October 1, 2008
Fountain Pens
Bexley Pens is the only company left in America making fountain pens. Extraordinary that Central Ohio is the last bastion of the inkwell in the U.S. I discovered that fountain pens aren't exactly a left-hander's friend though. First of all a lefty twists their wrist around in such a way that it's difficult for the ink to flow off the nib smoothly. Secondly a lefty is apt to push the pen forward thereby dragging their fist over the still wet ink and rendering their penmanship smudgily illegible. Practice though will pay off in a classy signature and a feeling of classic analog satisfaction! Of course if you're right handed you just get the satisfaction right off.

September 30, 2008
National Roller Skating Month
Yup, October. Not only is it National Popcorn Poppin' Month and National Chili Month and National Dental Hygiene Month it is also National Strap-on-your-skates-and-roller-boogie month. My visit to Skate Zone 71 brought some fond childhood memories back to me. I remember well all the skating birthday parties I spent clinging to the carpeted wall for dear life while my friends whipped by me to the strains of Cyndi Lauper and Journey.

September 24, 2008
BalletMet and Dracula
We got inside BalletMet today and boy are they ever busy. First, they've been invited to New York to perform at the Joyce Theatre (no small accomplishment mind you). Then, they come back to open one of their most popular shows -- "Dracula". After that, "Cool Nights, Hot Dance" in November and finally, "The Nutcracker" their annual holiday smash. They work like non-stop and by the looks of their musculature they can eat 10,000 calories a day and still be ripped. Amazing and amazingly talented. I know, you're thinking "ballet... YAWN." But it's one of those things that if you actually saw a live performance, I bet you'd run out, buy a tutu, and start practicing your arabesques on the front lawn.

September 23, 2008
Architecture Columbus!
I guess Columbus architecture is not so bad after all. Personally, I never knew that the limestone columns at the State House were riddled with prehistoric fossils of tiny sea creatures; I didn't know that the Wyandotte building on Broad is our only example of Chicago-style architecture; nor was I aware that every stone flower and curvy flourish of the Bricker and Eckler building on 3rd were carved out of sandstone by hand! I also now know the difference between sandstone, limestone, and terra cotta, the last of which means "cooked earth." And I owe my newfound enthusiasm for our architectural heritage to Jeff Darbee, co-author of The AIA Guide to Columbus, who was kind enough (and patient) enough to walk me through and point out the city's finest achievements. I still disagree with him about the 670 Cap. That thing looks like you could kick a hole in it.

September 15-19, 2008
Gone with the Wind Storm of 2008!
Wow. Was that crazy or what? Like most everyone else in Central Ohio I watched in awe as hurricane-like winds blew down trees and blew away most everything else. My kid's little swimming pool was tossed up and hurtled away like a flying saucer. If you see a blue, circular object with dinosaurs on it hovering over your house, it is not a UFO. It's just a cheap pool.
On morning #1 my only light source was the screen on my cell phone. I actually put the wrong color shoes on before I left for work. By Thursday, I was actually beginning to enjoy my candle-lit showers.
My family and I got off easy though. My sympathies to those of you who may have been hurt or whose property was damaged.

September 12, 2008
Newark High
Another Cool School -- this one laid out campus style and swarming with nearly 1900 students. This school is so cool it's been the setting for MTV's Made twice now. They're currently following around a student who dreams of being a hip hop dancer. You'd think what with the MTV glitz, these kids would be aloof. Nope - the students were amazingly polite. I think teens are nicer than they were when I was a kid. If a TV guy showed up at my school one morning, he ran the risk of being rolled in the parking lot.
Newark High has a great vibe. The students' love of their school isn't just shown in Wildcat Pride but in the respect they show to each other -- and to the strange TV guy disrupting their schedule.

September 10, 2008
30 Years with Jack
We had the great privilege of hanging out with Jack Hanna this morning celebrating his 30 year relationship with the Columbus Zoo. In the past, I've always had a blast with Jack. You never know what he's going to do. But today I got to see another side of him and learn about the guy behind the animal show-and-tell shenanigans.
Without Jack Hanna the Columbus Zoo probably wouldn't be here right now. It certainly wouldn't be the class act attraction it is today. I was surprised to learn that when Jack first arrived here in 1978, he would often stay late at the zoo picking up the trash himself.
I like Jack because he's not one of these lunatics who grab poisonous snakes and dangle them in front of his face -- Jack's old school. He's like Marlon Perkins with a personality. His love of animals is reflected in his youthful wonder at them.

September 9, 2008
The King of String
J Thomas Davis Guitar Maker in Clintonville is one of the premiere luthiers in the U.S. A "luthier" is a maker and/or repairer of stringed instruments. Repairing shmairing. Watching J. Thomas Davis, or Tom for short, working on a guitar is to truly witness some tender, loving craftsmanship. He only has time to turn out six instruments a year. He's very quiet and unassuming but his work speaks loud and clear. If you could hear his work it would say: "I'm yet another masterpiece made by Tom, the great luthier!" That's if you could hear it, you understand.

September 8, 2008
Behind the Lion
Sneaking a peek behind the scenes at Disney's the Lion King: pretty spectacular. There are 230 some puppets in the show and the actors have to learn how to act, sing, dance, and work their puppet all at the same time. Not exactly easy to give a coherent performance when you've got a big antelope on your head.

September 5, 2008
London High School
Our Cool School this week was pretty impressive. In fact it was truly cool. From the band to the lunch ladies; to the state-of-the-art saw that can cut ANY shape, including that of a Tyrannosaurus, to the students, all of whom were incredibly accommodating and considerate. London High makes my old school look like a cave with no running water. It's obvious the London community takes great pride in their young people.


September 3, 2008
Tomato, To-mah-toe
I learned tons o' tomato-based facts this morning at the Reynoldsburg Tomato festival. Of course I already knew it's a fruit. Everyone knows that. But I thought it was interesting that a tomato is 95% water. Five more percent and you could bottle it. Also, Alexander Livingston is credited with breeding the first commercial tomato in Reynoldsburg back in 1870; thus, the festival...
I love tomatoes, of course, bein' an Italian and all. Romas mostly. Sliced up with some fresh mozz and basil then drizzled lovingly with olive oil! C'mon, that's good stuff.

September 2, 2008
No Birds, Just the Bees
Lots of bees all over a guy's face! Arnold Crabtree showed us what a bee beard looks like --- and it looks bizarre, scary, and, yes, cool. We watched as thousands of bees swarmed his face to stay close to their queen which he put in a little box hanging from his chin. He'll do it again at the Lithopolis Honeyfest this Saturday where the town throws a big party celebrating honey and the bees who make it. I say "who" because they've earned a pronoun.
Don't go takin' honey for granted. I found out that it takes 154 flower trips from the hive to make one teaspoon of the gooey good stuff. At the end of her life a honey bee will have produced, oh, just 1/12th of that teaspoon.
Kinda depressing really... until you taste it.