Dear 1036: Two Decades of a Mailbox and a Clock

Dearly Beloved 1036 Clarence,

20 years ago this month, our family went on a short trip to Branson, MO, which was our first time staying at a Fairfield Resort.  It was a few months after my parents had decided to buy a vacation ownership with the company.

We had a nice time enjoying the amenities of our splendid unit and the resort, and ambling around Branson.  One place we visited was a Five-and-Dime store.  There, my parents purchased a large wooden mailbox for our front porch.  There it sits to this day, a sturdy container for the mail.  Dad took apart our previous mailbox and affixed a piece of it to the new mailbox, bearing the name "Rubio Family".

It's incredible to think of all the mail that was put in that box, including lots of greeting cards for a variety of occasions, personal letters, and even postcards, which I liked to request that people send me.  I even remember getting an autographed photo of President and Mrs. Bush shortly after they left office in 2009.

Also 20 years ago this month, one of my Christmas gifts was an atomic clock.  It's still with me on my desk, where it has been a fixture for so long.  It actually ended up with me on my trip to St. Augustine Mission 10 years ago.  Since my cell phone wouldn't pick up a signal in that rather remote area, I used that clock to wake me each morning.

From Thanksgiving Day 2019, also the 27th anniversary of when we moved to beloved 1036

Indeed, these common household items testify to the passage of time, and how the memories I hold shall persist for a long time to come.

Recalling these memories, I declare that you shall never fade into the background, but remain deep in my heart, and I shall ever be connected with you:

All my relations.

With abiding love for you,

God's blessings,

Paul

Nativity Scenes 800 Years Ago and Now

The celebration of the Nativity of the Lord on Christmas Day is special for 2023 because it marks 800 years since St. Francis of Assisi first created a Nativity scene in Grecio, Italy.  (I found a great article about it here.)

One major part of the Feast of Christmas is that God came to us in Jesus Christ, Who was the Word Made Flesh.  We see God continues to be present in our world in tangible ways.

Nativity scenes are a great way to represent how God is present with us.

Like much of religious art, it has taken on the characteristics of the culture that creates it.  I have enjoyed special displays with Nativity scenes from around the world, like has happened often at Ascension Church during the Christmas Season.

On this anniversary occasion, I think about Nativity scenes that have been personally meaningful for me.

My grandparents had an outdoor scene for years in front of their home on Lamon on the North Side of Chicago.

Inside, they had a wonderful Nativity scene, which I believe came from Spain.

At beloved 1036, we had two different scenes.  The set that especially resonated with me was from  Mexico.

Much later in our time there, Dad set up a light display outside that would show a Nativity scene.

Thinking about these scenes, I join the words of the song, "O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!"

I pray that as we annually celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, these Nativity scenes can play a part in helping us ponder more deeply the Mystery of the Incarnation, that God is real because He has come so close to us.

Visits Back to Valparaiso

My eagerness to reconnect with my Valparaiso University experience as I celebrated my 10th anniversary of graduation this year of 2013 resulted in several visits.

Many of them were back in the spring, as I described in my 10th anniversary Post-College reflection post.  I visitedwith as many professors as I could.  I enjoyed updating them about my life and hearing about what they're doing in the classroom and beyond.

On the first Sunday of May, I was at St. Teresa's to help prepare and serve the meal after the final weekly student Mass before the end of the school year.  It was nice seeing some soon-to-be-graduates in their attire and congratulating them.

Being back on campus for Homecoming was special.  The two events I attended were the Christ College Reception and the Class of 2013 10th Anniversary Reunion.  My afternoon and evening were filled with so many wonderful conversations with professors and other familiar faces with whom I shared the student experience.  One of my classmates, Stephanie, was instrumental in her role working in the alumni office to plan the 10th-anniversary reunion.  President Padilla stopped by the reception and made the rounds to greet each of us.  It had been a while since I saw so many fellow students from that time there, and it stirred something within me to think about all that we shared in our studies and around campus.  I ended up having a conversation with a fellow classmate that was driven by cards sitting on the table with conversation topics, and we were enjoying card after card for a while.

Food served at the 10th Anniversary reunion of the Class of 2013

I was also pleased to see some fabulous artwork on display in the Union.

A fellow visitor photographed me by this fabulous artwork that says it all.

More recently, I thought it would be fitting to cap off this 10th anniversary year by helping with the Advent Dinner at St. Teresa's, held the Sunday before the final test week.  This meal was one of my fondest memories of college.  After graduating, I had it in mind to return and help at some point in the future.  I was glad to do it this year.

The meal included a variety of heavy appetizers, organized according to different ethnic themes.  I helped serve the American appetizers, which included mini cheeseburger balls, hash brown cups, corn dogs, and fruit kabobs.  So much of the event reminded me of what it was like as a student.  There were so many present--around 100 people or so.  Among them were some professors, including Bart Wolf, who I knew in the meteorology program.

A fellow server photographed me at the American table as we waited for the students to arrive.

Getting on toward the end of the evening, I had an encounter with Anthony, a reporter from the local newspapers of the Diocese of Gary.  When I told him that I'm an alumnus, he expressed interest in talking with me after making his rounds.  A little later, before I departed, I shared some reflective thoughts about being back for this experience, which appear in this article.

I was so glad to be back and contribute something to the community of St. Teresa's, grateful for the ways it affirmed me as a student, which was a hallmark of my college experience.  It stirred my heart with great joy to see the students having such a great time with the food and then music and dancing afterwards, putting themselves into a good mood to finish the semester.  Even as I've moved on in the circle of life to a stage in life beyond college, I am so delighted to see that the community of St. Teresa's continues to do so much good in supporting and affirming the students, just as it did for my classmates and me.  Ultimately, what I saw on this evening of December 10, 2023, was just like I knew it to be as a student:  The food and festivities are great in and of themselves, but even more so because they are signs of a community that over the years, has done so much to build the Kingdom of God on Earth by fostering an affirming environment for those in this community.

Avila Hall is all decked out for the Advent Dinner.

The American appetizer table, with the fruit kabobs in the foreground

Bringing out the Dairy Queen ice cream cake

A New Day Inside a Synagogue

During my extraordinary middle school experience, I had an experience like no other 20 years ago this month:  It was on a Saturday at the start of December 2003 when I attended a bar mitzvah for the first time in my life.

My good friend Zach Ross invited me.  I had gotten to know him pretty well from sharing core classes on Team 6-2 fairly early on in our 6th grade school year at Percy Julian Middle School.  He was one of many Jewish people I met among my new classmates.  Throughout 6th grade, I got to know so much about Judaism from hearing my Jewish classmates talk openly about their religious and cultural practices.

On this Saturday morning in December, I went to the Oak Park Temple for the liturgy, dressed up in fine clothing.  Zach was having his bar mitzvah along with Seth Klapman, another of my classmates.  As I entered the synagogue and made my way to my seat in the sanctuary, I saw many classmates from Julian there.

The ceremony started around 10 AM and was about 2 hours long.  Wanting to have a better sense of what to expect, I called Zach's mom to ask about it.  As she told it, some of it was in English and some of it was in Hebrew.

At one point, a decorated cabinet was opened on the platform of the sanctuary and large Torah scrolls came out and were placed on a stand.  Zach and Seth both chanted portions of the Torah in Hebrew.  Both of them then gave a short message, in English, sharing their interpretation of the passages they chanted.

From what I can remember, Zach's passage was the story of Jacob after he fled and got into some bickering as he sought a wife among Laban's daughters.  He remarked that this passage really speaks about how we should respond to violence in our world, if we could take the time to better understand one another.  Later that day, I remember getting into a bit of an argument with someone, and in the wake of it, I was humbled thinking back to what Zach said about seeking to make peace with one another.

I also noticed a woman would stand on the platform and lead the music, and she was referred to as the cantor.  I had never heard of this term before.  Yet when I went to Mass week after week later that month, I realized that Roman Catholic Churches had cantors, too, who led the singing.

The ceremony ended around 12 noon.  I went back to the Temple later in the day for a celebratory party.  I was, again, dressed up.  Upon arriving, I noticed everyone was dressed rather casually.  The main celebration happened in the assembly hall that was cordoned off by a moveable wall from the sanctuary.  There was a party more geared for adults with alcohol in the main entry of the synagogue.  There was good food there, pizza, and some other treats.  There was a DJ playing music and leading dances, including a traditional Jewish dance when people take turns getting lifted up in the chair.

Reflecting on this experience, I regard it as one of the greatest honors of my life to attend my Jewish friend's bar mitzvah.  It was a window into the religion of people who I had come to know closely at Julian.  It was a capstone moment in the transformation I experience getting to know another religion and culture that helped me appreciate my own, and was part of why middle school was such a defining time in my life.  Indeed, I came to realize how much of Christianity is based on Judaism.  And getting to know it helped me appreciate my faith even more, so that I would truly be primed for the encounter with God in the sacrament of Confirmation.

Be a Guest for a Jolly Holiday

In the midst of the celebration of Walt Disney's birthday today, I recall Open House Chicago 2023 back in October.  One of the most interesting sites open for visits was the Hermosa home where Walt was born on December 5, 1902.  It had been acquired a few years ago by some individuals who have been working to restore it.

OHC weekend was the first opportunity that it was open to the public.

So on a rainy Saturday morning, October 14, I drove through the West Side and then wound around the blocks near the Walt Disney Birthplace Home on Tripp Avenue to find a parking spot.

Given the high interest, there was a long line.  Fortunately, I was able to bypass it with my OHC priority access pass.  And I was in the first group that went in for a tour.  As I entered, I thought of the Beauty and the Beast song, "Be Our Guest".

There weren't too many furnishings in the house yet.  The paintwork is well done.  And there were a few images on display.  The upstairs has the bedroom where he was born and the bedroom he shared with his brother.  The family didn't spend too much time in Chicago before residing elsewhere.

The front bay windows looking out onto Tripp Avenue

(All photos in this post are mine, unless otherwise specified.)

The entry hallway and the stairs leading to the upper level

Inside the primary bedroom, where Walt was born

The room Walt shared with his brother

When looking at the north side of the house, facing Palmer Street, it is possible to see where the later additions were built.

A fellow visitor photographed me posing in front of the house.

The long line to enter for a visit shows the high level of interest.

It's amazing to be in the place where one of the most prominent figures in US entertainment history was born.

A fellow visitor photographed me inside the kitchen, the room with the brightest lighting.

My visit inside was about 20 minutes.  Afterwards, I drove to the Herban urban garden on Van Buren Street for a quick visit--please see the three photos directly below.

The next day, October 15, I stepped into my role as an OHC volunteer, by which I got the priority access pass, serving at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center on Armitage.  This organization hosts arts programming.  Like those who stopped by for a visit, I was able to learn more about this organization during this afternoon.  Furthermore, I enjoyed the opportunity to interact with visitors, and even hear about some of the other places they visited.  From talking with Omar, the executive director, I learned the center is named for a Puerto Rican activist in the 19th Century, who advocated for abolition, and participated in raising money to buy enslaved people and set them free.

Stage area

Omar, the executive director, took this photo of my pose by a bust of Segundo Ruiz Belvis.

Outside the center

One place I became aware of was the Stan Mansion in nearby Logan Square.  When I finished around 4 PM, I drove east to Logan Square to visit it.  This place is a historic mansion and Masonic Temple, which is now an elegant event venue.

The ballroom on the upper level

One of the event rooms, complete with a bar made of some type of special wood

Here I am inside the lower-level ballroom, in a photo by a fellow visitor.

Staircase leading to the upper level from the entryway

On the outside, you can see the Stan Mansion's two parts, which appear separate, but are actually joined back away from the front view.  To the right is a private residence.  The event venues are in the part of the building on the left.

Here I am in the landscaped grounds in front--and I thank the fellow visitor who offered to get a photo of me.

On my way back to Oak Park, I stopped at Cook Brothers, a warehouse store I had seen advertised in the past.  I found some splendid drinking glasses there, the type I had been searching for, at a great price.

It was another great weekend of exploring the finer details of Chicago and appreciating what's here.

21 for Illinois at 205: Governors

Happy Birthday Illinois!

It's time to party like it's 1818 all over again.

This year's celebration of Illinois's statehood comes shortly after the 250-year birthday of Shadrach Bond, the first Illinois governor.

I thought this would be a good opportunity to share some of what I uncovered about previous Illinois governors.  I found some information on the National Governors' Association website, with short biographies.

Other info I found in a new book, A House that Made History, which current First Lady M.K. Pritzker authored, and it showcases her redecorating project at the Illinois Governor's Mansion (#1).

The second Illinois governor was Edward Coles (#2) who first entered public service as President James Madison's private secretary.  He took a decisive stance for equality when he arrived in Illinois and freed his enslaved people. Later, during his time as governor, there was an antislavery referendum.

Ninian Edwards (#3) was the governor of the Territory of Illinois from 1809-1818 and then served as the third governor from 1826-1830.

Richard Oglesby (#4) was the first Sectional War veteran to be Governor.  He also went to California for the gold rush and he supposedly coined the phrase "Rail Splitter" for Abraham Lincoln's campaign. He also served nonconsecutive terms.

Joel Matteson (#5) was the first governor to reside in the Illinois Governor's Mansion.

Joseph Fifer (#6) was honorably discharged from the US Army after being wounded in the Vicksburg campaign led by General Grant.  His daughter, Florence Fifer Bohrer, started the Mother's Club, which merged with the PTA, and she became the first female elected to the Illinois State Senate.

John Reynolds served as governor and later as Speaker of the Illinois House in 1852 (#7). 

John Altgeld immigrated to the USA from Germany (#8).

Richard Yates, Sr., (#9) and Richard Yates, Jr., (#10) were a father-son governor pair.  And so far as I can tell on the NGA website, Richard Jr. was the first Illinois governor born Illinois.

Frank Lowden (#11) married Florence Pullman, daughter of George Pullman.

Henry Horner had a large collection of Lincoln memorabilia (#12).

Richard Ogilvie's time in office oversaw a major restoration of the Illinois Governor's Mansion, with his wife, First Lady Dorothy Ogilvie, taking a major oversight role in that project (#13).

Dwight Green (#14) was a prosecutor in Al Capone's income tax evasion trial before serving as Governor during World War II.  He gave radio broadcasts from the Governor's Mansion to update citizens on the war efforts, and he broadcasted special Christmas programs from the mansion, too.

After serving as governor, Shelby Cullom (#15) was the chairman of the Lincoln Memorial Commission and a regent of the Smithsonian Institution.

Adlai Stevenson (#16) served in several national roles, like UN ambassador, and also created a permanent library in the Governor's Manion, the Lloyd Lewis Library.

Governor William Stratton (#17), along with Mayor Richard J. Daley, co-hosted Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip when they visited Chicago as part of a trip to Canada and the USA.

John Tanner began his time in office with the first official inaugural ball in Illinois (#18).

Governor John Palmer welcomed Frederick Douglass to a public reception at the Governor's Mansion (#19).

William Bissell (#20) was elected the first Republican governor of Illinois in 1856.

Also of note for 2023 is the 50th anniversary of the completion of the Sears Tower.  Among its amenities today is the Catalog (#21), a food court on the Jackson Boulevard side of the building facing south.

So with this list and many other items of note in mind, let's celebrate what's great about Illinois.

Birthday Milestones of November 2023

In my family this month are two significant birthday milestones.

It was the birthday of my cousin Cynthia on November 25.  She has absolutely picked up the party spirit and a strong sense of hospitality from her mom, my Aunt Carmen.  She's eager to celebrate special occasions.  And she treats guests with abundant hospitality.  That was definitely the case back in the summer when Aunt Carmen turned 90.  She did so much to make a special celebration for her Mom, and kept up an enthusiastic sense of energy through it all.  I spent a couple of nights at the home of her and Mark, her husband.  She served great meals and did so much to make me feel comfortable.  It's only fitting that it would now be her turn to be celebrated so energetically.

My Aunt Terri's birthday was on November 28. With delight I have celebrated her birthday being my aunt and my baptismal godmother.  She also exhibits a distinct sense of hospitality.  I have fond memories of going to her family home in Wheaton for holiday occasions.  She decked out the spaces with a fine touch of interior decoration.  And she served great food.  I haven't yet visited her home in Arizona, though I hear it has a similar sense of splendid decoration.  I've enjoyed the conversations I have with her, especially with all I have to share in updating her about my life when we talk on special occasions.  And like me, she has been a huge fan of Gina's Italian Ice.

So Happy Birthday Cynthia and Aunt Terri!