Antwon Rose

“Boys were shooting marbles in a sand hill in 1928, and a policeman drove up.  A youth broke and ran. There were no arguments or anything. The boy had not been in Gary long and naturally was afraid of policemen; and when he ran, the policeman shot him in the back.  I became a paid member of the NAACP that day.” Joseph Pitts

 Antwon Rose

In June of 2018, Antwon Rose, 17, was riding in a car pulled over by police in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  While the driver was being handcuffed, Antwon fled on foot with arms raised to indicate he was unarmed.  A rookie officer who’d been sworn in hours before shot him three times, in the back, elbow, and side of the face.  Rose loved basketball and skating and played saxophone in the Woodland Hills High School jazz band.  In the funeral program was a poem Rose had written after a similar tragedy titled “I Am Not What You Think” and containing the refrain, “I am confused and afraid,”repeated three times.  Charging the shooter with criminal homicide, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala said, “Antwon Rose did not do anything other than being in that vehicle. It’s an intentional act, and there’s no justification for it.  You do not shoot someone in the back if they are not a threat to you.” There have been so many similar incidents it is difficult to recall them all.  History keeps repeating itself.  The role racial stereotyping played in these situations varied from case to case. I won’t speculate on the state of mind of Antwon’s killer but doubt he was properly trained. Hopefully the remorse he claims he feels is as much about Antwon as himself.

 Anne Balay

In “Semi Queer: Inside the World of Gay, Trans, and Black Truck Drivers” Anne Balay wrote about two long haul truckers interviewed during a Black Lives Matter demonstration protesting the death of Antwon Rose that blocked Interstate 376 in western Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh, impeding their progress:

    A reporterinterviewed two drivers who left their trucks to talk to protestors, Gene and Robert, white, middle-aged men with beards and ball caps. The journalist seems surprised that these men support the protestors, even though inconvenienced by them.

    A woman trucker trapped in traffic would probably not get out. She would lock the doors, and run her seatbelt through the door handle for added security. She might feel forced to hide in the bunk with the curtain drawn, praying that her load was not tampered with.

    One of my narrators, who is Mexican and lesbian, was stuck in highway protests last year in Minneapolis. She was terrified. Lost income is real, since truckers are paid by the mile and sitting on the highway lowers their income and might even cost them their job. But the greater threat is violence, consistently more likely to be directed against a female, non-white, queer-presenting person. The casual way Gene and Robert walk around and talk to people, comfortable in the security provided by whiteness, beards, and down home accents is just not available to my narrators.

  Danger, vulnerability, and invisibility are ongoing aspects of blue-collar life.  My goal is to consider how these shape what feels possible, and what meaning is.  A transwoman alone in her truck looking out at a line of cops in riot gear might pray for invisibility and certainly not dangle herself in front of the cameras, the crowd or law enforcement.  Her thoughts about Antwon’s murder, and about race, fear, and justice would be shaped by that reality, as well as by her larger context, history, and attitudes. At this intersection feminism, anti-racism, and social justice are all moving targets.

I try not to think about our repulsive President, much less write about him.  Thankfully, there are the erudite musings of Ray Smock. In “Oh, Say Can You See” my good friend took Trump to task for his tawdry handling of John McCain’s passing:

    The Star-Spangled Banner was never used for lower, meaner, more self-serving purposes than earlier this week. The President took his long-standing personal feud with the late Senator John McCain to absurd and embarrassing depths. Donald Trump did not want the American flag on the roof of the White House lowered in honor of a distinguished American, a senator, a war hero, and twice a candidate for President of the United States. When the president discovered the flag had been lowered to half-staff as a matter of protocol and respect, he immediately ordered it back up again. Then, with mounting public pressure from all quarters, including veteran’s groups, the president reversed decision, lowered the flag again, and issued a statement honoring the senator.

    Is there anyone in America, regardless of party affiliation, who cannot see at the dawn’s early light that what the president did was so petty and small that it violated every aspect of human decency imaginable? Whatever differences the president may have had with Senator McCain, no matter how severe the personal animosity, there could be no excuse for the actions of the petulant child that occupies the White House.  The president used the American flag, a symbol that should unite us, not divide us, and turned it into a tool for his personal vendetta against one of our most distinguished citizens. He not only insulted Senator McCain and his family but all of us who respect the flag as a symbol of national unity. He denigrated Senator McCain on many occasions for being captured by the enemy. He said he didn’t like heroes who were captured. How can any citizen find a suitable excuse for this abasement of the American flag.

 Ray Smock at Byrd Center

Smock founded the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, came to mind when I read a chapter in James A. Haught’s “Fascinating West Virginia” entitled “Robert C. Byrd’s Evolution.” Three times while Haught was editor, the Charleston Gazette, deservedly named Senator Byrd, a onetime KKK member but master politician who preached at churches and played the fiddle at campaign rallies, West Virginian of the Year. Haught wrote:  

  Haught reached hero status for me in 2002 when he became almost a lone-wolf voice against President Bush’s clamor to invade Iraq. While most of Congress timidly sat mute, Byrd showed great courage as he stood time after time to warn that the White House was dragging America into a senseless, unnecessary, harmful war. Some of us in the Gazette newsroom almost cheered as we read his bold attacks on the warmongers.

A native Mountaineers, Haught was born in 1932 on a horse-operated farm near a town without electricity or paved streets. He was one of 13 students in his high school graduating class. In 1959 Haught worked for a few months as a press aide to Senator Byrd. He wrote: “I only lasted seven months.  I got an ulcer, gained 30 pounds, and fled back to the Gazette’s wonderful chaos.”

Partners with duplicate bridge director Alan Yngve, we scored a lofty 62.5 percent, finishing second to Dottie Hart and Terry Bauer. After the first hand, Alan noted that I could have bid 1 No Trump instead of 2 Clubs (I had 5 of them and play a short Club) after I opened a Club and he responded 1 Heart. He rebid 2 No Trump and went down one, as I had the bare Ace, King of Diamonds and he held the Queen spot.  Had either of us had a third Diamond, the hand would have made. Knowing Alan, I recognized that he viewed it as a teachable moment rather than negative criticism.  Later, a skilled players hesitated, deciding whether to double our contract; Alan made the bid by finessing her Jack and, once the hand was over, told her to make such a decision during bidding so as not to hesitate.  Alan teaches bridge lessons, so I asked at what point he explained scoring (when they’re ready) and how to get them not to lead out Aces and Kings on defense. On his handout, he states that beginners make the mistake of leading their high cards, and you do not want to remain beginners.

On a return trip from New Orleans Carol and Gale Osgerby stopped at Wilstem Ranch in French Lick, summer home for elephants Maika, Lovey, and Lou. Barbara Walczak’s Bridge Newsletter reported that there were no ankle chains, bars or whips and that they enjoyed “Spa Time” (washing, soaping, rinsing, toenail painting) and a lecture on elephants.

 Dave Bigler

Opponent Dave Bigler brought up having been stuck at IUN during the blizzard of 1967.  He was working and taking 12 credit hours, making him eligible for a student deferment.  The following semester an instructor had such a heavy accent he couldn’t understand what he said.  His academic adviser said he could withdraw and take the class for free the following semester. A few weeks after Bigler did so, he was drafted, no longer a full-time student. He spent the next couple years in the air force, then worked at U.S. Steel for 20 years, finally completed his degree at IUN, and became a special ed. teacher.  From his self-confidence and sunny personality, I’m certain he was a good one. He’s been on the Hobart School Board for 15 years and is active in Little League baseball.

Michael and Janet Bayer

 Andrew Gillum

When Michael Bayer, living in the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers, heard that mutual friend Mike Olszanski and I regularly have lunch on Wednesdays with, he convinced wife Janet to visit us overnight, and the three of us dined at Ivy’s Bohemia House in Chesterton.  He informed me that Tallahassee mayor Andrew Gillum, endorsed by Bernie Sanders, upset Gwen Graham for the Democratic nomination for governor, while Trump acolyte Ron DeSantis was the Republican winner in the Florida primary.  DeSantis ran ads showing his daughter building a wall and called Gillum a monkey.  While Toni and the Bayers enjoyed an Indian dinner, I participated in the 8-team LANE League fantasy football draft.  With the first pick, I took Rams running back Todd Gurley.  Eagle Carson Wentz was my first quarterback choice, but since he is questionable for the season opener, Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger is a pretty decent backup. I also selected Philadelphia’s defense/special teams and Superbowl hero Zach Ertz at tight end.  Nephew Bobby was out celebrating daughter Addie’s tenth birthday and was on auto-draft, meaning that the ESPN app selected the highest ranked players available each round but in 5 or 15 cases the players are listed as questionable or out for the first game.

Addie Lane (with Crosby) gets breakfast in bed on tenth birthday

Terry Kegebein

Another sign on autumn: week one of bowling.  I was worried about the back holding up but felt no pain during the three games and rolled a 443 series, just slightly below my average.  The Electrical Engineers took two games and series as Mel Nelson and new member Terry Kegebein both finished about 50 pins over average. It was good to see everyone. Delia’s uncles now make up two different teams, with a few new bowlers.  When I asked Larry Ramirez about it, he joked that he and Uncle Phil had a falling out. At Nature’s Door next day, I purchased magnesium oil for the back, the roll-on kind rather than spray so I can administer it myself.

 Tiana Sanchez

IUN Elementary Education major Tiana Mercedes Sanchez’s “Ides of March” journal focused on her work, love life, numerus pets, and gaming at grandma’s:

  Introduction:I am 19 and from South Haven, a little town between Portage and Valparaiso with gas stations, car dealerships, a school, churches, and two neighborhoods. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all lived minutes away. I managed the boys football team.  I prepared the drinks, ice baths, did wrappings, took care of equipment, cleaned the field, recorded the games, and helped the coaches with game preparation. I took care of the guys so they trusted me and treated me like family.  I also managed the girls basketball team, was in National Honor Society, all duel-credit or advanced classes, and focused on getting into a good college.  Junior year I worked as a cashier; at the end of senior year I was a CNA at a nursing home.  A crazy animal lover, I have three dogs, three cats, and two fish.  Starting on Sunday, I’ll be a cashier at Noodles and Company in Valparaiso.  I’m in a two-and-a-half-year relationship with Alec. When not at school or working, I’m usually reading, drawing, with Alec, or at my grandma’s playing board games (like Clue) and card games (Speed, Rum, Canasta, Screw your Neighbor, Poker, Spoons).  My goal is to teach kindergarten. I started at Saint Mary’s of Notre Dame but it was so expensive.

  January 26:Classes started 20 days ago, and already I’ve had a breakdown. Sometimes it’s overwhelming, but not just school. Life. I’m taking 18 credit hours and work almost full time. I volunteered at a boys and girls club and worked the front desk, dealing with basketball schedules, preparing practice equipment, stocking concession stand, answering the phone, and dealing with paperwork or payments regarding memberships or club fees. There aren’t enough hours in the day or enough days of the week, sometimes, to get everything done. Everyone advises that I calm down and take a break, but when I blink, it’s like I’m behind in 4 classes. Maybe it’s just the timing or just the weather - or just college. 

  February 2:I finished my second week at Noodles and Company, my first job where I don’t feel nervous when bosses come around. Everyone is nice and helpful. I’m open to different tasks (cashier, busser, dishes, kitchen help, cleaning, closing) so it’s never boring. Shifts go by quickly. Today I had a short shift, 5 hours, and left in a good mood. My cousin Zack filled out an application at my suggestion; he dislikes his bosses at Menard’s. College can be traumatic enough, I’m thankful my job is stress free. 

  Feb. 9:It took forever to reach grandma’s because of the snow. Alec and I stopped at Meijer for ingredients (half and half, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, ice) for my step-grandpa’s homemade ice cream. It is part of his legacy, passed on to us. We played Probe, similar to Wheel of Fortune, then ordered pizza from Santino’s because in all the excitement of making ice cream, everyone forgot about dinner. This morning the main roads were clear, but South Haven’s seem never to get plowed. Driving down highway 49, all I could think about was how pretty the trees looked. 

  Feb. 16:I’m at a loss for words about the mass murder at a Florida school.  My heart aches for the families of the 17 victims and for America. We’ve had 19 school shootings this year.  Why is nothing being done? Why aren’t there stricter gun rules?  

  March 2:Julie, my best friend since seventh grade, is away at college. Last weekend I went to Ball State and enjoyed her sorority sisters.  Tthere were two 21st birthday parties. Going away to school can be fun, but personally I like being home and love IUN.

  March 15:Spending the night with Alec was just what I needed to stop feeling depressed.  He held me, rubbed my back, whispered sweet words in my ear, and touched my promise ring that he gave me for Christmas until I fell asleep on his shoulder. We slept in until noon when interrupted by a loud thumping outside his door from his pup Chevy. We cuddled for about 30 minutes with me wrapped around him next to Chevy and him scrolling through Reddit (a social media site full of funny pictures and texts). His grandma took us out to a Chinese restaurant on Central in Portage. I ordered delicious Mandarin chicken with broccoli. I stole a few bites of Alec’s sweet and sour chicken. Then we took a 3-hour nap; because I’m on spring break, I can do that sort of thing. At Dari Dip I dropped off a job application. I need the money to pay bills. Alec got cake batter frozen yogurt (his favorite flavor) on a cone; My choice was chocolate banana ice cream in a cup. We got Chevy a pup cup of plain vanilla. We dropped Chevy off at home and picked up pain medicine from Meijer for my mom before going over to Grandma’s for game night. Grandpa gave me a bunch of old crew necks and t-shirts that he’d outgrown. I’m wearing his “United We Stand” crew neck right now. We played Sequence and Screw Your Neighbor – where you get a single card and can keep it or switch with the person on your left. We ended the night with Straws: everyone gets dealt a set number of cards and there is one with a camel in the middle. Players place numbered cards in turn until you get to 50, which breaks the camel’s back.  The offending player gets no points, everyone else gets the points in their hand. I finally got home around midnight and am in bed watching The Mummywith my three pups. 

  March 16:Exhausted from yesterday, I slept till 1 a.m. In bed with me were two cats - Nala and Jacob - sleeping on my left side and my dogs Shelby and Clark on the other.  Little Man was asleep on the floor. I got up feeling groggy, washed my nose ring, and ate a bowl of Special K Strawberry cereal. Then I folded clothes from the dryer and lay on a couch with Little Man in a blanket watching YouTube videos of makeup tutorials. At Noodles and Company, we were slammed with customers for four hours straight, and me the only cashier. One asked if lettuce was in a salad; I almost lost my mind. At closing time two customers wouldn’t leave for what seemed like forever, even when I locked the door. Around midnight I took home a Tai green curry pasta with shrimp and tofu, which was super spicy and yummy! When I pulled up to my house, my Sephora package was outside containing mascara, eyeshadow palette, face mask, primer, foundation, and perfume. It was exactly what I wanted to see after such a busy work day. I took a long shower to get the smell of tofu off me.  I work 12 hours tomorrow… sigh. 

  March 17:On my break I ate the BEST sandwich from Firehouse Subs - called Hook n’ Ladder.  We were busy all night long. A group came in at 9:55, five minutes before closing. When we finally locked the doors, there were nine bus tubs on the floor, a dining room of dishes, more in the kitchen, and dishes in a slit between salad stations. We cleaned up for two and a half hours. I got home around one a.m., showered, ate, took care of all my pets, watched The Mummy Returns, and got to sleep at 4 a.m. 

  March 18:I had two tetras fish, Cleo and Willy, but Willy died. Because they are schooling fish, they need companions, I need to get one tomorrow.  

Beat

“You chose your words from mouths of babes got lost in the wood.
Cool junk booting madmen, street minded girls
in Harlem howling at night.
What a tear stained shock of the world,
you've gone away without saying goodbye.
         “Hey Jack Kerouac,” Ten Thousand Maniacs

1993 was an awesome year in music, with Flaming Lips, Smashing Pumpkins, Soul Asylum, Cracker, Pearl Jam, Goo Goo Dolls, and many more reinvigorating Rock and Roll.  There were great albums by Gin Blossoms, Nirvana, and Ten Thousand Maniacs, groups that would soon lose their leader through suicide or in the case of the Maniacs, Natalie Merchant going solo, claiming she didn’t want to be part of decision-making by committee. “Hey Jack Kerouac” has references to Beat writers Allen Ginsberg (“Howl”), a former a member of NAMBLA (North American Boy/Man Love Association) and William S. Burroughs (“Naked Lunch”) as well as his common law wife Mary, whom he shot in the head playing William Tell:

Allen baby, why so jaded?

Have the boys all grown up and their beauty faded?

Billy, what a saint they’ve made you

Just like Mary down in Mexico All Souls’ Day

 Horace Mann German Club, 1970; Milan Andrejevich front right

One of Milan Andrejevich’s Ivy Tech students Googled his name and found my mention of his Seventies History parties. From my blog Milan read of my visiting Fred Chary in a nursing home recuperating from an operation and wanted an update.  According to Diana, Fred is coming along nicely since I last saw him and would welcome a visit by his old student Milan. The 1971 Horace Mann grad is considering donating declassified documents to the Archives from when he worked for Radio Free Europe.  In that case I’d interview him about growing up in Gary and attending and later teaching at IUN.

South Bend photographer Kay Westhues (above), whom I met in Finland at the IOHA conference, sent me one of her photo-zines entitled “Drop Coins Slowly.”  It features awesome shots of old postage stamp vending machines she discovered in neighborhood taprooms, including three in Lake Station, that have been converted for the purpose of dispensing pull-tabs similar to lottery tickets that can be redeemed at the bar.  Westhues explained:

Pull-tab sales were legalized in 2008, in a move to help small taverns stay afloat during the recession.  Licenses were purchased and stamp machines resurfaced from the backroom or basement. Many of them were manufactured a half-century ago and showed significant signs of wear.  Sometimes they jammed easily or only had one ticket slot working. Modern, electronic pull-tab machines are also available, but people seem to prefer to take a chance on the malfunctioning, timeworn stamp machines.

Westhues photos at He Ain't Here Lounge and Ruthie's ("Small cans decorated with red, white and blue flag fabric and trimmed with lace held the losing tickets")

Accompanying the images are brief notes about Kay’s experiences at the various establishments.  After talking to a patron about stamp machines and her interest in artesian wells, the guy with unintentional irony said, “You must live a boring life.” At He Ain’t Here Lounge on Decatur St. in Lake Station, Westhues recalled that the owner’s son “wanted to hold my reflector umbrella to help with the photo, but began dancing and twirling it and forgot he had a job to do. A customer intervened and returned it to me.  As I left the bar, the son told me to forget about photographing stamp machines; I should interview the interesting people in the bar.”

On Sunday, despite 90 degree heat, I attended the final Miller Farmers Market of the season, which featured Tantrum playing a mixture of funk and punk with an occasional surprise thrown in, such as the Forties Duke Ellington classic “Don’t get Around Much Anymore,” covered by scores of artists ranging from The Ink Spots and Patti Page to The Coasters and Paul McCartney. When I put money in their tip jar, they told me to take a button.  Gene and Judy Ayers brought up Gary’s emergency school manager selling off a bust of Superintendent William A. Wirt.  Then I ran into Jack Weinberg and Valerie Denney, who want to donate more “treasures” to the Calumet Regional Archives.

After celebrating Angie’s dad John Teague’s birthday (number 68, and he still works in the mill) with a ham dinner and chocolate cake, I caught the end of the Little League World Series championship. Kids from Honolulu triumphed over South Korea.  It’s been a miserable week on Hawaii’s “Big Island” due to torrential rain from tropical storm Lane (I’ve taken kidding over the name), which caused major flooding and mud slides.  The Cubs completed a four-game sweep of the Reds, as Jason Heyward went 4 for 4. Players wore uniforms with nicknames on the back.  Heyward’s was “J-Hey.”  They are 6-0 in games Cole Hamels has started, and 6-0 since acquiring Daniel Murphy (“Murph”) on waivers. Dead from brain cancer is Senator John McCain, who requested that George W. Bush and Barack Obama speak at his memorial service.  The President was not invited. IUN flags are at half-staff.

High school classmate Dave Semibold (above) and wife Nicki are in Tanzania having a ball camping in the Serengeti.  Usually his posts are the result of fishing trips.  One reason I suggested naming our second son Dave because Seibold was such a cool dude.

IU’s “200: The Bicentennial Magazine” featured articles about team mascots, including Steve McShane’s contribution tracing IUN’s mascots from the Chiefs and the Blast to the present Redhawks.  Bloomington’s Hoosier teams have no symbolic figures, but, according to archivist Dina Kellams, former mascots included a racoon, various dogs, a bison and a red-bearded man wearing a cowboy hat called “Mr. Hoosier Pride” dropped after a single season due to complaints that he was offensive and ridiculous.

 Jackson kids at RailCats game in 2015

A three-day Michael Jackson birthday celebration commenced at IUN with four hours of music videos followed by a two-hour symposium presented by The Committee to Honor the Jackson family.  Watching people in Bergland Auditorium audience dancing in their seats as Michael strutted his stuff to “Smooth Criminal,” one realized what a unique talent he was and how much he is missed.

The category for “Final Jeopardy” in the high school teachers tournament was U.S. Cities, and nobody knew which one was named for a nineteenth century businessman in transportation, even though the clue mentioned that it is also the name of an Oscar-winning film. Answer: Fargo, North Dakota, named for William G. Fargo, one of the founders of the western portion of the Pony Express and a Northern Pacific Railroad director.

 Katlyn and Tyler

In addition to juggling work and school, Katlyn O’Connor had to deal with getting wisdom teeth pulled and boyfriend issues. No wonder she was frequently beat, as her “Ides of March” 2017 journal revealed:

  January 10:I absolutely love my daycare job and the kids in pre-kindergarten but am only making a little over minimum wage and need to start applying for other jobs. I also have to figure out if I want to go skydiving with my friend for her birthday. I am scared out of my mind just thinking about jumping out of a plane. 

  January 12:I applied to a few nursing homes as a part-time CNA. I have my license in that field and the increased pay should help pay bills. Tyler, my boyfriend of almost five years, decided we need a date night. I am so excited.  I’ll pretend none of this stress exists - just me and him and a good steak.

  January 15:I asked my boss for a raise due to another job offer and threatened to put in my two-week notice. It worked. I got the raise I wanted so I can stay at the daycare. I was so scared I was going to have to leave and then be miserable at the new job. 

 January 18:Today is probably the worst day of my life.  After we got into an argument, Tyler decided we need to take a break because we are falling out of love. I want to talk things through rather than throw away a five-year relationship. We were talking about getting married. My best friend Megan is coming over to comfort me but I don’t think anything she says will help me feel better. 

 February 1:Today was my first day of field experience in an elementary school. I always thought I wanted to teach Kindergarten, but now that I have been in third grade, I actually love it. Tyler and I have been talking every day and concluded that we need to try to fall back in love because we have been in the same boring routine for years now. We’ll start by having a date night once a week. 

 Feb. 3:Megan and I went out for wine night. She had never drunk wine and let me drive her Jeep home so she could puke out of the window. I decided we should stop at another bar on the way home and we ended up staying out until four a.m. She had to work the next day and doubt  she’ll make it. 

 Feb. 14:My IUN teacher cancelled class so I got to hand out Valentines to kids at the daycare.  They ate so much candy, I feel bad for their parents because they are on a sugar high.  Tyler surprised me by taking us to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. Even though we called ahead, there was an hour and a half wait. By agreeing to sit in the bar area, we did not wait very long. We bonded like we haven’t done in what seems like ages. 

  Feb. 24:Whirly ball is similar to bumper cars with lacrosse thrown in. I am going with Tyler and his family to celebrate his brother’s birthday. Ten people are on the court, five on each team. You have to drive your car across the court to shoot a wiffleball into the square net on the back board. Meanwhile, people are slamming into you and blocking you from shooting. After Whirly ball, we went to his aunt’s for pizza and left-over wings from Whirly ball. 

  March 1:I always come so close to getting straight A’s but fear I will not make it this semester. I am behind on a paper and have no earthly clue what is happening in my science book. I found out I have an extra set of wisdom teeth in my mouth that need to be removed. I scheduled the earliest appointment they had available, March 31. I hope this month goes by quickly because I am in so much pain. 

 March 7:After science class  Megan and I had margaritas at Chili’s plus chips and salsa. My strawberry margarita had a large amount of tequila in it.

 March 12:Tyler took me Olive Garden, my favorite, but we always get awful service there.

  March 14:I am planning on going to Las Vegas in two months with friends for my birthday for a full week. I am so excited. I want warm weather so bad.  Tyler and I are doing much better and I feel more in love with him than I ever have been. We have been spending more time together and enjoying each other’s company. Each week we go bowling at an alley in Griffith called Set Em Up.  It is really cheap because you keep your own scores. I am starting to catch on but Tyler still keeps track because we are very competitive. 

  March 15:Since the start of spring break, I have been working 11 hours a day.  We have been low on staff; they let too many people have days off so. My mom decided we need to start spending more time together and that I work too much. She didn’t go to college and does not understand how hard it is to manage 18 credit hours a semester. 

 March 16:Megan, Ariana, and I  went to our local bar to play pool and Friday night Bingo for free drinks. The night got cut short because my sister came to stay the night at my house with her six-year-old daughter. I did a lot of listening and wiping a lot of tears. She was with her boyfriend for ten years but he has been an alcoholic for the past four. 

  March 17:My sister and I took an early train to Chicago for the St. Patrick’s Day parade. There were police and ambulances everywhere; people were being put on stretchers and taken away because they got too drunk and fell over. There were beer bottles and trash everywhere in the beer garden;  this whole area was trashed. I had my sister by the arm and we started to walk through the crowd almost getting hit by bottles of vodka and Jameson every few steps. There was puke everywhere. A guy ran right into me slamming his bottle into my arm which hurt very bad and later bruised. He was too drunk to stand up straight. The parade was great but two hours long. 

  March 18:Tyler and I enjoyed a pajama day and watched TV.  I finally stopped feeling hungover and decided we should eat chicken and watch “Batman vs Superman: The Dawn of Justice.” It was three hours long but a great story.

  March 19:A new girl at work got fired because she never submitted her background check and finger prints. It turned out she had a warrant out for her arrest in Lake county due to theft. As a result, I had to work in the toddler class, mainly one-year-olds. I do not like it and can’t wait for them to switch the schedule.

  March 23:For parent art night we planned to make bunnies and chicks for the upcoming holiday, but nobody signed up. Tonight is Tyler and my five-year anniversary, but he has to work late. I am super tired anyway and just want to sleep. 

  March 24:My Saturday ritual is go to Sophia’s house of pancakes in Highland and then to Target and leave with more items than I intended to purchase. 

  March 25:I have been driving a Chevy Cruze, which I love but it is not that great in the snow being very low to the ground. Both my parents owned trucks and Jeeps, and I am used to taller vehicles.  A car dealer offered me a great deal, so goodbye old car and hello 2018 black Jeep Wrangler. It had zero miles on it when I left the lot and I am so excited!

 March 28:I was in such a rush this morning I backed my Jeep into my mother’s car. As soon as I heard the crunch I freaked out . Her front end was scrunched in and I began crying. Last night, my mom and I got into a huge fight and I had planned on packing up my things and staying somewhere else for a while. I told her what had happened and she started screaming and told me to leave so I went to work. 

  March 29:Tyler and I should be closing on a house in about a month. I am so excited. It has five bedrooms and two bathrooms and a fenced in yard with a pool. I cannot wait to get everything closed and move in. It was his parents’ but they are moving to Indianapolis. 

  March 30:Surgery day on my wisdom teeth. I I was nervous about the iv because of problems my mom had, but it went in my arm right away.  The procedure was done before I knew it but I was very swollen and in a lot of pain. I am going to rest for the rest of the day. 

 March 31:Swelling has gone down, and I am starting to feel a little better. Tomorrow is Easter, but I can barely eat a slushy with a spoon and could not handle lemon soup, my favorite.  I feel like my jaw has been smashed. 

 April 1:I hid Easter eggs before my niece showed up. Since today is also April Fools’ Day, I hid the golden egg in my bedroom. She found all the others and started freaking out until I got the golden egg. She is still mad because she does not understand what April Fools’ Day is. I ate a little piece of ham and mashed potatoes. 

  April 2:Back at work today, it is not yet 9 a.m. and I am in excruciating pain. My boss promised to do her best to let me go home early. I had Jell-O cups against my cheeks until noon, when the boss let me go home. Nothing helped, not the medicine nor ice packs. I couldn’t sleep all night until I took Advil and conked out for an hour. 

 April 3:At the dentist’s I got hooked up to an iv. After 90 minutes the dentist could finally get my mouth to open wide enough to look inside. It was definitely infected. He prescribed an antibiotic and sent me home to rest. 

  April 4:The swelling has finally gone down and the medicine is helping relieve the pain.  I made it for my whole shift at work but skipped class. I emailed my teacher who was understanding. 

 April 9:I have started eating solid foods and can brush my teeth for the most part. It is April but snowing outside!  Tyler called asking if his keys were in my car. Of course, darn it, and I had to drive home to give him his keys. My boss was not pleased but got over it.  

 April 14:I have finished my big assignments for the semester and am starting to stress free. My mouth is now officially healed and the pain gone. We move into our house on May 2.  Life is looking up.

Mastery

“The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.” Alfred Lord Tennyson

Tom Hallum achieved the rank of Diamond Life Master, having accumulated 500 points over a 40-year competitive bridge career. Longtime partner Joe Chin presented him with two cakes.  In Barbara Walczak’s NewsletterClaire Murvihill declared:“As well as being an awesome player, he is an excellent and enthusiastic teacher. He’d come over to my house and, in exchange for pizza, share his expertise with a bunch of us lower on the ladder. I still find myself repeating some of his axioms, including, ‘Clubs usually take care of themselves.’”  Lynne Kostopoulos noted: “He was so supportive and eager to help me improve my game when we played.  As an opponent, he is always so gracious and pleasant.  He will give advice or an opinion when asked but, otherwise not.” Steve Watson said: “Tom is a fierce competitor who truly enjoys the analytic part of the game.  His deep penetrating analysis extends all the way from the bidding, or lack thereof, of his opponents, to card reading and play, to opponent tendencies, and even to opponent gestures, mannerisms, and past history at the table.”

Tom Rea and I each earned .28 of a masterpoint for registering a 56.25 percent in the Chesterton game.  I hadn’t been partners with Tom before and wish I had two hands over, one where I was too timid in the bidding and the other when I attempted an unnecessary finesse.  Otherwise, we did fine and enjoyed each other’s company.  Tom is a former air force officer, and we discussed the recent Chicago Air Show, in which planes took off from Gary airport.  Jim Carson said he once lay down on an incline near 80/94 and watched jets zoom right over his head.  Director Alan Yngve congratulated Terry Bauer for earning an amazing 24 gold points at a regional tournament in St. Louis.  Partnering with Bill Birk, they finished first in three events, second in a fourth and sixth (of 60 teams) in the “Gold Rush.” Terry reported that his two young grandsons like Hong Kong’s international school. One’s teacher is from Australia, the other’s from Maine.

In Bridge Bulletin Billy Miller lamented that a woman in the early stages of Alzheimer’s whose love of bridge kept her mind and spirit strong couldn’t play on certain days because she had too many masterpoints. “The minute she stopped playing bridge,”Miller asserted, “it was like the light switch in her life was turned off.”  Such red tape has not prevented my former partner Dee Van Bebber from playing in local games even though I’m pretty certain she has earned hundreds of points over the years. Miller concluded: “We need to be more inclusive in times of need.”  I told Dee’s present partner, Dee Browne (Chuck Tomes, who usually brings both, calls them “Dee squared”) that a famous historian shares her name but without the “e,” Dee Brown, author of “Bury My Head at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West” (1970).

Novelist Richard Russo masterfully brings even minor characters to life, witness 70-year-old semi-retired English professor Tom Newhouse in “Horseman.”  Reduced to a single class, his James Joyce seminar, the widower was known for bonhomie and largess with seniors of drinking age. He enters the Hub Pub, a campus hangout wearing a tweed hat over wild white hair and orders two pitchers of beer, one for students engaged in a drinking game and the other which he brings to a booth containing junior faculty Janet Moore and Tony Hope, chagrined that he is joining them.  Squeezing in close to Janet, he says, “You know what I like about you, Moore?”  Tony guesses what she is thinking, her tits, but Newhouse confides, “You’re a good dancer.”  “But you’ve never seen me dance,” she replies. 

Newhouse had recently been forced to attend a sensitivity seminar after an accusation of “inappropriate touching.” Janet, recipient of a bear hug, thinks of him as “the local Mr. Chips, a man who had all he could do not to let alcohol and loneliness undermine his legacy.”  Janet ultimately recognizes an innate generosity, invites him to Thanksgiving dinner, and confesses that she once was a good dancer and celebrated passing prelims by getting on the bar of a biker joint and belting out “Somebody to Love” by Jefferson Airplane.  Russo wrote:

  “That must have been something,”he said.  “I wish that I’d been there.”

  “Yeah, well, you missed it,” she told him.

  “Hey,” he said, planting a kiss on her forehead. “Just because I wasn’t there doesn’t mean I can’t remember it.”

Russo’s “Mr. Chips” reference is to James Hilton’s 1934 novella “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” about beloved teacher Mr. Chipping, based on the author's personal experiences at a British boarding school.  The story has been adapted in films, musicals, and radio and television series.  Peter O’Toole played Mr. Chips both in a 1969 movie and on stage.

from Horace Mann 1970 yearbook; above Thespian Club members (Bernie Konrady front, middle); below, senior varsity swimmers Randy Weiss, Jeff Landsman, Len Predawn, Rich Flora, Bernie Konrad

I interviewed Bernie Konrady at the Archives, and then, having bonded, we continued our conversation at Ivy’s Bohemia House in Chesterton.  Born in 1952, Bernie grew up on Gary’s northside and attended Holy Angels through eighth grade. An older sister of Valpo mayor Jon Costas was his first crush. On Horace Mann’s varsity swim team for four years, he graduated in 1970 when, fleetingly, the school was fully integrated.  Proud to have grown up in the “Steel City,” Bernie said he wouldn’t trade those days for anything.  Those were halcyon times indeed in the city’s evolution; too bad they didn’t last.  Whites began moving away.  While Bernie was at the University of Northern Colorado on a swim scholarship, the neighborhood became rough.  Somebody shot their dog.  A rock crashed through a window - the final straws for the elder Konradys.

Sixty-five years earlier, Bernie’s grandfather Andrew Konrady came to pioneer Gary to work in the mill    and shared a bed in a Slovak boarding house run by a woman whose daughter Julia he married.  Andrew and John started Konrady Brothers Coal Company with funds provided by Julia’s mother. Julia kept the books.  Bernie credited his family legacy, beginning with his great-grandmother, for entrepreneurial skills that served him well in life.  During the late 1980s, Bernie started Konrady Plastics on Arthur Street in Gary with wife Sue keeping the books and acting as office manager. When he sought to expand the business on property in Portage Mayor Sammi Maletta told city officials that he’d known Konrady since he was a kid and vouched for him. Daughter Leah Konrady is CEO of One Region, Bernie invited Toni and me to the organization’s annual luncheon.

One Region CEO Leah Konrady

Konrady was particularly proud of the role his father Bernard Konrady played while a state senator in the early development of IUN’s med school. Responding to my inquiry, Health and Human Services dean Pat Bankson wrote:

  [Philip] Bainbridge and [Bernard] Konrady were trying to establish a med school in NW Indiana. The state responded by establishing a statewide multi-campus system in 1972. Legislators established the Lake County Medical Center Development Agency whose board levied a tax on hotel/motel rooms to support the new branch campus as well as nursing programs at Purdue Cal and Allied Health programs at IUN.  The legislation was changed more than a decade ago to direct the tax to support tourism, with a capped amount going to all the programs it had supported before, long after Konrady and Bainbridge had passed on.  I met Bernie but not Phil when I came to campus in 1978. The program up to 2013 was a two-year program, not premed, just the preclinical years, so students would go to indy after us for their last two years.  Under my leadership we added years 3 and 4 of med school. So yes, they helped establish a well-functioning and stellar med school branch.  The tax still exists and supports ours and other health related programs in NW Indiana. We owe the legislators a debt of gratitude for their foresight and making our campus a jewel in the crown of the IUSM system.

Trump said on Fox and Friends,“If I was impeached, the markets would crash and everyone would be poor.” Ray Smock sneered, “He must think the entire economy revolves around him. And how does he explain the amount of poverty in America even with a thriving stock market?” Scott Walsh piped in: “Trump knows nothing about history, but apparently he thinks of himself as a latter-day Louis the 14th. 'I am the state.'”

The “Final Jeopardy” category being “U.S. Historic Sites,” contestants were asked to identify one dedicated in 1864 whose motto is “Our Most Sacred Shrine.” Answer: Arlington National Cemetery. None knew it.  Guesses included Gettysburg Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Sad.  I frequently visited those hallowed grounds while working summers at Boys Village of Maryland during the late 1960s, the reason, I assume, to impress the incarcerated teens.

For a class assignment street-smart Aaron Wiley, an aspiring teacher, wrote about his family background, present situation, hopes for the future, and an unforgettable character, “Old Man Johnson”:

  At one time I wanted to be a police officer - something many children aspire to. I do not like school, never did and still do not. Putting my brain into overdrive is taxing and tiresome.  What keeps me going is the payoff.   I attended Ball State for a few semesters but after switching majors a few times realized I was costing my mom too much money so last summer I decided to attend IUN.  I’m an Education major because helping children is something I am passionate about.  I’m from the inner city of Chicago and know how children can easily be influenced. I want to reach them before they are sucked into a lifestyle of making quick money through selling drugs or robbing people.  My mother, Yolanda, a Chicagoan, was an Illinois hearing officer until she retired in 2005 as a result of her father passing, which really took a toll on her.  Certain songs would remind her of him and she’d start crying.  My father, Joseph, is from Gary. He worked for the Post-Tribuneand now is a landscaper, cutting  grass in the summer and plowing  snow in the winter.  My dad has ulcers in his legs, which hampers his ability to walk.  A stroke has affected his brain. He has a hard time gathering his thoughts.   My mom is the middle child. She had a younger sister who passed away at a young age and an older sister Jay.  My dad, on the other hand, has nine sisters and a twin brother, all with children. His family is so big I do not know all the names. I am closer to my mom's side. I am also a middle child, sandwiched between younger brother Brandon and Terrance, who has a different father, is 14 years older than me, and lives in California. Brandon is a hospital cook and lives in Indianapolis.  

  My uncle passed away last year after a four-year battle with cancer.  He was a constant presence in my life, taking care of my brother and me while my mom worked.  He took and picked us up from school, and planned excursions, letting us experience Chicago from many different points of view. My uncle fought through his health problems as best he could and put on a brave face to the world. Although he never complained, it was obvious that he was slowly withering away. It got to the point where he was hospitalized.  Over the summer I  had bought tickets for us to see the Bulls play the Celtics. In the hospital he insisted that he’d still be able to go.  When it became necessary to insert a ventilator tube down his throat, my uncle demanded that it be removed.  After consulting his brothers and sisters, my mom, who had power of attorney, granted his wish. He stayed alive only for a few hours.  Near the end he gave me a fist bump.  I wept, knowing what it meant. 

  I began substitute teaching at the Lighthouse Academy in Highland.  My first-graders were getting out of their seats, asking me all types of questions, messing with one another, and challenging my authority. The teacher’s assistants helped in a major way because I literally had no control over the students.  At the end of the day, I sat in my car for ten minutes contemplating if I really wanted to be a teacher.

  I attended the Saint Patrick’s Day parade in Chicago, first time that I can recall. People were wearing all types of green clothing.  I arrived about an hour early and noticed many college students in the crowd.  When the parade started, before long, I was paying more attention to them acting wild than the boring parade I could’ve seen on TV.  Some were climbing trees while others threw plastic water bottles at them.  The experience reminded me of a basketball game, better in person than on TV.         

    Former postal worker Mr. Johnson is like the great-grandfather I never had. I can count on him to make me laugh and raise my spirits. A former army staff sergeant originally from Alabama, he relocated to Chicago because his sister was there.  He married three times but has no children. My grandma lives in his building, and they developed a friendship.  A few years ago, Mr. Johnson fell and she took him to the hospital before rehabbing in a nursing home. He  hated it there, so my grandma brought him home.  His legs and arms were stiff and he became wheelchair-bound.  I became one of his caregivers.  He could still move his legs but he did not possess the strength to walk. He could write and eat but his fingers were permanently in one position due to arthritis.  In a way, “Old Man Johnson” was like an adult baby; he could do some things for himself but needed somebody to wash him, brush his teeth, fix his food, and other things. He was cognitively sharp and used to doing things on a schedule (army background). During the week he went to a daycare center for adults. I had to get up at 4:30 a.m. to get him ready.   We often talked sports. He loved boxing, football (especially the Packers), and baseball. Although basketball was not his favorite sport he did have a favorite player, Magic Johnson. He knew my love for basketball and being inquisitive, would have me break down what was going on. To sum up, Mr. Johnson has had a profound impact on my life.  I admire his easy-going manner and positive outlook.  Though 94 years old, his memory is sharp, and I love hearing stories from his childhood. 

above, Celia Sanchez; below Ryan Henry

Celia Sanchez’s 2017 journal highlights include getting a tattoo on her left bicep based on an album cover by The Used from Chicago master artist Ryan Henry:

  January 9:At 4:30 a.m. I got a wakeup call from my boyfriend since work begins at 6. I am a Human Resources team member at Target in Highland. On weekends I help my dad at at Swap O Rama Flea Market, but this weekend will be going to Nashville to see Avenged Sevenfold, one of my favorite bands – a Christmas present from my boyfriend. 

  January 10:At work, I finished my portion of the front end of the store – beauty and electronics - and helped a coworker with the rest of the sales floor by 9:30.  I took a different route to IUN due to power cables on the highway. The side streets got me to campus almost as quickly. 

  January 11:My A&P (Anatomy and Physiology) lab instructor is my friend’s mother. I work with both of her daughters at the Highland Target. All three are very nice.  After class I rushed home to pack for Nashville and picked up snacks for the 7-hour drive. I went to bed a little after midnight. 

  January 12:My boyfriend did all the driving to Nashville while I studied and caught up on much-needed sleep. Snow came down hard. Right outside of Nashville; there was a bad accident, closing the expressway and causing an hour delay.  Candlewood Suites was very nice and about a 10-minute drive from downtown. At Bridgestone Stadium we saw amazing performances by Avenged Sevenfold, Breaking Benjamin, and Bullet for my Valentine. 

  January 13:  We slept in most of the day.  We have pretty crazy schedules so sleep is precious to us. We even cancelled plans to go bar-hopping that night. 

  January 14:  Since we had a room with a kitchen, we bought breakfast food and snacks for late-night cravings.

  January 15:We were out on the road by 9 a.m. Once again, it was snowing, even heavier as we neared home. We stopped at a sit-down restaurant and I got home around 8 p.m. surprised to see that my family was having a movie night so I joined them. 

  January 16:  After work I rushed home to change my insulin pump, and then set off for IUN. I finally looked at my phone 15 minutes away from campus and discovered class was cancelled. 

  January 19:Finally, at last, TGIF (Thank God, Its Friday)! It’s also pay day, and I’m off work.  My big plan was to go to Chicago for a tattoo appointment! This will be my third and I’m extremely excited, but a bit nervous. Ryan, my tattoo artist, has done excellent art work before on my foot/ankle/leg, so I was looking forward to seeing what he has in store for me! He presented me what he drew up and I absolutely loved it! It never seeks to amaze me with how he puts his own twist on ideas I give him. My tattoo is inspired by an album cover design by my all-time favorite band, The Used. A red heart is hanging by a noose from a dead tree branch, with the words In Love and Death. This will be my first color tattoo. 

  January 20:  It was very hard and bothersome to sleep because the tattoo was on my inner left bicep. As much as I wanted to roll around and wrap my arms around my blanket, I couldn’t. It’s an open wound and I am a Type 1 diabetic susceptible to infection! I was diagnosed April 13, 2017, two months before my 17^thbirthday! I arrived at the emergency room with a blood sugar of 740, a number that can be deadly. The doctors told me if I’d waited another day, I would have been dead or in a coma! I do what I need to do every day to keep myself healthy and alive!

  January 21:Sunday fun day at Swap O Rama! I am a vendor with my father and brother. We started almost 6 years ago. There’s good and bad days. We sell tire shine and car air fresheners. This Sunday was slow. 

  January 22:  My blood sugar is pretty high. I swear its becoming harder and harder to wake up mornings. I need to get to bed sooner, but I don’t get home until around 8 and have to eat dinner.

  January 26:My tattoo is healing nicely. I’ve gotten so may compliments on it. I spent the evening with my boyfriend. It’s hard for us to find time to see each other, especially when he works nights. 

   January 28:You may wonder why a Radiological major is taking a history class. Well, it is an elective. I am the only Radiological major in the class. 

  January 30:  I hate changing my insulin pump at work. 

  February 1:By the time I came into work, the schedule was done. All I had to do was go over Rule Violations and distribute hours between work centers and team members. I left work at noon in order to get to my lab in time. Like every Thursday, I’m eating lunch outside the classroom. I barely have time some days. My lab instructor is aware of my diabetic condition and tells me to come in when I’m ready.

  February 2:I needed to be in Chicago by 8 a.m. for a doctor’s appointment. My boyfriend came with me after a long overnight shift. I usually go by myself, but it is nice that he made the effort. I was so nervous waiting for my results. The doctor said the readings were nearly perfect and I was her prized patient. I always do what she asks, unlike many diabetics.  Then it was on to my second appointment. The ladies at the front desk were mean and very short with me. A nurse asked me to explain why I was coming in and then cut me off to say that’s something I should be telling the doctor. Finally, the doctor, who seemed in a rush, checked some vitals, asked a few questions, and basically cleared me in a matter of 10 minutes. I think I’ll transfer to the University of Chicago Hospital, where I have amazing doctors who treat their patients with care and kindness. There has not been a single visit where I felt uncomfortable, even with a new doctor.

  February 5:  I was stressing all day and trying to study in between breaks at work for my first A & P exam. I’ve had test anxiety before but not this intense. Even after it was over, my chest felt really heavy and it was hard to breathe and swallow. I still had my statistics class, and then it took an hour to get home because of all the snow. I almost crashed exiting the expressway. 

  February 6:My boyfriend took my car in for new wipers and a wash. Then we went out for my lunch break. That was the highlight of my day. It was nice to see him so early in the week. 

  February 9:My boyfriend and I slept for a bit with our puppy and then went out for lunch. Back home, I focused on cleaning and reorganizing my room, usually neglected throughout the week. It doesn’t get trashed, but things need to be put in their place.

February 14:For Valentine’s Day we had reservations in downtown Chicago at Steak 48. The New York Strip is AMAZING! After that lovely dinner, we spent the night in the city and had a wonderful breakfast. 

  March 14: With Spring Break at hand  I left for Miami with my boyfriend!  I seriously need this. This will be our second trip together, and unlike Nashville, we are taking a plane. 

  March 15: We visited Bayside Market Place, a big outdoor mall. We got food and drinks and sat on the pier. People on boats were partying, and a band was performing. I suddenly spotted Ruben from back home! We said, “hi” and marveled at running into each other. We then spent the day shopping.  We also had to go visit Target, because we both work there so why not!

 March 16:It was a great day but the water was freezing. We only dipped our feet it. It was more relaxing to just lay out on the beach. We walked through a block featuring foods from around the world.  Music was playing, lights were over the trees above us, and there was a huge chandelier at the end of the block. Which I still wonder how that got that to hang up above the trees. 

  March 17:Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  We explored around our hotel and went to a different outside mall, a bit smaller but with the same types of shops.  Happy hour started at 4, an hour earlier than back home.  There were a bunch of street performers that got everyone involved in a funny skit that about all races getting along. 

  March 18:Back home in time for sister Rose’s seventeenth birthday party.  We arrived bearing gifts so everyone was happy. I slept soundly.

Celia Sanchez with Daniel Nelson