Imprisoned in Detroit

Dave Bing is trying to re-institute residency in Detroit. I agree with this.

But seven years of contractual captivity in Detroit? Sounds like a law that would ensure no one ever works for the city again, or at least drive up the salaries the city has to pay.
As for the city’s money problems — a budget deficit of $380 million and long-term debt approaching $15 billion — Bing is less concerned. “When you talk about a $15 billion debt and long-term liability issue, you don’t solve that in a short period of time. So that is somebody else’s issue at some point,” Bing told a crowd of state political and business leaders. “And I’m glad that’s not me!” (The mayor announced earlier this month that he would not seek reelection.)

I understand the rationale, and yeah, we lived in Detroit when residency was required. But three plus decades have changed  things a lot. Forcing people to commit to years of living in a city without basic city services is pretty much imprisonment. No one needs a job that badly. Maybe serious tax incentives would help. But yeah, seven years in heaven? Not so much.

Early Arrested Development Review

I'm about ten episodes in to the new Arrested Development season. I know it's been given mixed reviews thus far, though I'm a fan. B+, with a potential for a higher rating once there's more Maeby and Buster.

The years have not been kind to the Bluth family, particularly to Michael, who is fairly pathetic. George-Michael seems to be doing the best, though he hasn't been featured much. Is he fooling around with his "cousin" Maeby? Maybe...that remains to be seen. As for the rest of the family, Lucille was tried in maritime court with no family support. She was sent to "camp cupcake" before heading to Austerity. Liza Minelli's Lucille 2 was a welcome face, and she has a new David Gest-like brother. Tobias met a new druggie girlfriend, and Lindsay became a true slut with multiple dalliances. I've found their duo episodes the slowest, though Tobias is hysterical. I've been a little confused with the George/Oscar twins plotting, and the sweat lodge is pretty random. As is John Slattery's character, which proves that his 21st century version of Roger isn't totally misplaced amongst the Bluth family. And Gob...Job....Gob. The pleasant surprise that Ann Veal's entire family appeared was appreciated, and I laughed aloud during the “And As It Is Such, So Also As Such Is It Unto You." Just typing it makes me laugh.

I'm hoping to get through the next five episodes tonight and tomorrow. The longer length makes it a little more tedious to watch. Not boring, but there's a difference between at 22 minute sitcom and a 35 minute episode that is not tightly edited. There are also many cameo re-appearances, like Kitty and Steve Holt and Gene Parmesan and Barry Zuckercorn and Bob Loblaw and new ones like Rebel Alley and of course Ron Howard playing Ron Howard, that make it a whirlwind to follow. But a good one.

Detroit 68

It has been 45 years since the 68 Tigers won a World Series, but we remember. And nearly three decades since that magical 84 team. Yes, we need another victor, Stat...

Dusting off the 1968 champions once again and discussing whatever actual or imagined impact they had on the city post-riots offers another reminder as to why the Tigers desperately need another World Series crown ASAP. Detroit needs some new baseball championship memories and quickly.

If they can’t win a title with the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Prince Fielder, it will be remembered for years as well — remembered as one of the biggest wastes of talent this town has ever seen. Seeing the hold that 1968 still has on Detroit applies even more pressure on 2013.

It’s much different with the Tigers than it is with the Lions in this city. Since the Lions haven’t won anything, nobody knows what they’re missing in the absence of a NFL championship since 1957. You have to be at least 60 years old to have any legible memory of that occasion. But the Tigers have living monuments honoring the march to the mountaintop.

Detroit is rumored to be a football town. But Detroit has always been a baseball town. What a gift would it be to Mike Illitch to give him Tigers and Wings world championships in the same year. And what an enormous gift for Detroit. 

Happy Weekend

Well, sort of happy weekend. Husband is off on travels, and I'm tired and have no plans. I haven't heard about a possible barbeque or anything, either. Sigh.

I was trying to remember the last few months, and I can't even remember how I spent my birthday. Sigh. It took me long enough to remember my  new trench coat, which should have been pulled out today in the 50 degree weather. So much for summer.

Anyway, there are high hopes for the next few months, and I hope one of those is a vacation. I will be in Florida and California next month, and hopefully will have time for trips to Michigan and Texas. And a nice island somewhere, too. And hopefully I will have time to slow down. I am somewhat regretting missing reunion, but it's a practicality issue. I have to take a step back. Three weekends gone in June would be too much. But it means missing time with friends.

Here's to summer, and some me-time. And some Arrested Development time! I am ready...

Saved

These images are chilling. It's people scavengering their homes, looking for relics and belongings and photos and treasures left when their homes were ruined by the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma.They don't look shell-shocked, though. They look...strong. Happy even. Grateful.

You never know when your life will change in an instant. Prayer go out to everyone affected by this horrible act of nature. And I hope they all will rebuild and be able to move on. The background shows that it was a beautiful day as they sought their relics and treasures.

Anyway, I just thought this was all so bittersweet. Because everyone says they are so grateful to be alive, or so grateful to find anything they can salvage. Sometimes, though, it just it is what it is.

Outer Banks

It's already been nearly two weeks since our mini-vacation to the Outer Banks, and it already feels like two months. The weekend was full of overly indulgent  breakfasts, fresh shrimp, alcohol, fishing, beach time, awkward conversations with wedding guests a decade younger than us, and early bedtimes. It was also full of Sirius XM radio swaps, where we changed the channel repeatedly between 80s new wave and indie alternative hits.

It was nice to have that uninterrupted time with only minimal work for the husband. And I am so ready to go back. I feel unusually drained now, even for me. True, it's humid and hot right now (not middle of the summer hot and humid,but just uncomfortable). But it seems forever since a vacation. Though the Outer Banks and Hatteras was good for a four day respite.

The 80s

Love this Buzzfeed.

I loved those New York Seltzers. Do they make those anymore? Probably not...I think only slap bracelets were too young for me. Muppet babies, too. I loved those book orders and the book and records on my awesome Fisher Price record player. Vintage. And scratch and sniff stickers, too.

Cannot believe many of those items are already over thirty years old.

First Race of the Year

So the Capitol Hill Classic was not my best race, but I'm proud of my 55:25 finish time, especially in light of how little I've been able to work out lately. Every workout is a struggle because of travel, and I admittedly did not train much. I barely ran more than 4 miles in weeks, and I need to build up a larger base. Though the husband was in the same situation and rocked it, finishing with 7:57/miles, nearly a full minute faster than me. The late start time and the drizzle was also a factor, but really, no excuses. I'll take a 10K anytime, especially in under 9 minute miles.

Hopefully there will be another race to come this year, like the Navy five miler. I'm in no shape to run more than that for a while!

Obama Scandal

As always, Peggy Noonan is far more eloquent than I am:

We are in the midst of the worst Washington scandal since Watergate. The reputation of the Obama White House has, among conservatives, gone from sketchy to sinister, and, among liberals, from unsatisfying to dangerous. No one likes what they're seeing. The Justice Department assault on the Associated Press and the ugly politicization of the Internal Revenue Service have left the administration's credibility deeply, probably irretrievably damaged. They don't look jerky now, they look dirty. The patina of high-mindedness the president enjoyed is gone...

The president, as usual, acts as if all of this is totally unconnected to him. He's shocked, it's unacceptable, he'll get to the bottom of it. He read about it in the papers, just like you.
But he is not unconnected, he is not a bystander. This is his administration. Those are his executive agencies. He runs the IRS and the Justice Department.

A president sets a mood, a tone. He establishes an atmosphere. If he is arrogant, arrogance spreads. If he is too partisan, too disrespecting of political adversaries, that spreads too. Presidents always undo themselves and then blame it on the third guy in the last row in the sleepy agency across town.

Whether it is the IRS intruding on conservative groups, or snagging all of the AP records, or lying about Bengazhi, the buck stops with this previously teflon president. Enough is enough.

Arrested

With the TV season winding down--season finales for Big Bang and Grey's are tonight--the countdown to Arrested accelerates. Check out this cool website with all sorts of recurring Arrested Development jokes.

Music I've Been Enjoying Lately

Just previewed the new National on Itunes. Trouble Will Find Me is an amazing track.

The new Vampire Weekend is pretty good. I like the track "Unbelievers."

Weeks' album caught my attention. "Dear Bo Jackson" is great southern rock.

She & Him's new album and its first single "Never Wanted Your Love" is pretty darn good.

Escondido's debut is soul meets the Lone Bellow.

Fifteen

More to say from this past weekend, but fifteen years ago--May 16, 1998--I graduated from college. Wow. How times have changed, how time has moved on. I remember not having any idea of what would come next. It was so hard to envision myself after college--who would I be? What would I be like? I knew I was moving to DC, but I could not predict everything that would come next. Work. Husband. Travel. Friendships. Road trips. New family members. Mourning others.

High school was rough. College was fun, and I treasure those friendships. And I'm so glad that I maintain some of them years and years later. What came after has been even better. It's never perfect, and every year brings new opportunities to grow. But fifteen years later, my time at SMC still affects me. Its legacy propels me as I move forward in life. Cannot believe it's been 15 years since DQ runs, Toronto trips, Boone's, football games, the 'brare and the DH, dorm rooms without cable or internet, the Avenue, and that beautiful May day. I remember how sunny and clear and beautiful that day was, not a cloud in the sky. One unforgettable moment among many. 

Block Party Time

For the second year in a row, we had nice weather for block party 2013. I mean, the pictures tell all, but it was a great day of neighborhood pride, fun, friends, meeting new people, eating, food, competition, drinking, matching t-shirts, and revelry. It reminds me of those days in Detroit, where you knew everyone family on the block. Where kids could ride their bikes in the streets, blow bubbles and get their faces painted and play cornhole and meet who lives next door to them. It's a different time, now, but I hope those children will always have fond memories of days like Saturday where a little piece of 1985 or 1965 still existed. So much fun. And I felt like I could pay it back by finally working on my flowers and tree box just a little yesterday. It's been exhausting to find time to do all of this! So busy lately, right?

Richmond

Last weekend, we learned to love Nascar.

OK, maybe love is too strong of a word. But we learned to like Nascar after a trip to Richmond. We learned the terminology of garages, the pit, all of the prep work and logistics that goes into a race, all of the advertising, the pre-race drivers' meeting, the checks, the star guests like Demarcus Ware, the Danica Patrick worship, the noise, the all-day tailgating, the exciting as these cars swiftly fly around a 3/4 mile track at speeds I can't ever drive. And we learned about people like Kevin Harvick, who won the Toyota Owners 400. We learned about the fandom of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Kurt and Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, and our adopted favorite Karl Edwards (he was robbed!).

It was a fun weekend with friends in our Dodge Caravan, the cavernous white minivan. We've been so busy lately, working and traveling (like I'm about to embark upon again..) that you forget what it means to have a day with friends. We also had a mediocre breakfast at the Strawberry Street Cafe, but that gave us a chance to explore Richmond a bit, as well as see the monuments on Monument Avenue.

Now on to the next stop...