Tag Archives: detroit

Feb22

buy the ticket, take the ride. – hunter s. thompson

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valentine’s night 

was wonderful

downtown

beautiful view

of the

frozen river

shared border

between

two countries

with

cityscapes

old and new

snow falling

no worries

about driving

bitter cold

warm company

a new dress

romantic

took a cab

to a

lovely dinner

in a beautiful

historic house

glowing with warmth

and

hints of

delicious food

and then

the play

one of my favorites

sweet

musical

love story

calm

and after

ready for

the trip back

into

the

comforting embrace

of

 our warm hotel

but

the cabs

were hiding

in

places unknown

staying warm inside

remote garages

and

mg rescued

a woman’s lost glove

part of a another

happy couple

and

in return

we met them

 they were

in the same

transportation predicament

waiting for their car

and she said

‘don’t worry.

you have a ride with us.’

and

we uber-ed

with the

random strangers

 when

the driver

finally arrived

we immediately

headed

in the wrong direction

turn signal on

lost

confused

friendly

new driver

mario 

second day on the job

in over his head

from brazil

no sense of direction

worse than mine

didn’t know the city at all

using his boss’s car

so much laughter

and we had

a crazy ride 

and saw

our hotel

in the

opposite direction

drove through the city

more laughter

 one of our hipster

fellow passengers 

and tried to

take on the role

of navigator

she had begun

celebrating early

and was

 much loved by her partner

who accepted

her funny side

and her state of

altered reality

that was clear

and we all

told mario

‘look for the biggest building in the city. 

the one you see in all the pictures.

head towards the river.

you can’t miss it.’

but 

somehow

he did

miss it

and 

even more

laughter

and

survival bonding

and i

offered her

my rose

as a thank you

for the ride

as they finally

dropped us

and headed off

for places unknown

their own destination

even farther away

and it was

 like being part of

a performance art skit 

and

so glad

we held on

 embraced the adventure

 for the ride of our lives

the perfect ending

to a magical night.

—-

be willing to step outside your comfort zone once in a while; take the risks in life that seem worth taking. the ride might not be as predictable if you’d just planted your feet and stayed put, but it will be a heck of a lot more interesting.  
– edward whitacre, jr.

Dec8

in skating on thin ice, our safety is in our speed. – ralph waldo emerson

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campus martius park, detroit, michigan, usa

—

society is like a large piece of frozen water;

and skating well is the great art of social life.

– Letitia Elizabeth Landon

Nov10

remember you are just an extra in everyone else’s play. – franklin d. roosevelt

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oldmagazinearticles.com

i love the casting call 

for the latest

group of extras

needed

for a film

being shot locally. 

though i don’t have the look of

a sketchy male or a crack head ,

 i could easily be

a gawker or neighborhood folk.

good to know.

—

The first day for extras on Destined is Wednesday.
The extras rate on Destined will be $65.20/8hrs with OT after 8hrs.
(All must be 18+ with a valid photo ID)

I am looking for 8 “Neighborhood Folk” and 2 “Sketchy Males” on Wednesday.

On Thursday, I’ll need 2 “Gawkers” (Available on the 6th and 25th), a couple of “Crack Heads”, and a few more “Neighborhood Folk”.


A new Availability Form has been posted for the first few days on Destined.
Please fill it out if you are 100% available for the dates listed.

And please email—–@gmail.com with current pics (include your name) and “Destined Extras” in the subject.
 Thank you

—

image credit: oldmagazinearticles.com

Sep24

if you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one. – dolly parton

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GOOD NEWS! I-96 reopened 3 weeks early, and morning commutes became easier on Monday morning after 6 months of 7 miles of total road closure.  On Sunday afternoon thousands of people came down to a stretch of the reconstructed I-96 to enjoy a Metro Detroit freeway as never before … by walking, on bike and with anything else they could ride – even a marching band showed up. Any and all were invited to join in the celebration. That’s how we roll in the motor city.

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if you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.
– lewis carroll

 

—

credits: dailydetroit. com

 

Aug23

what do you get for three dollars and seventy five cents?

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a ticket

to watch

the detroit lions

play

a

pre-season

football game

 the score

has no meaning

 like watching

kids run around with a ball

gentle

careful

not to play too hard

no one wants to get hurt

and

a walk outside

after the game

leads to

a free front row seat

right on the curb

best seat in the city

on a warm and breezy

summer night

 live music

fills the air

 you listen

as our hometown boy

eminem

and his friend

rhianna

sing their hearts out

outside

right across the street

only 50 feet away

where

the detroit tigers

play baseball

fireworks go off

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 great music booms through the air

clear as a bell

 bikes

that light up like magic

glide on by

and

fans of all kinds

music

and

football

and

 those who just love detroit

all

together

running

and

dancing

and

talking

and

smiling

in the street

and

happy police

stand by

and

take it all in

 a great feeling

fills the street

and overflows

as all paths cross

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and

worlds collide

into

a perfect night

—

between two worlds life hovers like a star,

twixt night and morn, upon the horizon’s verge.

 – lord byron

Aug18

you must plan to be spontaneous. – david hockney

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it came and went

once again

that

special day

the

annual

woodward avenue

dream cruise

in

detroit

the motor city

and

i love

how

on this day

everyone

does things

their own way

most anything goes

as long as

you are

fully enjoying it

and

you are not

hurting anyone

like the group

who moved

their

living room

to the curb

to watch the cruise

in comfort

and the

young man

smiling

on his

mini-bike

a tiny minnow

with a motor

amidst

a great sea

of

classic cars

mobile crime units

pedestrians

 traffic lights

and

waves

of happiness

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adventure is worthwhile.
 – aesop

 

Jun17

hell yeah, usa !

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10342899_262373547279955_5105902017281530985_n-2 patrons of third street in detroit go nuts for a world cup goal by the red, white and blue.

—
‘The applause is a celebration not only of the actors but also of the audience.

It constitutes a shared moment of delight.’

John Charles Polanyi

—

photo image: Hell Yeah Detrroit

 

Mar19

I don’t do well with snakes and I can’t dance. – Robin Williams

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i went to this show last night, at our beautifully restored fisher theater, expecting to see a bit of fast-tapping irish dancing. it was created by the producers of riverdance, so i had a certain mind set going in, and was very happy to find it was so much more. the director/creator spoke at the beginning, and talked about how he had worked for three years to assemble this amazing ensemble of dancers and musicians from all around the world, (australia, spain, ireland, england, u.s.a, canada, mexico, and italy), to create this work of performance art.

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 while there was incredible irish dancing, there was also so much more.

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each musician played at least 2 instruments and at times got out on the floor to interact with the dancers.

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it was a fascinating blend of afro-cuban, spanish, irish, flamenco, latin, modern and street and classical dance,

all bathed in color and images and music.

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at times it was strong and high energy, and then slow and powerfully beautiful.

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it was a lovely performance in every way. and i was newly inspired with each dance.

I love tango, and I used to dance when I was young. Pope Francis

—

image credits: broadway in detroit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan24

In life as in the dance, grace glides on blistered feet. – Alice Abrams

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Without humility there can be no humanity.  – John Buchan

as i watched the local news last night, and after taking in all of the stories of war, and violence, and crime, and mayhem, i saw this story – of a man’s love for his children, of family, of survival, of a community, who didn’t judge or turn away, but instead, who reached out and gave what they could to help someone who needed helping. this deeply touched me and reminded me of the innate goodness in people. 

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/24534204/anonymous-donor-paying-utility-bills-for-detroit-father-of-four

According to My Fox Detroit on Jan. 23, an anonymous donor will be paying utility bills for Don Epperson, a 53-year-old father of four who walksDetroit’s mean streets looking for salvage firewood to keep his kids from freezing this winter.

“The same fire that keeps us warm, feeds us,” says Don. The family heats water in buckets to wash dishes in and bathe.

Don has worked as a roofer and a butcher. He’s very willing to work, but there are no jobs. So he does the best he can for his four children, the youngest of whom is just 10. Despite it all, Don’s children are performing very well in school and their current lifestyle hasn’t discouraged them.

After hearing the story, a Good Samaritan stepped forward offering to pay Don’s utility bills. Don was emotional and overjoyed.

I’d just like to say thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart and from my children. We thank you all, we love you for what you’ve done for us. I’ve never had anybody do anything to this magnitude for myself, or even for my children,” Don says.

Thousands have been touched by Don’s story and have asked how to help. 

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. –C. S. Lewis

 

Nov28

looking back at the thanksgiving parade as it keeps marching on ahead

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back in my advertising days, america’s thanksgiving parade in detroit was one of our clients. as i watch it this morning, i have many memories, both fond, and some, not so much:

– spending all night on thanksgiving eve, in the parade warehouse and in the cold out on woodward avenue as the floats rolled out and news affiliates wanted live shots

– media fighting for best position for the event

– driving golf carts down our usually packed busy roads, no cars allowed during set up, surveying the situation, and getting such a very cool and different view

– chasing a news anchor through a scary neighborhood the night before, as he sped his way towards the scene with his cameraman, drunk and angry he had to work, got a flat tire and i just kept going, local homeless guy kindly helped me with my tire and i jumped out , ran to the street and got the live shot just in time

– having the 4 tops as a float attraction, though only 3 were still alive and hoping no one would notice, then 1 of the 3 went on a bender, was lost somewhere in detroit and pulled up in a limo, in his clothes from the night before, just as the parade was about to begin

– cinderella got the flu just as she was getting in her costume to ride in her carriage, had to have an intern fill in

– giant balloon untethering itself and flying across the border to our friends in canada

– communication source, walkie talkies and radios going out, trying to make decisions based on a ‘best guess’ approach

– volunteers getting ‘fired’ by an ego-driven person at the top, for not being ‘camera-worthy,’ having to put a positive p.r. spin on this 

–  celebrities, bands, clowns, animals, law enforcement, athletes, characters, charity events, music, lost children, artists, contests, security, parking, coaches, costumes, twirlers, technology, floats, marchers, bad weather, live tv, and the crowd – somehow it all went off no matter what did or didn’t happen behind the scenes. as crazy and sleep depriving and dizzying as it was, i loved it all (now that i am looking back and watching it from the warmth of a living room, drinking coffee, and just taking it all in from a cozy couch.) happy thanksgiving to all.

—

   If you’re not in the parade, you watch the parade. That’s life.  – Mike Ditka