Dear 1036: Dad and Me with Mork and Mindy

Dearly Beloved 1036 Clarence,

June is the month of Fathers' Day.  One memory I have of Dad related to ME TV.  The channel has so many wonderful shows from bygone decades.

One evening, I recall that Dad and I were at home by ourselves together.  Dad was likely getting dinner ready.  Somehow, I stumbled upon the show Mork and Mindy.

Dad told me about the premise of the show, that an Orkan alien named Mork from the planet Ork, played by Robin Williams, came to Earth.  He observed life on this planet, and at the end of the show, he customarily reported back to those who sent him from the other planet on what he learned.  Then he would sign off with "Nanu-nanu."  It was an interesting take to get new perspective on planet Earth, as Mork grew in relationship with Mindy and others in Boulder, CO.

I'm glad that ME TV has given me so many opportunities to reconnect with great shows of the past, and for Dad in playing his part in that reconnection.

With great gladness, I declare that you, Beloved 1036, shall not fade into the background but remain deep in my heart as that beloved world.

We are ever connected:

All my relations,

God's blessings,

Paul

Wonders in Heaven and Earth on Eclipse Day

We are surrounded by natural wonders.  And it's a day like April 8 that evoked it in a whole new, powerful way.  Just before the last total solar eclipse that crossed the USA in 2017, I realized how amazing it would be, but I hadn't made any plans to be in the path of totality. So I set my sights on April 8, 2024, to be in the path of totality for the next solar eclipse.

The travel plan began to unfold when I departed homebase in Oak Park after 6 PM and headed south on the evening of Sunday, April 7, 2024.  I stopped to spend the night in Mahomet, IL, near Champaign, at the home of a retired woman I know from Ascension Parish.  (Please note, that all times in this post are CDT.  And all photos are mine unless otherwise stated.)

I was up early the next morning to celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation.  I drove about 20 minutes to Champaign to attend 7 AM Mass at St. Matthew Parish.  

Exterior of St. Matthew Parish

Being out at that early hour, I could tell it would be a pleasant, springlike day.  It was a telling coincidence, or perhaps God-incidence, that the celebration of the Annunciation would be bumped to the day of the eclipse.

Inside St. Matthew Parish

Following Mass, I lingered at the church and then drove toward I-57, stopping at Burger King for breakfast and to surf the web.

Shortly after 9 AM, I got on I-57 and headed south, planning to drive on I-57 and then exit to drive other roads to reach Greenup, where I planned to view the total eclipse.  I pulled over at the first rest stop, and there was a short line to get in and park, along with a line to use the washroom.  Further along on I-57, I encountered a slight traffic jam, but it cleared quickly enough.

I made good timing in about an hour to Mattoon, where I exited I-57 and then drove rural roads toward Greenup, with smooth traffic all the way.

Around 10:30 or so, I reached Toledo, IL, where I made a brief stop.  I got some postage stamps at the local post office, and confirmed with the employee there I wasn't too far from where I intended to end up.  Sure enough, in a few more minutes, I got to Greenup, which was in the path of totality.  I took a quick detour along the Historic National Road to visit a covered bridge over the Embarras River.

Looking west

Inside the bridge, looking east

Then I drove back east through town to the Love's Truck Stop that was right by an interchange on I-70, and there was a little bit of traffic nearby.  Then, I went to get a lunch of tacos at Taco Rey nearby, and then a Dairy Queen treat on the other side of IL 130/Haughton Highway.

Welcome to Greenup sign

Driving back west through town, I stopped by Christ the King Parish for some quiet time--please see photo below.  

Then, around 12:30, went to the Greenup Library to spend some time on the Internet while waiting for the partial eclipse to start.  

Exterior of the Greenup Public Library

I was grateful for the lady on staff who got me set up in a nice spot with fine furniture.  While on my computer, I found live updates on a CNN page of the eclipse.

Around 1:45, I moved Avila to a parking lot by the Historic Greenup Depot, and then walked to the Greenup Municipal Building where I found a mailbox to mail a postcard.  Then I walked back to the park right next door and waited with a sizable, but not packed, crowd.  At this point, the partial eclipse was already happening.  

A sign of spring with a blooming tree by the Historic Greenup Depot

Looking eastward on Cumberland Street

Park by the Greenup Municipal Building

There was something special about waiting with all the other people in a splendid spring day for an amazing sight in the sky.  As I looked up with my glasses and noticed the sun turn to a sliver, it was amazing to see how much light was still in the sky from just the sliver.

Shortly after 2 PM, the sun disappeared totally behind the moon, the culmination of all my planning.  It got dark, but there was light in the distance, so it didn't get dark like nighttime, although the streetlights turned on, a sign of how something commonplace was triggered in the midst of an uncommon event.  It was definitely a wondrous sight to see the ring of the sun's light beyond the edges of the moon.  Then, about 1 minute and 50 seconds later, right as the moon started to move the slightest bit past the sun, there was a spark of light, displaying a diamond ring effect.  It was an incredible way for the total eclipse to end.

During the totality of the eclipse, looking south.  Notice that a streelight is illuminated.

Without a sophisticated enough camera, this was the best shot I could get during the totality of the eclipse.

Here I am standing the park looking up during the period of totality.  I thank the woman standing near me who got this photo.

The crowd began to disperse, and as I did, I took some quick looks at the sun in its partial eclipse.  I walked back to the depot, and as I looked at the outside, someone invited me inside for a look, so I went inside for a handful of minutes, along with some students from a nearby college.  There was a fine model train display and some of the rooms were furnished like a typical train depot from years ago.

Here I am by the Historic Greenup Depot, after totality, wearing my eclipse glasses.  I thank the person I saw at the depot for photographing me.

Room inside the depot

Model train display inside the depot

Equipment on display inside the depot

By 2:20 or so, I was in Avila, and began my journey north, retracing my path from when I came to Greenup earlier in the day.  The route worked well because it remained free of clogged traffic.  I pulled over to check traffic once I got to Mattoon, and Google Maps indicated it was clear sailing on I-57, which I was glad about.

It was around 5 PM when I reached Bourbonnais.  I decided it was a good time to exit I-57 and get dinner at Cracker Barrel.  To mark the Eclipse Day, Cracker Barrel offered a free side of pancakes with the purchase of any entree dine-in, although most of the employees I spoke with at the restaurant weren't aware of the promotion, up until I was at the cash register and a manager clarified it for the person working the register.  The pancakes were tasty, and it was nice to have them along with the chicken and dumplings dish.  

Above is my Cracker Barrel dinner and below is a close-up of the Eclipse Day pancakes.

I was on my way by 6 PM, and after about another hour or so of travel, I was back in Oak Park.

Final mileage upon arriving back at homebase

I had been anticipating this day for so long, and the major event didn't disappoint.  I was so delighted that I could take advantage of the opportunity to experience the totality of the Great North American solar eclipse, to see the wonder of it with my own eyes.  I felt a palpable sense of excited anticipation for the whole journey south to that afternoon and as I waited around in Greenup. Ultimately, it was worth all the effort of traveling to Greenup and back to see it, even for the 1 minute and 50 seconds or so that it lasted.  Perhaps the brevity of the experience was part of what made it so special, and that we could experience our planet Earth in a totally different way.  I was glad my plan worked out and Greenup was a good spot to view it.

It was certainly a big news-worthy story, and made for something more positive than other sobering news coverage. With all going on in the world, we could use something more marvelous as we lift our gaze above to marvel at what's in the sky and our place in the universe.  Indeed, it was a wonderful experience because so many people were sharing it together, both in and out of the totality path.  I felt the excitement and could see others feeling it, too, like when I walked out of the library and I noticed a girl expressing her excitement while walking with her mom to a spot to view it.

This trip was also a reminder of all the wonderful small towns in the USA, especially in Illinois.  Visiting Greenup gave me a greater appreciation for everything that is down south in Illinois and contributes to the whole of this state in its own special way.  It brought back memories of the traveling I did and how I got to know Illinois more at the time of our bicentennial in 2018.  Greenup is a lovely place and steeped in important history of the Historic National Road.  How fitting that on a major corridor I experienced the path of the total eclipse.

Furthermore, because of the 2024 liturgical calendar, the Solemnity of the Annunciation, normally celebrated on March 25, which was during Holy Week 2024, was bumped to April 8.  When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would bear the Son of God, His plan of salvation advanced with another important step, by which God sought to reconcile the world back to Himself.

Some of the language used in the celebration of the Triduum speaks to how, by the Resurrection of Christ, Heaven and Earth are wedded.  The one aspect that so wonderfully stands out from viewing the total solar eclipse was the final seconds right before the moon moved enough out of the sun's disc and there was a spark of light like a diamond ring.  Even as ominous as it could be that the sun is covered by the moon, it was still shining, perhaps a different take on the song "Behind the clouds", but in this case, "Behind the moon, the sun in shining..."  And the diamond ring was a sign from God of a glimpse of glory.

April 8, 2024, was a day marked by a grand spectacle in the sky that unleashed its wonder over a swath of the Earth, including lots of delightful small towns like Greenup that are surely part of a larger whole. It was a day to marvel at our place in the wider universe and to behold the rare spectacle put on for us in the sky.  We could appreciate anew that we all have a unique place as part of a greater whole and behold the wonders of Creation, along with all the wonderful places here on Earth.

Weeks after the eclipse, I posed for this close-up photo with my special glasses, thanks to an Oak Park librarian who photographed me.

Reflecting on Values with George H.W. Bush at 100

George H.W. Bush was born 100 years ago this month on June 12, 1924.  His presidency is notable for me personally not because I have memories of it, but because I was born during it.  So it's a fitting occasion to consider the times in which I was born, and how he made his mark on them.  This idea came to mind because the George H.W. Bush Library is hosting a summer film series this year featuring movies that debuted in theaters during his presidency, including Aladdin, Mighty Ducks, Hooked, and The Little Mermaid.

Certainly, George H.W. Bush was a polished, educated individual, having graduated from Yale, with the honor of Phi Beta Kappa, just as I got inducted into PBK when I graduated college.  He also served in the US Navy during World War II, like my grandfather did.  So it's fitting that, after venturing off to work in teh oil industry, he would continue to serve his country in many ways.

Listening to his inaugural address gives me many insights into the tone he set for his presidency.  For starters, he was inaugurated in the bicentennial year of George Washington's first inauguration as president under the newly established US Constitution.  He used the same as George Washington for the Oath of Office.

He also succeeded Ronald Reagan, who helped energize the USA during the 80's, and that sense of optimism is present in President Bush's address.  He encouraged the country to seize the opportunity at hand as totalitarianism was on the wane and to press forth into a new, more optimistic era, and show goodwill to the world at large.

President Bush also offered a prayer in his speech, which was one of many special touches during his speech.  He referred to the inaugural ceremony as a gathering on "democracy's front porch", which gave me the sense of a homey, familiar setting.  Then, he emphasized the importance of community organizations, which can do so much good to serve their neighbors, even more so than government.  That surely was a backdrop for his Points of Light initiative.  He also spoke to the idea that rather than leaving lots of financial assets to the next generation, we should show them what it means to be a good citizen and neighbor, showing care and goodwill for others.  That was also part of his rhetoric in wanting to work with the rest of government, including Congress, to work for the benefit of the people of the USA.

Ultimately, at the end of the speech, he emphasized the idea that going into the future, the best course would be to uphold high moral principles in all proceedings.

As I see it, some of these talking points echo in the presidency of his son, George W. Bush, who worked to get faith-based initiatives involved in addressing social problems and helping benefit society at large.  So while I may not remember anything about the first Bush presidency, I came aware of sociopolitical matters in the second Bush presidency and came to appreciate the importance of strong values in upholding society.

Back in My Beloved World

June gets me in the mood to party like it's 2005 all over again upon the anniversary of my 8th grade graduation from Julian on June 8, 2005.

It was clear to me as early as the nighttime hours after I was back home from the graduation ceremony that something very special had happened over the past three years, like nothing before it, and nothing would quite be like it again in my life.

Yet in the time since, I've had extraordinary opportunities to reconnect with my Julian experience.  One important experience has been Religious Education, as I seek to impart the great gift of faith to my middle school students that was stirred up in me significantly during my own middle school years.

I felt the presence of my Julian years in a particular way back in February on Presidents' Day.  The Confirmation students of all the Oak Park Roman Catholic church communities went to pack meals at Feed My Starving Children in Schaumburg.  Conveniently, it was scheduled after my typical clock-out time at work and I was already about halfway there.  So I got in Avila and headed straight for the packing site.  The packing stations have a special sealing machine and the FMSC guidelines state that the machine should be used by someone 18 or over.  When I'm there, I typically let the students go to their places and then find somewhere I can jump in to assist with the sealing machine.  After letting the students take their places, as I walked around for a packing station, a couple of students I know from RE class flagged me down and asked me to work with them.

While we were at work, it dawned on me that all the students at that table were current Julian students, and here I was, a Julian alumnus, collaborating with them.  It was a very special moment to reconnect with my Julian years by collaborating with current students in a worthwhile activity.

A couple months later, I learned that Julian was looking for Career Day presenters.  I jumped at the opportunity, so I completed the online form to express my interest, and then the organizers got in touch with me, and I arranged for time off from work.

On May 23, I walked back inside Julian, excited to be back for I knew was a fantastic opportunity, wearing a red shirt to suit my mood for being back inside Julian.  The Career Day was structured for students in their advisory/homeroom classes to be on 30-minute rotations for presentations and for a lunch period, too.  I presented to one 8th grade group, and after a break, two 6th grade groups, and then I finished with a 7th grade group.  Among the many special parts of the day was that I presented in room C204, which was where I had advisory (homeroom) and science classes in 6th grade.

I found it fitting to start my presentation by telling the students I am a Julian alumnus, and so fas as I know, I was the only Career Day presenter who was an alumnus.  I felt that I could connect with the students by showing them some photos from my yearbook, my graduating class's plaque in the 1st floor hallway, and the file I had inscribed in the Julian mural outside the building.  Indeed, I felt a sense of power in being able to connect with the students by showing how I was once in their shoes and that I played a significant role in Julian's history by starting there back when its construction had just been completed and was part of the first group of students to begin there in 6th grade and graduate after 3 years there.

Presenting at Career Day was a chance for me to step back and think about the nature of my work as a librarian cataloger.  The idea I imparted to the students is that librarianship is about connecting people with useful information. Part of connecting to information is keeping it organized, which is what I do as I work with MARC records that contain information about the library resources and authority files that provide a standardized way to access the information in records.  As part of my presentation, I gave them an activity to organize a list of items, and then I showed them how they would be organized using the two primary library classification systems, both Dewey and Library of Congress.

As a librarian, I enjoy answering questions, and I liked the questions I got from the students, to see the way they engaged with what I told them about my work, and even some of the questions they asked about my personal interests and life as a Julian student nearly 20 years ago.

The final group I presented to was special, because it was Kelly Good's advisory.  I got to know her about 10 years ago when we taught Religious Education class together, and now she was at Julian for her first year there.

Also, at one point during the afternoon, during a passing period, two students I know from Religious Education made a point to come see me, and they surely had some way of knowing I was in that room.  We had a nice short chat.  I remarked that I had classes in that room.  When one of them asked about the Party Hard with Jesus Christ routine I do in RE class, I mentioned that I learned that in college, but the groundwork was being laid in middle school as I was experiencing a blooming in faith.

Truly it was an energizing experience to reconnect with Julian and to offer some affirmation to the students by being part of a different type of learning experience they had that day.

Being there reminded me of a poem, Puerto Rico Regreso, with a stanza that inspired the title of Sonia Sotomayor's memoir My Beloved World.  The English translation reads, "Forgive the exile this sweet frenzy: I return to my beloved world, and I am in love with the land where I was born."

I certainly experienced a rebirth through the transformative experience of my years at Julian, and it is truly my beloved world, which I feel strongly 19 years later.  One distinct reminder is the watch I wear, which was a gift to me on the evening I graduated. I have worn it ever since, and it symbolizes the wonderful reality of being a Julian alumnus and how I continue to be impacted by those years.

Here I am posing in the classroom where I presented, and where I had two classes in 6th grade.  Thanks to Jessie King, a presenter across the hall on Career Day, who photographed me during a break we had.

Here I am in action during my presentation.  Thanks to Kelly Good for this photo.

In the spirit of this sign, it is a beautiful day for me to be a Julian alumnus, as it has been for 19 years.

Go Julian Jayhawks! 

Julian Red Forever.