Stop and Smell The Roses

Or in this case, the amarillas

Hind sight is 20 /20

I was walking home the other day and as I traveled north on Sycamore St. I came across this scene.


The City seems to be doing some street work in front of the old Vinyl restaurant. To direct traffic, there is a large lighted arrow directing north-bound traffic to the left side of the street. I tried to get a photo of it, but my camera phone is not that extravagant. With the naked eye, it would look as though the large arrow was directing people to go into Vinyl.

Do you think if this was there when Vinyl was in operation, they would have gotten enough foot traffic to stay open?

University of Cincinnati Student Lands National Title

I was checking my admission status to UC this afternoon and ran across this article on thier website. Sometimes I forget how pretigious UC can be.

Photo Curtesy of University of Cincinnati

Signs of the Changing Season

3 Doors Down Shoot Next Video Next Door

I have heard of the band, 3 Doors Down before, but since I am a conasour of early to mid 90's R&B and pop music, this band somehow slipped under my radar.

Doing a bit of research, it looks as though they have been around for while and have sold over 13 million albums in the US alone since thier debut album in 2000.Nothing to shake a stick at.I was walking home from work yesterday and happened upon this band shooting the video to their next single coming out in a month or so. The name of the song escapes me right now, but as I listened to them, they were not half bad.

Bare with me, I am still working on purchasing a new camera so that the video is of better quality, but here is what a shot during the shoot.

From the Bottoms to The Banks

Being a fledgling history buff, I have viewed numerous renditions of what the Queen City looked like in the past, but for some reason, I have not run across many photos of the city between the years of 1950 and the beginning of the 20th century.

With the ground breaking of The Banks Project in just a on Wednesday, The Enquirer does a great job chronicling the history of the area that The Banks will occupy.

I know that most of you ready this have already took a look at the piece, and I would like to know what you think about it or if you have anything else to add...I am all ears!

Children and Youth in America: A Documentary History, Volume III, 1933-1973: Vol. 1 Parts 1-4; Vol. 2 Parts 5-7 (Children and Youth in America)

Children and Youth in America: A Documentary History, Volume III, 1933-1973: Vol. 1 Parts 1-4; Vol. 2 Parts 5-7 (Children and Youth in America) written by Robert H. Bremner, John Barnard, Temara K. Hareven, and Robert M. Mennel was a great informative read.

As the title states, it chronicles the way that youth were perceived and treated during the years of 1933 through 1973. A bit too laden with correspondence, I think it is an OK source if you are researching the way that children were perceived during this time period in American, which is what I am doing for my upcoming book, Triple Threat: America's Misconceptions of a Misunderstood Society.

Though a good resource, I would not take it on vacation if you are in search of "light reading"

The Carew Tower

The tallest building in Cincinnati, in my formative years, I would frequent retail shops located in the basement and first few floors. As I have grown older, shopping has fallen to the waist side of such events as the Climb the Carew events and patroning The Gym At Carew.

Height: 574 ft.

Floors: 49

Construction Complete: 1929

Happy Easter!

Bulldogs head to State Semi Finals

In high school, I guess you could say that I was not the best at sports. Being two years younger than everyone in my class put me at a it of a physical disadvantage when it came to that aspect of high school.

Dispite this minor set back, I did manage to letter in both Track & Field and Football. Though I tried, I was not quite good enough at basketball to ever make the team. It could have been that during the years that I attended Holmes HS, our b-ball team was one of the best in the State.

Its only fitting that this years squad of Holmes 'ballers have defeated 17 teams to make it to the State championship. The only area team in more than a decade to do so (area meaning Northern Kentucky).

Read more about my alma mater's success here.

My Buns are hot....and crossed

A hot cross bun is a type of sweet bun composed of currants and leavened with yeast ornamented with a cross on the top made with frosting.

Historically, these sweets are traditionally eaten on today, Good Friday, having the cross standing as a symbol of the crucifixion. Believed by some to pre-date Christianity, according to what I have read, the term "hot cross bun" did not appear 1733.

Though I grew up Catholic, I have never heard of these tasty treats until this morning when I stopped in to Shadeau Bread to pick up my morning egg and cheese croissant. I chatted up the attendant, and on my way out, she presented me with one of these treats.

Is anyone else as clueless to this tradition as I am?

Rothenberg School Meeting: A re-cap

Last Thursday's Over-The-Rhine Community Learning Center Process meeting went well.

Going into the meeting, I thought that the gathering would be over shadowed with hot headedness, causing the process to be stalled.

That was definitely not the case.

The meeting ended with defined action items and committee meeting times to set up and develop both the design and curriculum of the proposed community learning center.

Unfortunately, I do not have the expertise to help with the physical design of the school and am unable to make the meeting time designated to talk about the curriculum, will continue to follow the process as closely as I can, adding input and suggestions when I can.

If you would like to put your input on either the design or curriculum of the new Rothenberg Community Learning Center, you can do so and either one of the following meetings:

Curriculum Committee will meet on April 17, 2008 at 3pm at Rothenburg

Physical Design Committee meeting time is soon to be determined.

There will be a Parent Dinner/Pep rally held on March 23 from 4pm to 5::30pm at Rothenberg

Is Gerry Ferraro Senile?

Back in 1984, I was a bit too young to vote. In fact, I was a bit too young to do most things, but I did think it was cool that a woman was chosen as Walter Mondale's running mate for his run for the president of the United States.

It was one of my earliest expressions of political aspirations that I can remember.

That is why I immediately thought that her comments a few days ago were taken out of context.
No way could a champion of women/civil rights question the validity of a man's bid for the presidency based on his race.

After investigating more into her comments, and reading HER response to her comments, it makes me want to as G. Ferraro..."What were you thinking?"

News From Across The River

It's a sad day for Covington Independent Schools.

Yesterday, a well respected music teacher, Dr. James Chase was arrested on child pornography charges.

He was my music teacher in highschool when I attended CIS, and never really got the impression that he was a pedophile.

Tonight is Another Sausage Fest

What: Sausage Queen Competition (2nd Semi-Final)

When: Tonight; 10pm Milton's Tavern