Really? Playing Ove

Happy Saturday Morning – Okay, is it just me getting old and curmudgeonly or is it a new generation which, by and large, doesn’t give a hoot?

Back a few years there was a Swedish movie with the name ‘Ove’ in it. Ove, an older character obsessed with wanting to keep his housing project, as the expression goes; “the best that it can be.”

Maybe if one can see themselves as being like an Ova character from a movie – then the answer is sitting front and center. Possibly my middle name should be, “Dirk Ove P.”.

Now once posted I best enjoy my coffee while I am sitting back a bit with a smile still curling in the corners. Afterwards I’ll start my next Condo roundabout.

Meanwhile I’ll ponder the critical thinking of Oscar Wilde:

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”

Family members P. & J. & their son Pete – Just asking you to keep Pete in your prayers and thoughts. I understand that in life we witness and experience a wide array of turmoil, troubles, sickness, etc. However, every so often we witness a life where out of the blue, they’re experiencing an almost impossible “tough row to hoe.” With the diagnosis of Functional Neurologic Disorder – young Pete is in such a shape and the very best in medical knowledge is at wits end.

Thanks for keeping them front and center!

Isn’t it interesting that the more we believe that we’re about to ‘jump’ another hurdle that it appears we’re facing multiple more? Isn’t it fascinating when you realize that notwithstanding all the medical advancements we’re witnessing how much more there is to exploere?

Best of Blink – A little over a century ago as the fall bird migrations got underway there was one bird which darkened the skies and where millions of them flew by on for hundreds of miles. It was claimed that that bird, the passenger Pigeon, was the most pervasive species on earth. Hunters shot them, shooters just for shooting, and there were natural issues. Then on September 1st, 1914, the world’s last surviving of her species, a passenger Pigeon affectionally known as “Martha” (honoring First Lady Martha Washington), died at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens.

During the 19th century our nation deemed John James Audubon (1785-1851) as the preeminent Painter of birds. The 20th century, similarly, had that spot taken by Cincinnati’s own, John A. Ruthven (1924-2020) – quickly labeled as his century’s Audubon.

Ruthven created a painting of “Martha” which he gifted the Cincinnati Zoo (it hangs in the Zoo’s boardroom). It gets better, in 2013 he created a vast (seven story building) mural in downtown Cincinnati; “Martha, the Last Passenger Pigeon.”

For Blink the large building displaying the Ruthven mural of “Martha” was brought to life at BLINK 2026 with a nighttime light and projection animation. Thus, animating Ruthven’s mural across the whole side of the building.

StringSource – We are very lucky to be walking distance from the amazing Cemetery and Botanical Garden, Spring Grove, and the wonderful lineup of year-round activities and events. This coming Thursday my plan is to attend the hour and a half string concert playing music from the 1970’s and 1980’s this string quartet will perform – violins, viola, and chello. Looking forward to attending.

This week’s Interlude – There are a myriad of artists and groups who seem to come out of nowhere with a number that both sticks with their audience and seem to be everywhere. I guess the label; “One Hit Wonder” is accurate. This week’s piece you’ll mumble; “I’ve heard that before”, and you probably have.

Good luck, I know you’ll get it right! Remember, no cheating on the answer.

Enjoy!

Life is AMAZING!

Dirk
BONUS POINTS:

With our first Fall small temperature dip it also means that winter will be here sooner rather than later. A hundred years ago getting ready for winter was an all-consuming chore. Massive amounts of firewood and coal had to be garnered. Food was an issue. Even the newly popular automobile required serious care. In fact, many car owners would simply put their auto up on blocks and just store the ‘contraption’.

Which of the following (ONE) was actually popularly used to manage their wheels during winter:

1. Whiskey poured into the radiator
2. Let their dogs sleep in the garage with the cab’s doors open
3. Rig light bulbs in and under the car lit at night
4. Hang old blankets behind garage doors and windows
5. Place a thick layer of sawdust on the garage floor
6. Place boxes of Baking Soda inside the car’s cab.

Last week’s Bonus Points answer – #3
Answer, this week’s Interlude: 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up” (1893) – lead vocals by Linda Perry