Forever 21

It's unusually warm today here in Indiana, with temperatures in the 60s. It will turn cold again soon, but today I walked around the yard and took a photo of our naked sculpture here. It looks as though she needs some clothes. I've draped her before to entertain us, but instead I could just go buy her something to wear at Forever 21.

Forever 21 is a clothing store chain that has become very popular all across the country. We have one in Fort Wayne at Glenbrook Square Mall. Teens love this store - they have a huge selection of things, it's trendy, and prices are generally cheap. It began in California, and was first called Fashion 21. There was one store in the L.A. area in 1984, and by 1997 that number had grown to 40 stores. The Korean-born owners bought designs from hundreds of southern California clothing makers and put them together in their original store. It still works that way - one problem with this is there is no uniform size-scale across the store. A 6 in one item might be the same size as an 8 in another. But, who cares? Informal, fun, so-Cal: It's not Macy's or Banana Republic, but it's not intended to be so.

The local store has an interesting decor - faux tin ceilings (at least I don't think they could be real) that have been white washed; a dozen or so elaborate chandeliers hang from the ceilings. I really like how the accessories and jewelry have a room of their own. The costume jewelry is well displayed, and there is a massive collection: it is one of the best features of the store. Costume jewelry is so elaborate and fun right now: lots of metallics, chain mail strung together, and feathers (really a huge trend).

Separates are the focus of the line. It's not a suits or dresses type of brand. Forever 21 has gained a measure of media attention by printing the bible verse John 3:16 on the bottom of their shopping bags - a witnessing of their Christian perspective. What I didn't know is that the hamburger chain In-&-Out Burger has done the same thing on some of their cups.

Although Forever 21 has been sued by Diane Von Furstenberg, Gwen Stefani and Anna Sui for having suppliers copy their designs, reportedly the company is trying to show more business acumen by assuming a policy of corporate responsibility and posting their plans on their website. For some fun and inexpensive shopping, give it a try. The store is kind of jam-packed with merchandise, which I think makes it difficult, but if you're able to keep your sanity while digging, I'm sure you can find something you like.

Dog Days of Winter

It's been a mild winter in Indiana this year - nothing to complain about. Yet, we languish, wishing for the spring. It will come soon, as we see the tips of buds in the trees, and the tops of the daffodils beginning to peek through the ground. It's time to dig up an old poem of mine, never published. I found it waiting for me in a drawer. It's written in an old style of mine, and written (in some measure) in honor of a friend who has lived with Lou Gehrig's disease for many years now. Blessings to you, and sleep well until spring.



What kind of dawn is this
to loom before the day, so bold?

Pink colors lure one from soft bed
to greet the earth and sky, transcendent in this flight.

A growing, living glow burst from blueness
that becomes a scarlet ribbon on heaven's throat
a swirling comet motionless in space
a crevasse of fire in the sky.

Living dawn so wondrous and magical
that life returns to the earth and heart
a day that begins as a smoky, golden thread
blooms true - orange and peach as no fruit ever dreamed to be.

Most will blink and miss it
but those who view
will know all is well
that there is hope -
a private dawn under the sun.

Where nothing is ever new
something is - this radiant dawn
that makes this day, mine.

SLG

A Star is Born on Remodeled

There's a new guy on reality TV and his name is Paul Fisher. He may have been around for a long time representing top fashion models, but he's stepped up his game - the CW Network is featuring him in "Remodeled" - a reality-drama about his current mission to improve and then network with obscure or small modeling agencies. His staff call him "the vampire" (he works so much it's as if he never sleeps). He is also abrupt, explosive, a live wire - he seems compulsively driven on this new show, and his passion makes for good storytelling.

On the most recent episode that aired at 9 p.m. in Fort Wayne on Wednesday, Paul and his model scouting staff and assistant are in Phoenix to evaluate a potential agency for his group: The Network. He says although the top modeling agencies in the country are housed in New York, the models themselves come from small towns or cities all around the country. He's got the financial backing of the TV show, the business and its sponsors to promote small agencies that he deems worthy: which means finding and representing local talent. It's an interesting hypothesis, and I thought of Chef Ramsey of "Kitchen Nightmares" yelling at small town cooks and restaurant owners. It is sort of the 'Reality' television drama formula. Remodeled is fun, trendy, offbeat, edgy - I'm sure just right for the demographic, the target audience for the CW.

The small agency in Phoenix is called Courtier, and is owned by three men. They are struggling to make it, and are moonlighting at other jobs. Paul convinces the men to transition to an all-male model agency, something that doesn't yet exist in Phoenix. In the show he asks them to narrow their focus and learn how to better scout for talent.

It seems as though the show plays up conflict and drama, and works off his assistants Olga (who helps teach the owners how to find talent) and Joseph, who glowers under his dark bangs in his token cranky-goth sidekick job. Courtier manages to find new talent, Hunter, in a mall "cattle call"- in the background it looked like I saw no more than a dozen or so candidates in a queue. Somewhere else, college student Luke rolls up on a skateboard to be sized up by the agents. Both boys are taken for haircuts and wardrobe changes, and in the end Paul decides Courtier is capable of picking talent after all.

A new agency to his Network is connected, and Paul surprises the staff with new office space and the outfittings and furniture for it. One of the Courtier founders is so excited to see they have been accepted, he uses his cell phone to quit his day job. I imagine the next episode will take Paul Fisher to another town or city, another small agency, to help them make a go of it. How about Charmaine's in Fort Wayne, Indiana? Or near Southpark, Colorado, not far from where this shot of a water tower was taken? The idea of the entrepreneurial spirit in the United States, the fact one can have a dream of owning an agency, of all things, or being approached about being a model, of all things, and then those dreams converging or those opportunities breaking and the whole thing is engineered and produced for national television - we've come a long way, and hope springs new eternally.

Exploring the Rivergreenway

One of the most distinguishing features of Fort Wayne's downtown area is the confluence of three rivers: The St. Joe, the St. Mary's, and the Maumee. It's a natural place for a park: Headwaters Park. A century or two or three ago, trappers and traders met with American Indians and settlers in this location as a kind of town center. Today it's the center of a group of trails and paths along the riverbanks, known as the Rivergreenway.

This 24-mile long, linear park provides for lots of opportunities for recreation: biking, walking, running, skating, dog-walking, and nature-watching. The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department, along with the cities of Fort Wayne and New Haven, own and maintain the miles of trails.

Sometime in the next few years, the trail network will connect to a new section, called the Wabash & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. When this section is completed, the linked trails will increase to a length of 50 miles.

There are many historic sites to see along the trails, including the historic Old Fort and the old landing district. The trails are shaded, peaceful and quiet, mostly out of view from streets, roads and cars. Passages under bridges and tunnels feel secret and untouched by time. It's a way to be in the city and escape from it at once.

It's noteworthy when towns take down old railroad track right-of-ways and do trail systems. One of these on the north side of Fort Wayne will also soon plug into this trail system, further expanding it. See you on the trail, and happy trails indeed to you.

Honey Badger Don't Care

If you were exposed to popular culture in 2011, you are probably aware of the honey badger. A video featuring clips of the animal with narration by "Randall" went completely "viral," with views or "hits" reaching 35 million on You Tube by January 2012.

Surprisingly, this animal is more closely related to a weasel than it is an American badger. It's a Mustelid, as are the minks I saw wild in Noble County. Honey badgers live in Africa, SW Asia, parts of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of Iran. What you may not know, is that you can see a male and female pair up close at the Fort Wayne Children Zoo. Their modern enclosure features a Lucite front so that the animals are just a few feet away, and it's possible for the kids and everyone to get a great look.

In the videos, the animals are fierce and ferocious. They have almost no natural predators. Their thick skin is so loose, they can easily twist and turn in it, so much so that if attacked and bitten by dogs, they can turn in their own skin and bite the dog back. Africans say honey badgers' hides are nearly impervious to arrows and spears, so that they must be shot to be killed.

They are carnivorous, and attack and kill many types of animals, including poisonous snakes. They also dig into termite mounds and bee hives, eating larvae, impervious to the hundreds of stings they receive. No wonder people are obsessed, fascinated by these creatures, and all they take on. People compare other people to them now, as they would a person to a bulldog or a barracuda. It's now a complement to be as tenacious as a honey badger.

Something you don't learn on Randall's video is that the h.b. has what's called a reversible anal pouch. I guess you must use your imagination, but from this pouch the animal releases what has been dubbed a suffocating odor. It's thought to help immobilize the bees, for example. The formidable h.b. has a life span of up to 24 or so years.

Animal fads and popularity come and go. It's great when they "go" - remember the pot-bellied pig craze? We don't need lots of those running around as house pets. Randall's 15 minutes of fame has come - supposedly he started a mini book tour last week in Santa Monica, promoting a book about fearsome creatures. Check out the You Tube video - you'll see the h.b. surviving a cobra bite, and go on to eat the offending snake. As Randall has whined, "that's nasty!". But it's an amusing video, and the honey badger is an awesome species. Make a trip to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo when it opens for the year to see one for yourself. You'll feel almost famous.

Moneyball is on the money

When the weather drops to temperatures in the teens, it's fun to hibernate indoors and settle down for a good movie. One of my favorites this season has been Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt as the Oakland Athletics' General Manager who fashioned a new way of creating a winning baseball team.

In 2002, the A's had $41 million to spend on player salaries, while competing teams often had much more to spend, such as the NY Yankees with $125 million for salaries. But using what later would be called sabermetrics - a more analytical, computerized, objective way to pick players on teams - general manager Billy Beane led the A's to win a record 20 consecutive games in '02. This true story was the inspiration for the book Moneyball by Michael Lewis, and movie of the same name in 2011.

It's a smart movie that is fun to follow, without seeming like a brainy movie - it's baseball! But legendary writer Aaron Sorkin brings the dialogue to life. Dynamite actor Jonah Hill portrays a fictional analyst who tells Billy the old way of scouting and picking players was flawed. Antiquated were the flashy but risky moves of stealing bases. Runs batted in was not a meaningful statistic. More important was picking players for on base percentages, and slugging percentages.

It tells a good story, a true story, an American story. And maybe best of all, it does it while celebrating the romance of baseball. There is a love of this game, watching and playing it, that doesn't have the same flavor as some of our other favorite sports. This movie really brings it.

Although Billy is still trying to win a World Series, the introduction of saber metrics has changed the game of baseball. After the Boston Red Sox tried to hire away Billy, he declined and they implemented this strategy on their own. Two years later they won the Series. Now teams such as the NY Mets and Yankees, San Diego Padres, Saint Louis Cardinals, and Arizona Diamondbacks all reportedly use these techniques. Brad Pitt heads up a great cast - Philip Seymour Hoffman disappears into his role magically. Use of old game films is priceless and brings back memories. This is a movie with stuff for all of us, not just us baseball fans.

Yoga at the Fort Wayne Dance Collective

I didn't grow up with yoga. I don't know the language of it very well, or much about the different forms. I do know it's an ancient discipline, and that it's growing on me. I didn't jump into yoga years ago, partly because of a strong interest in dance and sports ahead of it. But slowly I like the way it strengthens my weak spots gently and although challenging, I can make my own goals and not have to "crank out 20 reps" or something similar.

Yoga can mean all sorts of things, some more ancient and spiritual, but in the West, we are mainly talking about Hatha Yoga. This is the sets of asanas or poses for exercise and, well, meditation. I suppose it's hard to think meditation if your idea is you'll be forced to contort into painful poses and hold them forever. I promise what I'm doing is not that bad.

I'm taking a noon class at the Fort Wayne Dance Collective, in old downtown Fort Wayne. It's located on the top floor of the Artlink and Cinema Center building on E. Berry. It's a unique school in Fort Wayne, with classes for adults and kids. They teach modern dance, belly dance, drumming, pilates - and yoga. This is a class that a man would like as well as a woman - the strong poses, downward dog, saluting the sun - no tricky steps or timing, and plenty of strength involved. And no freezing in painful poses like out of a bad characature. This is flowing yoga using a mat and an occasional block or strap - there are a few props involved and it helps.

The breathing helps you calm down, center and focus. I don't know how it works but it does. I leave class feeling taller, more evenly distributed. My shoulders are back; I am unblocked. It is definitely worth it. At the end of the class, the teacher has me open my chest by putting a pillow behind my back and having me lie arched open over it, facing up towards the ceiling. She dimmed the lights; I became so relaxed I almost fell asleep. Good class, nice environment. Try it some time.