jobs, including–as she had so many years before operating a small boardinghouse. In 1898, she was placed in a rest home in Oakland, where she died in 1903 at the age of 77.

The Bowers Mansion survives and in 1946, it was purchased by Washoe County with the assistance of the Reno Women’s Civic Club and public donations; 20 years later, the property was updated and renovated. Today, it’s Bowers Mansion Regional Park. The home has been restored and refurbished with historic pieces donated by Nevada residents. The grounds contain hiking trails, picnic areas, spring-fed swimming pools, a playground, an amphitheater, and more.

Read a wee bit more about Eilley’s story here https://www.nevadawomen.org/research-center/biographies-alphabetical/alison-eilley-oram-bowers/

#Scotland #scottish #scots-american #busineswoman #strong woman

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fandom-collective-writers · 5 years

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Mystery Date

Pairing: Ray Blackwell x Reader

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 1,691

Written by : @rikumorimachisgirl

Disclaimer: I do not own Ikemen Revolution and its characters, but this fic is conceptualized and written by me.

It happened on a Monday - that fateful Monday morning, during the Black Army Officers' daily huddle, which you've started attending as part of Sirius's Intelligence Division. Today's meeting was the same as always - nothing uneventful, thank goodness - which meant you could start training with your troop in about ten minutes… At least that's what you thought until Ray asked the magic question.

"Are there any other items you'd like to discuss before we adjourn?" The young King of Spades scanned the room one last time after everyone had given their updates.

"Oh! Oh, I have one! The Festival's on Friday, " your seatmate, Fenrir, cried out.

"Yes, we are all aware and preparations are underway, " Sirius said calmly.

"Oh-ho, but we may have missed out on an item here - a very important item, " the Ace of Spades insisted, as he pulled you to your feet, much to your surprise. "This lady here doesn't have a date to the Lunar New Year Ball yet."

All in attendance gasped. All, that is, except for Ray. The King of Spades sat back at his desk, his gaze lingered at you, as you blushed furiously beside his best friend.

"You should have said so sooner! I would've asked you instead of that Red Army chick that Kyle introduced to me at the bar two nights ago, " Seth whined.

"Why not go with Luka?" Sirius suggested.

"I'm on duty that day, " the Lieutenant tenant General replied, dispassionately.

"See? Told ya we had a problem…"

"You guys don't have to worry about it, " you said, cutting them off before they start giving out suggestions. "It's really not a big deal. I can be on duty on that day, too."

"Or you could get all dressed up and attend the ball with a mystery date, " Ray finally spoke, and silence filled his office once more, as he smiled smugly at you. "And I've got the perfect person in mind for you."

"Well, how about that, " Fenrir turned to you happily. "See? My best bud's getting you a date! What did I tell ya - it ain't a problem, right?"

"Yeah, " you replied, trying to conceal your nerves as you watched Ray leave his office, still smiling smugly. "It's gonna be fine."

***

You lazily crawled out of bed, silently cursing Fenrir and Seth for your lack of sleep. Ray had snuck out of base after dinner and the two officers you were patrolling with did nothing but put ideas in your head. After getting dressed and applying concealer under your eyes to hide the dark circles, you head out to join the team for breakfast.

"'Morning."

You jumped at the greeting and heard a familiar laugh behind you.

"Did I scare you?"

"Not really, " you replied after taking a few calming breaths, as you heard him approach. "Good morning, Ray."

"Rough night?" He peered at your face, as the two of you stood in the hallway just outside the dining room. "Your eyes are red."

"Oh… I… I was up reading, " you started, while watching him cock an eyebrow at you. "I was reading through the applications we received to check for high potentials…"

"If you say so, " he said, but you knew well enough that he didn't buy your excuse. As he made his way to the dining area, you pulled at his sleeve to stop him.

"Hey, Ray -"

"Hmm?"

As his emerald green eyes met yours, you felt your heart pound and your cheeks flush several shades redder. He was so attractive, it just wasn't fair - from his messy dark hair and naughty smile, his lean physique, commanding presence, and his love for books - everything about him was perfect…

Too perfect, you were sure his date to the ball was, too.

"Uh, are you okay?"

"Yes. Sorry, " you said, shaking away your previous thoughts. "I was gonna tell you that you don't have to find me a date -"

"Oh? That's too bad because I already did and he said he's excited about it."

"W-what? You already told him?"

"Yesterday. But you can't find out who he is until the ball. That's how a blind date goes, right?" he smirked, gazing deep into your eyes. "Is there anything else you'd like to ask before we head on to breakfast?"

"Yes, " you said bravely, squaring your shoulders as you met his gaze. "What about you, Ray? Who will you be going to the ball with?"

His eyes twinkled as he smiled wider. "Why so curious?"

"N-no reason."

"I'm going with the prettiest girl in Cradle, " he said, winking at you before he opened the door to the dining area and stepped inside.

You watched his retreating figure, grateful to the gods that he was immediately greeted by the soldiers and the rest of the officers. If he had turned back, he probably would've seen the crestfallen look on your face.

***

"He wanted me to ask you what color your dress is for the ball."

You stared at Ray in disbelief. He had asked you to stay behind after the Officers' morning huddle on Wednesday, and you thought for sure it was because of something urgent. There in his office, with no one else around but the two of you, you thought of all the dresses you currently own.

"Don't tell me you haven't thought of that."

His remark made you wince. "Don't blame me. I wasn't planning to go in the first place, " you retort. "And I haven't even fully absorbed the fact that I have a date, so don't pressure me."

"Well, he has to know to be able to match what you're wearing."

"I know, I know…, " you said, wishing that Seth was there to coach you. "What about the silver dress I wore to the summer ball? Jonah said I looked good in it."

You watched him wrinkle his eyebrows in thought. He seemed to be trying to recall what dress you were referring to. The dress had a modest neckline and a very low back and hugged every curve of your body.

"Too daring, " he frowned. "Do you have other options?"

You sighed and shook your head. "I can't think of any at the moment, " you said. "But why don't you ask him what color he's wearing and I'll shop for a dress to match."

He looked at you briefly and nodded to signal that you could leave. That evening, you received a daintily wrapped package that contained the most beautiful blue dress you've ever seen. Along with the dress came a note that had three words. Three words that made your heart skip a beat.

See you Friday.

***

After the morning huddle the next day, you kept looking for ways to stall leaving the office before Ray did. When you were finally alone, he glanced up from his desk and smiled.

"Is there a reason you're still here?"

"Yes, " you nodded and cleared your throat before walking up to him. "Please tell my date that the dress fits perfectly, and I love the color."

"Good."

"Hm?"

He coughed. "Good. It's good to know you like what he chose."

"But I have a favor to ask, " you blurted out before your nerves got the better of you. "Can you please teach me how to dance?"

"Why me?"

"Well, I figured you'd know what kind of dances he'd like, and I don't want to embarrass him."

He stared at you thoughtfully, and you lowered your gaze as the silence engulfed you.

After several seconds, you heard him exhale. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Meet me here after dinner, " he told you. "But if you step on my feet, we're stopping."

With that promise, you left his office with a spring in your step. He was glad you were distracted, else you would've seen how he smiled tenderly as he watched you bounce out of his room.

And as you swayed to the music in his office that evening, you silently wished your mystery date was as amazing as the man you were dancing with.

***

I'll meet you in the lobby of the Civic center at 8.

You held the note Ray handed you that morning from your mystery date. It was five minutes to eight in the evening, and you had just arrived at the Civic Center in the Central Quarters. You smoothed out the elegantly embroidered blue gown your date had picked out, just as you had stepped out of the carriage.

'This is it, ' you said to yourself. You were five minutes away from meeting your mystery date… and five minutes away from seeing Ray and his beautiful date.

You took a deep breath and tried to shake the thought of the young Black Army Leader off your mind. Tonight should be about you and your mystery date - probably the only guy who took a chance at going on a date with you.

"'Evening."

You jumped at the unexpected greeting, and you once again hear a familiar laugh behind you. You froze on the spot, your heart pounding wildly.

"Somehow this scene seems so familiar, except I was talking to a spaced-out soldier that morning, " you continued to listen to the voice as it grew closer by the second until you finally felt his breath behind you. "And tonight, I'm talking to the prettiest girl in Cradle."

"Ray?"

You turned around and saw him standing right behind you, looking dashing in his crisp black suit and his bowtie that matched the color of your dress.

"Hi, " he said, as he flashed you a dazzling smile.

"Is this some sort of joke?"

"I can tell you it's not, " he said, as he tucked a stray curl behind your neck. "And you are the prettiest girl in Cradle - at least I think you are."

"Then why didn't you just ask me?"

"Because I wanted our first date to be something you'll tell our children about, " he winked and offered his arm. "Well then. Now that we've sorted that out, shall we go in, my lady?"

You smiled and placed your hand in his, playing his words over and over as you danced the night away with your one true love, your mystery date.

The end.

#ikemen revolution #ray blackwell #ray x mc

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lovingsiriusoswald · 5 years

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“For the Treats” [Harr Silver x Alice]

Prompt: ”Please marry me.”

Word count: 1445 words

Note: Harr is no longer treated as an outlaw, and Alice is helping him enjoy his time in Cradle.

Requested by: @ellysilver!! I hope you like this fic! ρ(＾o^)♪

Prompt List here!

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"C’mon! I haven't showed you the best confectionery yet!" She pulls him by his hand as she leads her towards the shop. "I heard that they had a special promo today for all of their products!" She turns back at Harr's shy smile.

He was grateful for having a woman like her — unafraid to make people happy, always willing to understand others, earnest yet cheerful. His stomach did mad flips every time they spent their day together and even after half a year, he still couldn't get used to the warm, fuzzy feelings that swelled in his chest.

"Its over there!" Alice points and they see the crowded street, people rushing in and out of the store she wanted to visit.

"Careful, Alice." He falls into step beside her and wrapped his arm around her waist, to stabilize her stand. Alice's heart started beating wildly when he kept her close, taking the lead now to protect her against the heavy current of busy people. Harr was not one for romantic affections, but with small, caring gestures like these, it was enough to make her heart flutter.

They finally stood in front of the shop, reading the beautifully created chalkboard sign. "The owners of this shop are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary! As part of our celebration, we offer 50% discount on all treats.. for married couples?" Alice trails off at the last part, her cheeks flushing.

Harr finally notices that most customers in the shop were couples, who had rings on their fingers. "Well, so much for the promo." He softly chuckles and he looks down at Alice's pouting, flustered face. "We can always come back in a different time—"

"Follow me." She cuts him off as she grabs his hand again, pulling him to a quiet alleyway. Harr's thoughts whirled madly, Alice had never been this.. aggressive in public, his self control was struggling to restrain him from touching her. Tension leaves his muscles when she finally sighs, a soft giggle following suit.

"No wonder Seth gave me these." She reaches to her pocket, two silver bands glittered under the sunlight as she holds them in the palm of her hand. "Seth was the one who informed me about the promo and told me I'd be needing these." Harr's breath gets stuck in his throat as he realized what the 10 of Spades had planned. He was about to go against it, but he stops when she looks up at him with an enticing smile that always gets him spellbound.

"Please marry me." She says with the sweetest voice and the brightest eyes that sparkled against the sun. She glowed underneath its rays as a thin cloud parted, she raised the bigger ring up to him. She's so gorgeous, was all Harr could think of at that moment. His mind started a picture show of her in a wedding dress and veil, petals of white and violet swirling around her as she would look at him with so much love, sending heat all over his flushed face. "Please? Just for a day? For the treats?" She steps closer to him, his eyes grow wide as she uses the puppy eyes trick on him.

"You don't have to do that." He managed to breathe out, a smile forming on his lips. Alice softly squeals in delight. She grabs his left hand and gently put it in his ring finger. She knew what she was doing, it was a dream that was stored at the back of her mind. She dreamed of a future with Harr, although they still have a lot to go through a lot as lovers, it always made her heart scream in joy. She was about to wear the ring on her own, when he gently tugged her hand and took the ring from her. He slid the silver band on her tiny ring finger, before leaning down and placed a soft kiss on top of it. "Shall we continue our date, Mrs. Silver?" His playful side was slowly showing, amusement glimmering in his ash-colored eyes at her reaction.

All she could do was nod, her teeth would have made her lower lip swollen if she bit it any harder. They link their hands together as they make their way back to the shop. They were able to treat themselves with every product they offered, Alice's sweet tooth was satiated and Harr was more than happy to see her smiling all day. He leans down to her ear, whispering in a low voice, "You do know that we're cheating this shop, right?"

"We're not the only ones though," she smirks and looks over at the couple in front of the counter. "Those two reside in the Black Army Headquarters, they're not in a relationship whatsoever though, they just really like sweets." She giggles. When the couple sees them, an exchange of knowing glances between the woman and Alice made her stifle a laugh. "I guess Seth was playing matchmaker today."

Alice and Harr decided to take a leisurely stroll around after, the afternoon glow made the sceneries brighter and the busy people around them made it livelier. Everyone had smiles on their faces when they arrived at the plaza. There were streamers and banners across Civic Center, booths and stands surrounded the area and a stage was set up in front of the fountain. "What's happening?" Alice stands on her tiptoes in an attempt to see above the heads of the crowd in front of them.

"An opening ceremony for the Spring Festival, I think." Harr analyzes, looking over the flowery ornaments around them. When the Masters of Ceremony had announced the official start of the festival, thousands and thousands of flower petals of many colors exploded in the air, creating a fairy tale scenery around them. Cheers and hollers erupted, Alice's hand reaches the air as she feels some of the petals slide from her fingertips to her arms. The silver band sparkled against the last rays of sunlight, enchanting the wizard beside her. Harr watches her smile in awe at the shower of petals, heart racing at the most ravishing and mystical sight he's ever seen — completely falling under the spell she unknowingly casted upon him. It was a spell he was more than willing to be cursed — no, blessed — for, for the rest of his life.

"Harr?" Alice finally feels his stare, blushing when she sees his ever-loving gaze. "What's the matter?"

"I was just thinking." He answers vaguely. He links their hands together, his warmth seeping through her. She pouts, unsatisfied at what he told her, so she steps closer to him and placed a soft peck on his cheek. He's immediately blushing again, giggles escaping her lips at the reaction. He pats her head, sighing softly in defeat. "Do you want to look around?"

"I'm tired, Harr. My feet hurt from running around Central Quarter." She wraps her arms around his neck, tugging him gently as she stands on tiptoes again, to kiss him on his forehead, then his lips. He holds her tighter, no longer minding the display of their affection at such a public place. When they finally parted, there were warm smiles on their faces.

"Let me send you home then, Mrs. Silver." His eyes turned red and a bright light surrounds them both. When Alice, opens her eyes again, they were standing by the gates of the Black Army headquarters.

"Thank you for today, I had so much fun!" She turns to him. The moon had an ethereal glow that outlined Harr, mesmerizing her completely and making her wish she wasn't tired anymore to spend more time with him. "Do you want to go back to the festival tomorrow?"

"Of course."

"I guess this is the end of our little date as pretend husband and wife." She chuckles as she starts to remove the ring on finger, but Harr grabs her hand and pulls it softly toward his lips. After placing a small kiss, he looks longingly at the ring, his breath ghosting over her skin.

"If the time comes," He huffs, nervousness washing all over his body as he tries to find the right words to say. "Will you take my hand and be the person I grow old with?" He finally looks up to meet her gaze. She felt her heart beating faster than it had ever been and so much louder that she could almost hear it, she felt like she was walking on cloud nine. Her smile grows wider, tears brims her eyes and her voice shakes in passional joy.

"I would love to." She promises.

******

Don’t mind me, I just died at him calling Alice “Mrs. Silver” _:(♡ཀ♡」 ∠):_

Also, I’m sorry if the requests are taking a while! I’m currently doing a bunch of errands sakldjghs I promise to work on them as soon as possible!

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allthingsankara · 5 years

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Fashion Show: @tosinade_ 2020 Collection Fashion Show. The fashion show is taking place #today Saturday, February 22nd, 2020 at the Silver Spring Civic Building in Silver Spring, MD at 7:30p. Post by @nikkibilliejean. To purchase tickets go to allthingsankara.com #linkinbio #allthingsankara #tosinade #fashionshow (at Silver Spring Civic Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/B84WLGDnvmv/?igshid=4f93hdcmplh3

#today #linkinbio #allthingsankara #tosinade #fashionshow

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karibnation · 5 years

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CARIBBEAN STYLE & CULTURE 10th Anniversary Showcase @pinklemonadebyrp🇧🇧 Model: @nharper_🇬🇾 📸 @phelanmarc #culturallyinspired #epicdesigns #awardwinningdesigner #awardofexcellence (at Silver Spring Civic Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0SXLWRAzk6/?igshid=75bsgjji9djr

#culturallyinspired #epicdesigns #awardwinningdesigner #awardofexcellence

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vintagereveries · 3 years

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A Brief History of the St. Louis Municipal Theater Association (as written in 1943)

This entry is part 2 of 13 in the series St. Louis Municipal Opera 1943

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These pages from the 1943 St. Louis Municipal Opera program include the Municipal Opera Productions Directory (from 1919-1942), and a brief history and facts about the Municipal Theatre Association.

Advertisers in these pages included:

Marlboro Cigarettes

Cook’s Champagne and wine

Mrs. Frederick Nussbaum personal training

Oldani’s Restaurant

St. Louis Band Instrument Co

Miss Julia’s Cafeteria

Acme Flower Shop

Karl Bissinger French Confectionaries

Embro Popcorn

New Hussman Stamp Co.

Senor Martinez Beauty Service (at the Congress Hotel)

Castilla

An ad for upcoming performances at the Muny (the rest of the planned shows for the 1943 season)

Rose Exterminator Co.

Krummenmacher’s Vital Food Stores & Russel’s Vital Food Stores (“simple as ABC to make your precious Rationing Units go farther, see our complete line of non-rationed foods”)

Akron Truss Appliances

Kris-Art Letter Service

I’ve posted the scanned pages below, and below that I’ve attempted to extract text with help from the NewOCR.com (the best free online optical character recognition program that I’ve found yet, but excuse any typos that I didn’t catch).

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Municipal Opera Productions Directory (from 1919-1942)

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In 1919: ”Robin Hood,” “Bohemian Girl,” “El Capitan.” “The Mikado,” “Wizard of the Nile,” and “The Chimes of Normandy.”

In 1920: “The Firefly,” ”Robin Hood.” ”The Waltz Dream,” “The Mikado,” ‘Tho Mascot,” “The Gondoliers,” “Babes in Toyland,“ and “Katinka.”

In 1921: ”The Chocolate Soldier,” “Fra Diavolo,” “The Fortune Teller,” “San Toy.” “‘I’he Beggar Student.” ”The Pirates of Penzance,” “The Chimes of Normandy,” and “Sari.“

In 1922: “The Highwayman,“ “Sweethearts,” “Sari,”The Yeoman of the Guard,“ “The Geisha,” “The Spring Maid,” “The Queen’s Lace Handkerchief,” and “Miss Springtime.”

In 1923: “Naughty Marietta,” “Wang,“ “The Fencing Master,” “The Prince of Pilsen,” ”Die Fledermaus.” “Sweethearts,” “The Gypsy Baron,“ “The Merry Widow.” “Gypsy Love,” and “The Spring Maid.”

In 1924: “Princess Chic,” “Firefly,” ”Florodora,” “Chinese Honeymoon,” “Bohemian Girl,” “Prince of Pilsen,“ “Fortune Teller,” “The Lilac Domino,” “Naughty Marietta,“ and “The Beggar Princess.”

In 1925: ”A Night in Venice,” “Mlle. Modiste,“ “Rudigore,“ ”Her Regiment.” “Rob Roy,“ “Dolly Varden,“Erminie,” “Cavalleria Rusticana,” “H. M. S. Pinatore,” “Count of Luxembourg,” “Martha,” ”Naughty Marietta,” and “Mary Widow.“

In 1926: ”Eileen,” “The Red Mill,” “The Chocolate Soldier,” “The Spring Maid,” “The Pink Lady,” “II Trovatore.” “Sweethearts,” “Iolanthe,” “The Count of Luxembourg,” “Woodland,” “Fro Diavola,“ and “Babes in Toyland.”

In 1927: “Robin Hood,“ ”Princess Pat,” “Sari,” ”The Song of the Flame,” “The Red Mill,“ “Rose Marie,” “The Mikado,” “The Dollar Princess,” “Katinha,” ”Serenade,” “Gypsy Love,” and “Tales of Hottman.“

In I928: “The Princess Flevia,“ ”The Merry Widow,” “The Vagabond King,“ ”No, No, Nanette,” “Rose Marie.” “The Student Prince,” “The Lady in Ermine,“ “The Song of the Flame,” “Countess Maritza,” “The Love Song,” “Mary,” and “Aida.”

In I929: “The Love Call,“ “The Student Prince,” Castles in the Air,” “I’he Chocolate Soldier,” “The Bohemian Girl,” “Rose Marie,“ “The Prince of Pilsen,”The Enchantress.” “The Vagabond King,“ “Babes in Toyland,” and “Golden Dawn.”

In I930: “Nina Rosa,” ”The Circus Princess,” “The Desert Song,” “The New Moon,” “Blossom Time.“ ”Alone at Last,” “The Red Robe,“ “Maytime,” ”Madame Pompadour,” “The Student Prince,” and “Show Boat.“

In I931: “Three Little Girls,” “The Street Singer,“ “Music in May,” ”Nina Rosa,” “Rose Marie,” “The Countess Maritza,” “The Three Musketeers,” “A WonderfulNight,” ”Irene,” ”The Circus Princess,” and “Rio Rita.”

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In 1932: “The New Moon.” “The Riviera Girl“ “‘The Last Waltz,” “Blossom Time,“ “T he Desert Song,” “The Rose of Stomboul,” “The Honeymooners,” “The Blue Paradise,” “Sari,” “The Land of Smiles,” “The Love Call,” and “Cyrano de Bergerac.”

In 1933: “Bitter Sweet,” “Florodara.” ”White Lilacs,”Rip Van Winkle,” “Nina Rosa.” “The Student Prince,”The Nightingale,” “Naughty Marietta,” “My Maryland,”Beau Brummell,” “The Cat and the Fiddle,” on: “The Desert Song.”

In 1934: “Sweet Adeline,” “Sweethearts,“ “Cyrano de Bergerac,” ”Yhe Last Waltz,” ”East Wind,” “Mlle. Modiste,” “Music in the Air,“ “Rose of Algeria.” “Sally.” The New Moon.” and “Show Boat.”

In 1935: “Teresina,” “Rio Rita,” “Madame Sherry,“The Chocolate Soldier,” “Good News,” “The Vagabond King,” ”Sunny,” “The Beloved Rogue,” “The Cat and the fiddle,” “The Desert Song,” “Roberta,“ and ”Whoo-pee.‘

In 1936: ”Kid Boots,“ “The ‘l’hree Musketeers,” “No, No, Nanette,” ”Sons 0‘ Guns,” “The Bohemian Girl,”Oh Boy,“ ”The Merry Widow,” “The New Moon,“ “A Connecticut Yankee,” “Bitter Sweet,” “The Red Mill,” and “Glamorous Night.”

In 1937: “The Great Waltz,” “The Fortune Teller,”Music in the Air,” “Louie the 14th,“ “The Mikado,“Salute to Spring,” “The Prince of Pilsen,” “The Bartered Bride,” “The Pink Lady,” “Robin Hood,“ “Babes in Toyland.” and “Wild Violets.

In 1938: “Gentlemen Unafraid,” ”Of Thee I Sing,“ White Horse Inn,” “Roberta,” “Virginia,” “Lost Waltz,”“Chimes of Normandy,” “Rosalie,” “Knights of Song,”Gingerbread Man,” and “Show Boat.”

In 1939: “Rose Marie,” “Queen High,“ “Lost Waltz,”Katinka,” ”Waltz Dream,” “On Your Toes,” “Firefly.”The Battered Bride,” “Mary,“ “Babette,” “Song of the Flame,” “Victoria and Her Hussar.”

In 1940: “The American Way,“ “Naughty Marietta.”Apple Blossoms,” “Rio Rita,“ “The Chocolate Soldier,“Good News,” “Knickerbocker Holiday,” “Anything Goes,” ”East Wind,” ”Rosalie,” “Babes in Arms,” “The Great Waltz.”

In 1941: “New Orleans,” “Sweethearts.” “Too Many Girls,” “Firefly,” “The Three Musketeers,“ “Irene,” “Nina Sosa,” “The Merry Widow,” “Bitter Sweet,” “The Desert Song,” “The Red Mill,” “Balalaiko.”

In 1942: ”Glamorous Night,” “Sally,” “Song of the Flame,” “Hit the Deck,” “No, No, Nanette.” “New Moon,“Girl Crazy,” “Wildflower,” “Roberta,” “Wizard of Oz,” and “Show Boat.“

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A Brief History of the St. Louis Municipal Theatre Association

St. Louis Municipal Opera history as of 1943

To many it comes as a surprise that the world’s foremost summer theatrical enterprise is not a part of New York’s Broadway. nor even situated in Chicago’s Loop district. It is not to be found in Hollywood. The once-gay population centers of Europe have long since been counted out. To find this. the No. 1 summer footlights venture of all the world. one has but to go to the heart of St. Louis’ spacious and beautiful Forest Park. There Alone in Its Greatness” . . . stands the Municipal Opera.

It is truly the realization of a dream-the cul- mination of years of planning. effort and civic attainment. The sweep and size of the great sky- canopied amphitheater. the vastness of the stage with its panoramic expanse of massive and skillfully wrought settings. the number and size of backstage facilities. the tall and architecturally beautiful towers flanking the stage-all these. and many other aspects of the Municipal Theatre’s physical plant. yield a persuasive clue to the Municipal Opera’s status as an institution meriting such a designation.

Yet physical considerations in themselves do not necessarily imply true greatness. It is upon the loyalty and enthusiasm of the people. and the artistic integrity with which each season’s productions are invested. that the Municipal Theatre has built its reputation as the world’s outstanding starlight sum- mer entertainment. That claim. by and large. has gone unchallenged.

Night after night through the summer. overflow. capacity or near-capacity crowds fill the great amphitheater. Production after production wins the acclaim of critical and popular judgment. And season after season. rolling by with sureness and steadiness inherent to time. leaves the Municipal Opera’s legion of friends with the firm conviction that “this year, the Opera was better than ever before.”

The 1943 season, marking the Municipal Opera’s Silver Jubilee. is certain to be thus received. As befits the twenty-fifth anniversary of any enterprise. this summer’s shows are being contrived with studied effort to excel anything ever achieved in the past. That is a broad statement. especially in light of the fact that the theatre’s past has been so richly successful.

Consider these facts: In the past 24 summers. 13.738.966 persons have witnessed 1.806 perform- ances. In 267 weeks of operation, it has presented 262 separate productions. ranging in scope from grand opera to light musical romance. Among them were eight notable world premieres, and seven American premieres. The productions have been professional in the highest degree. and have fea- tured outstanding stars of the stage. screen and radio.

Let us. then. take a retrospective view of what has gone before:

In 1919. when a group of St. Louisans gathered on a hillside in Forest Park in an incompleted. unused theater. the Municipal Opera was launched- And with that first performance was born a new era in entertainment. one which was destined to be Alone in its Greatness.” From that time on. the beauty and success of subsequent seasons at the Municipal Opera have. in crescendo fashion. blazed the trail for one of the greatest advancements in the history of the theatre. with its fame known throughout the world.

But much has happened. the ambitions of many persons have been tested since that first night in 1919. The years which have passed have enabled the Municipal Opera to equip uniquely the theatre with every resource for brilliant production of re- markahle musical masterpieces.

Ten thousand seats are available nightly at ticket prices within the reach of all. Of these 10.000, 1700 seats at the top of the auditorium are free. This means that almost 150.000 seats are to be available. free of charge, for this season’s 88 performances. Also. approximately 30,000 reserved seats are distributed annually to the underprivileged through more than lOO welfare agencies.

The stage toward which these many thousands look. is 90 by 115 feet. flanked by two 70-foot oak trees which frame a background of sylvan beauty, On either side of the stage are two beautiful archi- tectural towers. illuminated and illuminating. A permanent structure of recessing cubicles provides a reflective surface for indirect lighting.

But these are only a few of the wonders of the Municipal Opera. These are only a few cogs in the wheel which has rolled steadily on since those experimental days in 1919. And experimental days they were. in every sense of the word.

The Municipal Opera was brought into being by a group of civic leaders under a charter which foreswore any possible profit to themselves.

Their decision to undertake the formation of the Municipal Opera was reached because of their experience in leadership during the \Norld War.

Out of those trying days had emerged a compact group of civic, industrial. professional and business leaders who had devoted themselves unsparingly to war work. They recalled that remarkable demon- stration of July 4. 1918. when. in a Pageant of independence created at the request of President Wilson. 1.700 foreign~born St. Louisans had reo dedicated themselves to the United States and its ideals.

That remarkable ceremony had taken place in what is now the Municipal Theater. before an audience which overflowed the hillsides. What had been a great focal point for patriotic endeavor in war time might become a common meeting ground for all St. Louisans. a rallying place for ciwc spirit in times of peace so those leaders thought. And they planned to create a theater where melody and drama and pageantrv and rollicking fun could be made available to all St. Louisans.

A fitting introduction to the glamour that was to follow had been provided in 1914 with the presentation of the epochal. ”St. Louis Masque and Pageant.” on Art Hill with which the city celebrated its 15oth birthday. with a cast of 7.500 and audiences which numbered 180.000 persons.

Out of that civic celebration. which paid its own way and had a surplus. grew the observance of the Shakespeare Tercentenary. when “As You Like It” was presented with a company of distinguished stars.

The success of such enterprises and the en- thusiasm with which they were received by St. Louisans oiiered an impetus to those leaders who on ]une 19. 1919. started the Municipal Theatre Association on its glorious way with the presenta- tion of ”Robin Hood.” That first season. threat- ened by many elements besides a raging river and many rains, finished with a small loss-as has one other Municipal Opera season-~but the guarantors

who had advanced money to make possible the beginning were repaid from the first surpluses there- after.

Never in Municipal Opera’s history has any guaro antor ever lost a single cent by his faith in the Opera and in St. Louis’ appreciation of beauty. Originally in 1919. 60 guarantors put up an aver- age of $462 each to finance the season. Now. however. almost l.000 guarantors put up “00.000 to insure each season against any financial loss that might be incurred.

The guarantors knew. as did St. Louis in gen. eral. that Municipal Opera was something extraoradinary. something of which to be proud. something which would assist in making St. Louis one of the country’s leading centers of beauty and of art. The formation of this enterprise was. in reality. the culmination of several civic traditions-love ol St. Louis for the theater. love of music by its citizenship. and the city’s importance in the de- velopment of Western America which had found its expression in that mammoth masque and pageant in 1914.

So arrangements were made. directors and technical men were contacted. and stars of the stage were hired to join their talents in providing St. Louis with the cream of entertainment. But in spite of everything. that first season found the road was not a smooth one. It was only through executive efficiency that the Municipal Opera was enabled to start on the path to fame. In 1920 its repertory was extended. 32 professionals were brought from New York and a chorus of 40 St. Louis singers was added. Those St. Louis singers performed so well that never again since that time were choristers imported. They performed so well. in fact. that St. Louis determined to secure as rapidly as possible an all-St. Louis chorus.

And in line with the Municipal Opera’s progress. in keeping with the trend of improvement. the 1920 season’s presentations were witnessed by 114.000 persons who paid $139,732.50. to allow a profit of $3,819.25. But the profit. of course. was profit for St. Louisans. for it went back into the theater for improvements. That was its creed. as it is today; that was the code which enabled a growth of al- most inconceivable proportions.

lt is the policy which enabled the erection of the attractive new stone pergolas. and which eventually will provide a completely reconstructed and mod- ernized al fresco theater.

The third season. 1921. showed a profit of 321.312.87. with an increase to 151.363 paid admis» sions. In 1922. the paying attendance was 196.092. The trend was still in progress. And with 1925. grand opera entered into the repertory when Cavalieria Rusticana” was presented in English. with “11 Trovatore” following in 1926. Then in 1928. St. Louisans heralded their success with a tenth anniversary jubilee. But iubilees. even though they be brilliant and colorful and the occasion for hand-shakes all around. were not to make the Municipal Opera feel it had attained its greatness. It was still progressing. Improvements had been made in the assembling of scenery. in the mechanical details on the stage. under the stage. in back and in front of the stage: the seating arrangements had been improved.

Now. however. with the twenty-fourth season here. those improvements are regarded merely as steps toward fame. for from that time on. the Municipal Opera has risen and grown in every manner and means. its greatest advancements having been page when business conditions were at their lowest

Although Nature first designed the auditorium in which the opera is presented. man has added his touch to make the Opera what it is. The .natural hillside in the heart of beautiful Forest Park slopes 253 feet from the top of the colonnade at the rear of the auditorium to the orchestra pit at the foot of the stage. It covers an area 255 by 256 feet. The concrete bowl is arranged in a series of steps of varying levels so that every person has an unobstructed view of the stage. Splendid natural acoustics are reinforced by a flawless system of amplification developed especially for the Municipal Opera.

At both sides and at the rear of the auditorium are the beautiful new pergolas. roofed in to shelter 15.000 persons in case of a summer shower. The huge stage is built to facilitate the moving of massive settings required for Municipal Opera productions. and 8.000 feet added to its area provides a space for action which the audience never sees. It is one of the largest stages in an open air theater anywhere, and in its center is a revolving stage. electrically operated and capable of making an en- tire revolution in ninety seconds.

Beneath the stage and in what was once the river bed before the River des Peres was harnessed under- ground by man, are carpenter shops. paint shops. property studios-all necessary in the spectacular program of productions. Farther back are spacious dressing rooms with showers. required for the more than 100 members of cast and choruses employed in every Municipal Opera production. A roofed-over rehearsal stage is used in preparing the succession of musical triumphs. and a costume studio through which. in the course of a single season. more than 5.000 costumes will pass. is at the rear.

In back of all this is an executive staff without a peer. and guarantors whose faith has been bolstered by the advent of every season. Also there is a Board of Directors. no member of which receives pay for his services. yet which includes some of the most active and able business and financial execu- tives in St. Louis.

The Opera has no ”angel.” It has no subsidies. It doesn’t owe a dollar to anyone. It is entirely divorced from the old aristocratic ideal that a season of musical productions must be supported by gifts from the state. or from the rich. It is truly a people’s theater. a triumph of democratic ideals, the result of St. Louis’ vision and faith.

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A Brief History of the St. Louis Municipal Theater Association (as written in 1943) was originally published on VintageReveries - Vintage Fashion and Ephemera Blog

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measuringlife · 5 years

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Measuring Me: An Ode to My Love of Music

This Bob Marley quote has always resonated with me: “One good thing about music. When it hits you, you feel no pain.”

I must confess I am not musical. I can’t carry a tune, play an instrument, or read music of any sort. I think because I am not personally musical, I deeply appreciate music. I feel music with every fiber of my being. Music is my drug of choice.

It calms me down.

It picks me up.

It comforts me.

It’s something I can lose myself in.

I really started my love affair with music during my tween years, but those were all the years of the end of my parent’s marriage and my Dad moving out. Music was a good escape. I then turned to music to help ease the heartbreak of unrequited love in college. Music to help calm the stress of grad school. Music is where I turned for comfort after my Dad died. Music kept me going when I first running and continued to motivate me through thousands of miles over the years. Music helps me focus on work in the office or make a tedious task more enjoyable. Music drives the choreography of BODYPUMP and other Les Mills workouts.

I both hate and love how accessible music is in this day and age. I’m actually listening to the best of Broadway from Amazon Music as I type this thanks to yelling for Alexa to play “showtunes” for me. I remember creating my Pandora account in August 2005 and thinking WOW! Actually at one point in my life just after grad school circa 2008 the most expensive thing I owned (aside from my car) was my iTunes library. I would argue in my early high school years the most expensive thing I owned was my cd collection. For the record I still have all my CDs - I’ve just removed almost all the jewel cases and keep them in books or on a spindle. I also have ALL my early iTunes music saved to 2 different iPods.

Thinking back I remember certain songs from my childhood like “Kokomo” by the Beach Boys or “I would do anything for love” by Meatloaf or “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen or various broadway showtunes ranging from Jesus Christ Superstar to Phantom on the Opera to Grease and Rocky Horror. My Dad and my Aunt who were my stronger early musical influences had a penchant for Andrew Loyd Webber and campy shows! I also remember one of the first CDs our family purchased as a “hits of the 50s-60s” two-disc collection - it has a sad song I loved called “Tell Laura I love her” by Ray Peterson that I particularly loved. Spoiler alert the more heartbreaking the song the more I tend to like it.

CDs gained widespread popularity when I was in junior high school which was perfect for an angsty teen. Some early teen year CDs of the late 90s I loved were Eve6, Bush, Hootie and the Blowfish, Limp Bizkit, Third Eye Blind, and Matchbox 20. I really REALLY loved “Outside” by Staind and Fred Durst, I remember listening to that track from the 1999 Family Values Tour CD on REPEAT. However I also was a total teeny bopper with an eternal flame for Hanson, but also loved all things boys bands like Nsync, BSB, 98 degrees, 5ive, O-Town, and the “fake” boy band 2gether.

I went to my first concert in 2nd grade to see teen pop sensation Debbie Gibson! I didn’t go to another concert until 9th grade when I saw Backstreet Boys. From there I went to concerts as much as my mom would let me. Once I got my license my concert going really picked up. Jones Beach Outdoor Amphitheater was THE venue as a teenager, so many amazing summer concert memories there.

My love of music took another turn in college. Right away I joined the college radio station and all of a sudden had access to all these new artists on the rise. I remember my first semester of college in Fall 2001 getting a cd and small-time merch from this up and coming singer-songwriter who had Connecticut roots. You may have heard of him, his name is John Mayer. I honestly have COUNTLESS bands that I discovered through my college radio days (shout out WQAQ - the soundtrack of Quinnipiac). There is so much music I associate with college that it’s hard to recall when I was first introduced to them - like Dashboard Confessional, Jimmy Eat World, Something Corporate, Fall Out Boy, Yellowcard, Jack Johnson, and Ben Harper to name a few. I also recall listening to quite a bit of “screamo” back then like The Used and Hawthorne Heights. The band I will forever associate with QAQ is the Spill Canvas and they are still of my favorite bands. In fact, I’m seeing them in concert later this month!

I also went to a ton of concerts in college, one band I haven’t mentioned is Incubus. They are also one of my all-time favorites. I saw Incubus a number of times in college, most memorable were two tour stops in 2002. One at the Garden in NYC and one at the Hartford Civic Center. They started the shows playing full blast electric then they changed the vibe of the stage and did a couple of acoustic songs before switching back to full electric. The crazy thing is that so many of their songs work just all acoustic as they do full blast.

Going to concerts was also a great way to discover music through opening acts. I’ve always been a person to get to a show to see the opening act. The all-time best chain of introduction to music was when I went to my first John Mayer show in November 2002. It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving and we all arrived back to college that afternoon with the concert that night. The drive up we listened to John Mayer the whole ride. The venue, the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford CT was small (I just looked it up the capacity was 4,800) and so intimate. Everyone there were passionate John Mayer fans, the opening act had their work cut out for them. Enter: Maroon 5 as the opening act. They melted my face off. They had the most unbelievable energy and hot damn could they shred on guitar. John Mayer even came out before his set to shred with them on one song. My best memory of that set was when Adam Levine covered Nine In Nails “Closer.” Holy hell, still one of the best performances I’ve seen. Ever. Just to be clear the John Mayer show was also amazing, the best one of his I’ve ever gone too because of how small it was I think. However, I walk away from a stellar John Mayer show still buzzing from Maroon 5. I could write a whole blog post of my Maroon 5 fandom in their early days (like how I was part of their “street team” and was invited by their management to go to their first Total Request Live performance because they wanted fans who could sing along to every word in the audience). Anyway back to the chain of amazing artist introduction. October 2003 I was going to NYC for the night to see Maroon 5 and low and behold their opening act was a newcomer named Gavin DeGraw who stole the show, his cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get in On” is yet another top concert memory. I should also note 30 Seconds to Mars opened for Incubus when I saw them in Hartford in 2002.

Another note from the early 2000s history books, during my college years Kazaa and Limewire were at their height. Plus being on a college ethernet that was not yet “wireless” we were able to log into a campus-wide music portal some smart computer programming major kid set up where you essentially made you music public for others to copy and you were able to search and copy other people’s music. SO MUCH MUSIC. I was particularly obsessed with ripped live versions of songs.

Looking back at the top 10 performances/shows I’ve seen - not including festivals - because that could be its own category. If there is a particularly noteworthy song I’ll note it.

Incubus - 11am acoustic (2002 - Hartford Civic Center)

John Mayer (2002 - Oakdale Theatre)

Maroon 5 - Closer (2002 - Oakdale Theatre)

Third Eye Blind - (2003 - SPB Concert at Quinnipiac - Josh Kelley opened and was awesome)

Gavin DeGraw - Let’s Get it On (2003/2004 - NYC and Hartford - both were amazing)

Spill Canvas - All Hail The Heartbreaker (2004 - The Attic, Hamden CT)

Maroon 5 (2004/2005 at two tiny Long Island venues)

David Cook - Permanent (Night for Hope 2012 - State Theatre, Falls Church VA)

Jimmy Eat World - A Praise Chorus (2017 - Bristow VA)

Hanson - (2017 - The Fillmore - Silver Spring - also 2018 - Wolf Trap they played Yearbook for the first time ever on tour during their String Theory shows)

Top 10 influential albums by a single artist/band listed chronologically - not including any soundtracks, showtunes, or festival albums which each could be its own categories. You may notice there are some artists where I can’t choose one either due to both being amazing or discovering them around the same time and listening to them digitally in a shuffled mix.

Hanson - Middle of Nowhere (1997)

Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind (1997 self-titled debut)

Eve 6 - Eve 6 (1998 self-titled debut)

Incubus - Make Yourself (1999)/Morning View (2001)

John Mayer - Room for Squares (2001)/Any Given Thursday (2003)

Dashboard Confessional - The Swiss Army Romance (2000)/The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most (2001)

Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane (2002)

Gavin DeGraw - Chariot (2003) / Chariot: Stripped (2004)

Spill Canvas - Sunsets and Car Crashes (2004)/One Fell Swoop (2005)

David Cook - Analog Heart (2006)

Honorable mention all of David Cook’s albums from his old band Axium

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misternizz · 5 months

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ScrumCon 2024 was a great time

Exapanded by a day, Expanded in space ScrumCon, the annual convention of the Second Saturday Scrum Club, was held on 29-30 March, 2024, at the Silver Spring Civic Center in downtown Silver Spring, MD. That’s right, we expanded to two full days of gaming. This was a bit of a risk for an all volunteer organization that legitmately has only like seven guys in it. The venue is not cheap and the…

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#5thEd #Conventions #D&D #Miniatures #roleplaying games #RPGs #ScrumCon #ScrumCon2024 #Silver Spring MD #tabletop #wargames

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revlyncox · 6 years

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This Freedom Commands

This sermon was presented to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Silver Spring, February 24, 2019, by the Rev. Lyn Cox.

Unitarian Universalists often try to explain ourselves through history. Sometimes we say that we are a religion of deeds, not creeds, and so it falls to us to explain what kinds of deeds we’re talking about that demonstrate the power and possibility of our faith. We tell the stories of prophetic people of all genders who, as it says in the the UUA bylaws about the sources of our tradition, “challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love.” We remember poets, activists, scientists, healers, and teachers who worked toward liberation, who dedicated their lives to justice and compassion. These are the examples we give about the heritage we claim and the values we are trying to equip ourselves to demonstrate in these times.

When it comes to Black History in Unitarian Universalism, there are omissions and incomplete stories. Since 1785, when Gloster Dalton helped found a Universalist congregation in Gloucester, MA, there have been Black Universalists and Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists in America. Yet the numbers of Black UU’s have not been and are not representative of the American population at large, and some of that trend was by design from white Universalist or Unitarian leaders who failed to support Black UUs. On the other hand, there are stories of Black UU’s that we don’t hear about. In our living tradition, we hold so much promise in our aspirations toward justice. In our history, there are mistakes as well as achievements from which we can learn.

I’m going to attempt to be clear in this sermon about what I mean when I say “we.” There is a “we” that includes all Unitarian Universalists--Black and white and Indigenous and People of Color--all of us who share a living religious tradition that has attempted to move toward justice and has sometimes failed, a living tradition with life left in it, a living tradition that carries hope and possibility for being some of the people who bend the arc toward justice. And sometimes there is a “we” that focuses on the work that is particular to white people, such as our responsibility to un-learn the ignorance that comes with privilege, ignorance about the experiences and contributions of People of Color. The “we” of Unitarian Universalism and of this congregation does not mean white people alone. But among those of us who are white, we have a lot of catching up to do in our education. I believe we can worship together, and still realize that love, justice, heritage, and this living tradition will ask different things of different people.

In the reading we heard earlier (“The Black Hole in the White UU Psyche,” from UU World Magazine, Fall 2017), the Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed writes that “we have embraced a false narrative about who we are.” This false narrative is harmful. Black UU’s miss opportunities to celebrate UU ancestors who share their heritage and experience. All of us are operating with an incomplete understanding of our tradition. We cannot completely undo this damage in one sermon, or in one Black History Month series. One thing we can do is continue to study with curiosity and humility.

We delved into history a bit last November, in a worship service about Deeds That Beckon. Catherine Boyle added another piece to our understanding in her sermon last month about everyday heroes like Dr. Errold Collymore. We’ll learn more about what we can do next to dismantle white supremacy when the Racial Justice Task Force leads worship in two weeks.

White supremacy has hidden part of our history from many of us in several ways. Racism has often pushed Black UU’s and UU’s of Color to the margins of our movement, redirecting resources and denominational attention away from life-saving ministries that blessed the world, and could have done more with support. There are stories of ministries and projects that never reached their full potential, histories of what could have been, and positive stories with unsung successes.

Furthermore, the perfectionism that is tangled up with white supremacy culture is another contributor to the problem of history that is told incompletely. When those of us who are white notice the absence of stories about Black Unitarian Universalist forbearers, and when we notice that our congregations do not match declarations of justice with lived diversity, we white UU’s might feel shame or confusion, and that might lead us to remain silent rather than do more research. We might be reluctant to talk about the histories we do know of Black Unitarian Universalists because we would have to talk about the racism that white UU’s demonstrated in those stories.

White supremacy is one of the dynamics in the story of the Rev. Egbert Ethelred Brown, whose poetry I quoted last week. He started a Unitarian congregation in Jamaica in 1908. In 1912, he was the first Black man to be ordained as a Unitarian minister. He founded the Harlem Community Church in New York City in 1921. The American Unitarian Association was ambivalent toward this ministry, and removed Rev. Brown’s fellowship in 1929. But he kept going. The Harlem Community Church was sustained for thirty-five years, and though the membership was never large, it was an important center for debate, especially among the community of immigrants from Jamaica. Rev. Brown does not show up near the top of the list of famous Unitarian Universalists, and when his name does come up, the whole story about how badly he was treated by the leadership of the American Unitarian Association does not always get mentioned. Perhaps in the mistaken belief that only large congregations are important, we fail to give proper credit for the lives that were transformed and the organizing that was done and the words that comforted and inspired people in the Harlem Community Church.

Supporting Rev. Brown and his ministry was a missed opportunity for the American Unitarian Association in the 1920s and 1930s. We can also remember that a strong Humanist Unitarian faith inspired him, that there was something about a theology of unity and human potential that sustained Rev. Brown and his congregation in their spiritual life and in their activism. We learn from this story that a little support goes a long way, that our faith movement does not have a consistently positive history of anti-oppression, and still that there is liberating potential in the theologies of our tradition that shines through it all.

There are some other ways that white supremacy has gotten in the way of knowing our UU history. Implicit racism de-emphasized the stories of Black Unitarian Universalists, mistakenly giving credit to white people for some of their achievements, and dismissing other achievements as being unimportant. It is only recently that books and resources about UU history have begun to correct these obstacles to the whole truth.

Fannie Barrier Williams is an example of a Unitarian Universalist whose achievements have been overlooked. We heard some of her story earlier in the service, and I mentioned her in a sermon last fall. There was a textbook for Unitarian history published in 1952 called “Freedom Moves West: A History of the Western Unitarian Conference, 1852-1952.” New textbooks for seminarians didn’t come along all that often in those days, and so this was THE source material for a generation of UU ministers. The author failed to give credit to Fannie Barrier Williams for co-founding the Frederick Douglass Center, an integrated social settlement affiliated with All Souls Church in Chicago. Instead, the textbook focused on Williams’ white co-founder, Rev. Celia Parker Woolley. The “freedom” that was the subject of study was less concerned with things like the freedom to receive treatment at a hospital, the freedom to receive an education, and the freedom from being lynched, all issues that Williams worked on.

Freedom is a value we share, yet there are cultural lenses to the meaning of freedom that are important for us to examine, in history and in our congregation today. Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed, in the article that was excerpted earlier, reflected:

There was cultural dissonance between a people who, having political rights, prized “intellectual freedom” in their struggle with orthodoxy and those for whom the struggles for basic freedoms—political and spiritual freedom—were paramount.

When different cultural perspectives are taken into account in the definition of freedom, it becomes more clear that freedom is not an individual project, freedom is a collective project. Having the latitude to consider personal experience and new interpretations of sacred text when discerning an authentic spiritual path, that is one kind of freedom. Yet to exercise that freedom, there must also be freedom to participate in civic life, freedom from fear of harassment and violence, freedom to assemble and to organize. These freedoms are established and protected when people act in solidarity, when we are willing to put aside personal convenience for the sake of our siblings in spirit. None of us is free until all of us are free.

Fannie Barrier Williams, once she learned that her education and middle class privilege opened doors for her that were not open to other African American women, made it her business to open more doors to other people. Egbert Ethelred Brown, once he had achieved a seminary education and leadership in the community, made it his business to see that those who believed in freedom for the whole community had a place to gather and organize, even when that was expensive and risky for his family.

The Congregational Commitment we repeat at the beginning of worship comes through the individualistic, intellectual side of UU heritage in its framing of freedom. We pledge ourselves “to the right of each to believe as mind, heart, and conscience dictate; to accept the responsibilities this freedom commands; and to implement our belief in the essential worth and dignity of every human being.”

With an understanding of freedom that includes all of UU history, including the parts that have been obscured by white supremacy, we can reinterpret this pledge. In order to create a world where none can be compelled against mind, heart, and conscience; we need collective liberation of access to safety, health, justice, political empowerment, and respect. Freedom of belief is built on fundamental, embodied freedoms. In this context, the responsibilities this freedom commands includes the responsibility to work as co-conspirators of liberation, to put our comfort and convenience on the line until we and all of our beloved neighbors are free.

In our study of UU history, it is important to go back and find the stories about collective, concrete efforts toward freedom, because these stories have not always been valued or even told correctly. We study the past, in part, to learn from the mistakes that our denomination has made. The whole story of our heritage matters, because the struggle continues, and we need the wisdom of the ancestors who have already encountered the challenges that come with the responsibilities that freedom commands.

Our faith movement is now faced with and opportunity to know better and to do better. We have opportunities to learn how to have brave conversations about race. We have opportunities to support ministries that center the needs of UU’s of color. We have opportunities to re-frame our understanding of core values such as freedom and spiritual practice in ways that are anti-oppressive, inclusive, and authentic to the whole truth of our living tradition.

Mark Morrison-Reed writes, “We have fallen short and will again, and when we do we need to pause and pray and ask, ‘What does love demand of me?’” Indeed, it is not only freedom, but also love that commands us to continue the work of dismantling white supremacy.

As we create new chapters of history, let us practice determination, curiosity, and humility. Let us not shy away from learning from our mistakes, nor from celebrating success in all of its forms. May we be so lucky as to have the chance to dedicate our lives and our shared community to a greater purpose, one that is rooted in justice and love.

So be it. Blessed be. Amen.

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