Stark UMC Dinner Theatre

Stark UMC Dinner Theatre, a set on Flickr.

A murder on the Titanic ... whodunit?

The Uncertainty Principle, Relatively Speaking

Quantum physicist Werner Heisenberg is famous for his Uncertainty Principle.  Heisenberg believed that reality is what can be observed. If there are different observations, there must be different realities, which depend on the observer.  In stating such, he can be regarded as an advocate of philosophical idealism - objects of perception are identical with the ideas we have about them.

The idealist view denies that any particular thing has an independent essence.  This is a far cry from Einstein’s Relativity Theory.  Einstein believed in a reality independent of what we can observe, which is in essence the view of realism.

Two great scientists and two completely different observations, yet, both are equally significant.  There is reality and there is our view of reality based on our emotional state of mind at any given time. As impartial as we think we are, our emotions and attitude play a significant role in how we view life and our outcome.

On the positive side, if we change our attitude, we can change the outcome of any given situation for the better.  An antagonistic point of view, based on judgment, not fact, has the adverse effect.

Paul Haggis gives us an excellent illustration of this in his 2004 film, Crash.  The trailer states, “Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other.  Live your life at the point of impact.”  If you haven’t seen the film, please do so, as it will be a life changing experience.

As in physics, so in life ... never underestimate the impact you have on any situation.

John's Balcony

We laughed.

We spoke.

I occasionally cried.

He often joked.

Libations overflowed,

sometimes until dawn.

He shared his emotions openly,

never withdrawn.

The balcony at his place,

with a tree that hid a wry face.

It was our comforting assuage

that eased the burdens of life,

as we stood daily on its stage.

August 22, 2011, is the third anniversary of the death of my dearest friend, John David Cochran. His friendship was a gift and his spirit will live forever ...

Blue Heron Nature Preserve

Blue Heron Nature Preserve, a set on Flickr.

Buckhead's crowning jewel isn't a mall or a restaurant or even an architectural achievement; it's not something humans built. The Blue Heron Nature Preserve is a twenty-five acre natural wilderness located just off heavily-trafficked Roswell Road in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a combination of four pieces of land along and around Nancy Creek.

Along the trails, hikers are greeted by native plants and trees, and encounter wildlife, such as deer, foxes, beavers, coyotes, muskrats, woodpeckers, turtles, egrets, geese and blue herons.

The nature preserve also has a community garden, which is part of the Park Pride Project.

2011 Satchmo Summerfest

2011 Satchmo Summerfest, a set on Flickr.

The premier American jazz festival dedicated to the life, music and legacy of New Orleans' native son, Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong.
This free community event is produced by French Quarter Festivals, Inc. Satchmo SummerFest is scheduled annually to coincide with Louis Armstrong’s birthday on August 4th. Festival goers enjoyed traditional jazz and brass bands, New Orleans classic cuisine, family activities, culture and fun at the weekend-long celebration.

Louis Armstrong (August 4, 1901 – July 6, 1971), was known around the world as ‘Satchmo’, short for Satchelmouth. In addition, he was widely recognized as a founding father of jazz – a unique American art form. In 1932, Melody Maker magazine editor Percy Brooks greeted Armstrong in London with “Hello, Satchmo!” and the nickname stuck. His influence, as an artist and cultural icon, is universal, unmatched, and very much alive today.

Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an "inventive" cornet and trumpet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the music's focus from collective improvisation to solo performance. With his instantly recognizable deep and distinctive gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also greatly skilled at scat singing, vocalizing using sounds and syllables instead of actual lyrics.

Armstrong often stated that he was born on July 4, 1900, a date that has been noted in many biographies. Although he died in 1971, it was not until the mid-1980s that his true birth date of August 4, 1901 was discovered through the examination of baptismal records.