High Life

“I’ll be back in the high life again
All the doors I closed one time will open up again.”
Steve Winwood

About to pay Pat the Jewel cashier for a 30-pack of Miller’s High Life, I heard Steve Winwood’s “Back in the High Life Again.” “What an appropriate song,” I exclaimed. Pat didn’t get it until I told her Stevie was singing about the brand of beer I was purchasing. Sporting a white Afro, Pat was probably younger than I.

Aaron Pigors is making progress on the Tribute CD we’re doing on FACET founder Eileen Bender. At the May 2011 retreat her husband will be the keynote speaker. In all likelihood, parts of the CD will be shown that evening and the entire thing will be on a continuously playing loop near where we’ll tape more interviews. We’re soliciting still photos of Eileen to insert. Kim Olivares from the FACET office sent us some, and IU South Bend English professor Rebecca Torstrick contacted Eileen’s daughter Leslie and Archivist Alison Stankrauf, who both forwarded others.

Robert Blaszkiewicz sent several high-resolution Times jpegs of Sheriff Dominguez for use in “Valor,” his autobiography. I showed him this following email I sent to Times columnist Mark Kiesling “I understand that The Times is opposed to the walkout by Democrats at the Indianapolis statehouse but I believe it is over the top to use Joseph McCarthy-like tactics similar to FOX News (despite your protestations) against those speaking out against the Republicans’ union-busting programs. Danny Glover is an honorable man but you make him out to be anti-American because of some of the company he allegedly keeps, i.e., Jean-Bertrand Aristide and Hugo Chavez. You label these two leaders dictators, but both were elected by the people of Haiti and Venezuela. In fact, Aristide was twice ousted by military coups, the first strenuously opposed by the United States. Your view reminds me of those who criticized the 1963 March on Washington because a militant from SNCC spoke and to those who demonized the antiwar rallies during the Vietnam era because lefties like Pete Seeger performed.”

Karren Lee thanked me for dropping off “Maria’s Journey” and added: “I started it last night and am totally caught up in the story.” When Toni started it, she stayed up till three in the morning reading. Can’t wait for Ray and Trish Arredondo’s presentation on March 14 at Theo’s in Highland.

Republican pollster Frank Luntz, whose book “Win” is subtitled “How to Harness the Best Attributes of Your Business,” claims that the best way to get people to retain something is to preface it with, “If you only remember only one thing I’ve said today, it is this.” When I talk to Steve’s class about Gary and Portage during the Twenties, maybe I’ll use that line and then say, “The 1920s was an age of optimism. It roared!” Of course, it started with the crushing of the 1919 steel strike and ended with the Wall Street Crash.

Bowled a 542, including 220 in the third game, which helped the Engineers salvage two points. On the opposing team was former teammate Chris Lugo and always-cheerful Tony Buhler, who rolled a 274 in game one. Some bowlers wear the same garb every week, featuring, say, NASCAR drivers, Harley Davidson outlets or commemorating a tour of a hard rock band. One guy wore a Michael Jordan jersey; another had on Black Hawks apparel. I alternate between three or four t-shirts. Most of my teammates wore checkered shirts with buttons down the front, but Captain Bill Batalis wore a Purdue sweatshirt.