Winter Basketball 2019

After a rough start to the season (loosing the first two games), my son's basketball team made an amazing comeback, winning the next five games. They finished the season 5-3, good enough to put them in second place.

The team had a hard-fought playoff game at the end of February. They pulled off the win and moved on to the championship game.

Playoff game in action!

The team with their 2nd place trophies for the season

The championship game was a hard-fought battle against the number one team, who had only lost one game all season. Of course, the game they lost was to my son's team. The score see-sawed throughout the game.

Game in action

The drama went down to the very end. My son's team won 35-32, which was considered an upset.

Shaking hands at the end of the game

One happy (and blurry) kid

At the trophy hand-out, I was on the wrong side to get the picture of my son.

Turn around!

With trophy

The winning team

Trophies up!

After the game there was an all-star game with the three best players from every team participating. My son was not selected so he was part of the skills challenge that came after.

Gathering for the skills challenge

The first challenge was three-pointers. Boys had two shots from each of five spots on the three-point line.

Ready to shoot

Sending it up, way up!

Gonna go in?

Just a little more

The second challenge was hot shots. Each player had one minute to score as many times as possible. Here's my son's minute:



Afterwards, they gave awards to the top three overall players, the top three three-pointers, and the top three hot shots. If a boy won an overall medal, he wasn't qualified for the other medals. My son got second place on the hot shots challenge!

Hot shots medal

It was a fun end to our basketball season. We are looking forward to Spring baseball next!

Book Review: Ellington at the White House 1969 by Edward Allan Faine

Ellington at the White House 1969 by Edward Allan Faine

For his 70th birthday, Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was invited to a little soiree at the White House. Actually, the party was anything but small, with eighty-two dinner guests and an additional one hundred and thirty-three "entertainment only" guests who came for the concert and dancing. A band comprised of jazz greats from across the country was put together along with members of various Armed Forces bands, making a delightful blend of talent. Ellington was also awarded the highest civilian honor grantable by the President of the United States, the Medal of Freedom. Ellington was the first jazz musician and the first African-American to receive the honor. Ellington did make a massive contribution to the growth of American music in his career. He performed all over the country and even went internationally as a good will ambassador at the government's request. The White House setting was especially remarkable since Ellington's father once worked at there as a butler.  America is truly the land of opportunity. The Medal of Freedom was well deserved, indeed, probably long overdue. The presenter of that medal was, of course, Richard M. Nixon.

This book describes the lead-up to that night, but mostly from the White House perspective. Nixon wanted to shine brighter than Johnson and Kennedy in the Presidential entertainment department. Ellington publicicst Joe Morgen worked with White House staffer Charles McWhorter to organize the event. Political posturing played some role in the event, but it quickly turned into a joyous celebration of the premiere American composer at the time. The book talks very little about Ellington's life but provides a dozen books in the bibliography for those interested. The focus here is on the April 29, 1969 party.

The celebration is related in gushing detail. The meal and ceremony are given their due, but the lion's share of text goes to describing the band and the musical numbers that were presented that night. Each song is given a little history and a description of that night's performance. Sometimes the musicians gave a classical rendition, as Mary Mayo's singing of "Mood Indigo;" sometimes they gave  the music their own interpretation, as pianist Earl Hines's fiery playing of "Perdido." The details are given in just the right amounts, not too in depth and not just a list of performers and pieces. After the formal concert, the East Room was cleared and a jam session let attendees either play or dance the night away. Many did both.

Nixon achieved a great coup that night. The recognition of jazz as an art form was long overdue. The jubilant blend of a white and black crowd during 1960s America is amazing and odd, showing the promise of what America could be but all too often isn't. The United States Information Agency produced a short film about the evening that became a major hit for the public diplomacy agency. Ellington went on several more public relations tours in the early 1970s (he died in 1974). Funding for the National Endowment for the Arts went from $9 million in 1969 up to $80 million by 1974, a massive increase in a short time. Everyone came out a winner from that night.

The book includes lots of pictures from that night, giving readers an even better sense of the buoyant spirit of the evening. Twelve appendices detail various White House jazz and social functions, the many guest lists, and a history of early Jazz at the White House. A selected bibliography and a recommended list of Ellington's recordings finishes up the book nicely.

Recommended.

Movie Review: The House With a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

The House With a Clock in Its Walls (2018) directed by Eli Roth

Recently orphaned Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) moves in with his estranged uncle (Jack Black) who lives in the eponymous house. The uncle is eccentric but that's because he is a boy witch warlock. He and the neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), search the house when Lewis isn't looking. She can also do magic. The house has plenty of creepy and funny magical items (like bizarre automatons and the chair that acts like a dog), giving Lewis plenty to marvel at. Lewis also starts school which is rough because Lewis is himself eccentric. He wears goggles on top of his head like his favorite hero, Captain Midnight. He has the typical struggles fitting in at school. But that's nothing compared to the struggles dealing with the evil presence in the house.

The movie is fairly entertaining for a children's horror/fantasy film. Jack Black is in regular form and Cate Blanchett is charming. The story only has one or two surprises, but plenty of laughs. Some parts are never really explained and some things go by too quickly, probably to keep the pacing steady. The movie has a good balance of scares and silliness if not a fully satisfying plot.

My children had mixed reactions--the nine-year old girl didn't like the scary bits (which are clearly set up by the film--my daughter had plenty of time to leave before the creepy stuff hit the screen). My eleven-year old son didn't like the boy-girl bits, which are very few and very far between. The four-year old was oblivious and just had a good time.

Recommended--this is a pretty average kids' horror/fantasy movie.

Book Review: Form of a Question by A. Rostan and K. Kasenow

Form of a Question written by Andrew J. Rostan and penciled by Kate Kasenow

Andrew Rostan competed on JEOPARDY!, an American television quiz show. Andrew was a fan from a young age. He'd watch with his grandfather who encouraged him to pursue his dreams. Andrew watched the show regularly and had amassed the sort of knowledge just suited to be a success on the show. But he sorely lacked in social skills, making his regular life very hard, especially in dealing with women. He made it to college and eventually to the show, where he realized some valuable lessons about life that go beyond the simple game-show format.

This graphic novel is an intriguing form of biography. Rostan portrays himself sympathetically but honestly. He makes mistakes and has frustrations navigating social circles. His intelligence is uncommon and makes it hard for him to fit in with others (even though we all have things that make us uncommon). The intercutting of his time on the show with the progress of his life works well. It's hardly his whole life since the story ends as he's just done with college but it shows him on a better path for the years to come.

Recommended.

Trinity Church, Manhattan

Trinity Church is an Episcopalian parish in lower Manhattan that dates back to the 1690s. The first church was built in 1698 and lasted till the Great New York City Fire in 1776. The second church was built from 1788 to 1790 and became very significant politically since many of the federal government officials (like President George Washington) worshipped there. After damage from snow storms, the weakened building was torn down in the winter of 1838/1839. The third and final (so far) church began construction in 1839 and was completed in 1846. It was visited by Queen Elizabeth II in 1976 and served as a shelter during the 9/11 attacks, since the World Trade Center is only a few blocks away.

Trinity Church, NYC

As with many old churches, repairs never quite finish and we were unable to see the main body of the church. We spent some time looking around outside.

A blocked entrance

The spire is 281 feet tall. It was the tallest building in America from 1846 to 1869, when a church in Chicago was built even taller. In New York, it was unsurpassed in height until the building of the Brooklyn Bridge's stone tower in 1883.

Spire

The spire is decorated with a clock and some apostles.

Apostles 

The church is noteworthy also for the cemetery, which has many famous people buried in it.

Church and cemetery

The most ostentatious memorial is to John Watts, a lawyer who represented New York in the House of Representatives in the early 1800s.

John Watts memorial

Nearby are the graves of Alexander Hamilton and his wife Elizabeth.

Hamilton grave

Robert Fulton, inventor of the steam boat, is also buried in the graveyard.

Robert Fulton grave

The cemetery also has the Astor Cross, a tall memorial to socialite Caroline Astor.

Astor Cross

Jacob

Noah

The whole interior of the church is not cut off from visitors. A small chapel in the front is open, though we came just as they were having services. We didn't get to see much but we did light a candle and say a prayer (for Christian unity, naturally).

Inside the church

Saying some prayers

I was bummed that we didn't really see the inside of the church, but maybe on another visit to the Big Apple.

Blue and Gold Dinner 2019

My eldest son had his final Blue and Gold dinner with his Cub Scout pack. The dinner is a celebration of the founding of Cub Scouts and is when the Arrows of Light transition from the Cub Scout pack to a Scouts BSA troop. The theme for the dinner was Marvel Superheroes, so the tables had some activities to keep us busy during slow moments of the evening.

At the table

One of the fundraisers at the Blue and Gold Dinner is the Father/Son cake sale. Cakes are sold via silent auction to raise money for the pack and the local Scouts district. We worked the day before on the cake. By "we" I mean the whole family!

Sister making batter

Scout making lines

Making it perfect

We watched a YouTube video where a pro baker made a Spider-Man cake. We did our best, as is the Cub Scout motto.

He'd just been through a tough fight, I'm sure

At the dinner, the boys received their final awards before getting the Arrow of Light.

Handing out last patches

My son shakes hands with the Cub Master

We went up on stage for the bridging ceremony. The boys cross a ceremonial bridge and are welcomed by their new troop.

Excited to go upstairs

The whole group

Us

Receiving the Arrow of Light Patch

We just pinned the patch, sewing will come later

Receiving the Arrow of Light

Showing off the Arrow of Light

Part of the ceremony is changing the shoulder loops from blue to green and getting a new neckerchief. Parents take off the loops, the kerchief, and hat (when applicable). The boy crosses the bridge. The new troop puts on the new loops and new neckerchief (we may buy a new hat, we haven't decided yet).

Taking the shoulder band off

Remembering the years with Cub Scouts

On the bridge

Getting the new neckerchief 

We had a great time and were very proud of our son.

Moved on

Three boys with their new troop mates