Baseball 2017 – Phoenix, Chicago, St. Louis

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On August 12, 1994 major league baseball players went on strike. When the players went on strike, so did I. Over the years I softened my stance somewhat, but still hadn’t crossed my own picket line more than a few times prior to 2017 (amazingly the Bartman game was one of those times, though I swear I was in no way responsible for the result).

So 2017 was a breakout year for me. For the first time in over 25 years I went to a spring training game, actually three games. A week in Arizona in March seemed like a good idea (though it had been warm enough in Chicago in February to play golf four days in a row).

All the games we went to were day games. They don’t seem to play night games in spring training in Arizona, which I don’t understand, given that one could play golf during the day, while there is absolutely nothing to do in Arizona in the evening. The one day that our seats were in the sun, we spent most of the game in the shade by the first baseline bar watching the game on TV. Not sure that was worth a three and a half hour flight.

Closer to home, 2017 marked my first time at Wrigley Rooftops. Unfortunately, I’m not too fond of heights. Fortunately, it was early in the season, and very cold, so I spent about five seconds outside watching the game and the rest of the time safely inside, warm, watching on tv, and scrounging for food and drink, until I left in the sixth inning.

The final lap of my 2017 baseball rebirth was a Cardinal game in St. Louis when I was there for a conference. I don’t expect to go to many games in the future, though the nerd in me would consider an opportunity to add another park to my resume (having attended games in 13 major league parks to date despite my prolonged absence from the fray), and an invitation to watch a game from a luxury suite with a dessert bar is always tempting.

Ragtime – Cahn Auditorium – January 27, 2018

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Northwestern University’s annual Dolphin Show, billed as “America’s Largest Student Produced Musical”, is in its 76th year.  Yet somehow I just found out about it.  Working sure did cramp my style.

We went to see the students put on Ragtime at Cahn Auditorium, twice. The first time we were there a week early, so we went back a week later when the play was actually being performed.  I’ll take credit for that first troubling sign of senility, but at least we knew where to park when we went back.

Both times it was a lovely ride up Lake Shore Drive and Sheridan Road, though my companion was annoyed by all the Evanston homes that still had their Christmas lights and trees up a month after the fact.  I was okay with the lights.  Evanston streets are otherwise dark at night.  Lights are lights.

With no play to see the first time we drove up, only a few students who were obviously surprised when we entered the otherwise empty and unprepared auditorium (we all stood there staring at each other, dumbfounded, for what was probably only three seconds but seemed like an eternity while I tried to comprehend the situation), we walked to Dave’s New Kitchen for dinner.

Dave’s is tiny – the predecessor, Dave’s Italian Kitchen, was huge (maybe that’s why it went bankrupt). We were lucky to get a table after only a 15-minute wait on a Saturday night. Then again, it’s Evanston, not Chicago.  Great homemade pasta at good prices, optional BYOB.. Students and us.

The show featured a large, talented, student cast and orchestra, some nice set design, and a great Model T prop car.  The show was long (almost three hours including intermission).  But that’s a function of Ragtime, not this specific production.  And not as bad as the one time I went to the Northwestern Waa-Mu show, which, as I recall, lasted well into the next day.

Pilates Class – 2017

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Apparently there are between eight and fourteen different kinds of yoga. In 2016 I tried one (well two, really, if you count the one chair yoga session I took at a conference – I don’t). Yoga is not for me. For one thing, I have bad knees, and many of the standing positions (not in the chair class) were unrealistic for me. And I’m just not into the whole spiritual side of it. I don’t say amen, so why would I say namaste.  Near the end of one class the instructor told us to clear our minds and forget about work. I had until she said that. Then I couldn’t stop thinking about it

So, when I retired, I decided to try Pilates. I’d had instruction in the use of a reformer, but I find a mat class better for me. So three mornings a week I, one other guy, and between three and eight women, head for the party room in our building, where we’re led through an hour-long class (one of those 50-minute hours actually), at the end of which I just know that I’ve elongated previously undiscovered fibers throughout of my body, though perhaps not to the extent of Elastigirl in The Incredibles.

And, indeed, I’ve noticed an improvement in my flexibility as it relates to my golf swing. Also, I’ve finally met some people in my building after 10 years (and learned their names). Some of us even go out together for drinks, which apparently is an integral part of Pilates training, at least in our building.

The most interesting aspect of the class is that the two guys head for the front and most of the women fight to be as far back as possible. Exactly the opposite of every other exercise class I’ve ever been in. There’s a lot of chatter, and who knows what else, that goes on behind me, out of my visual range.  I’ve heard rumors about people falling off rollers.  But I’ve been told that what happens in the back row, stays in the back row.

Storytelling Class – Second City

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My search for new activities after retiring led me to try the hottest thing around town, storytelling (the Moth has been around for 20 years but it seems like there has been a noticeable growth spurt in the last few years, at least to me, with numerous locations hosting monthly events).

It was a natural choice for me, as I am an excellent, though infrequent liar, using my skill not to deceive, but to amuse (honest). Hyperbole, sarcasm, and parody, if you will.  As I learned quickly in my storytelling class at Second City in early 2017, however, the stories are supposed to be true. This limitation means that not only do you have to pay attention to what is going on around you, but also that you have to remember it (a young person’s game). As much as that sounded like work, I forged ahead, laboriously dredging up memories thought to be lost in the undefined depths of my mind (unlike legal writing, storytelling thrives on adjectives and adverbs, long underused, but welcome accessories in my vocabulary).

The class was excellent and it returned to me the joy of creating a story and standing in front of an audience, small as it might be, for whatever appreciation I might get, small as it might be. For years I’ve had two relaxation stones, given to me by a friend, one engraved with the word create, and the other with the word laugh. That sums it up for me.

During the run of the class I went to a storytelling event, my first, at Steppenwolf Theater. I found a number of the stories depressing (mine will attempt to be humorous), but seeing experienced storytellers do their thing was useful.

Since then I’ve gone twice to Mrs. Murphy and Sons Irish Bistro to see more stories, including one by a friend with whom I took my class. Inspired by his performance, I’ve signed up to tell one of my own, which probably won’t be until the fall. In the meantime, I’m telling short stories on this blog. Stay tuned.

Jackalope Theater Company – Broadway Armory Park Fieldhouse – 2017

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The Broadway Armory Park Fieldhouse (formerly the home of the local National Guard), is an interesting place to see a play. In addition to the small, spartan theater, the fieldhouse has volleyball, yoga, gymnastics, tae kwon do, dance, badminton, and basketball, among other activities.

From the tiny parking lot adjoining the armory, it’s a hike from the front door to the second floor rear theater, because of which your ticket confirmation email actually tells you to allow enough extra time to get to your seats. Theater volunteers position themselves along the way to guide you in case you didn’t bring a map and bread crumbs.

I saw Ideation in June 2017. It’s an interesting psychological examination involving unknown factors and peer pressure impacting a seemingly unthinkable situation. Very thought provoking.

In December I went back for 1980 (Or Why I’m Voting for John Anderson).  I voted for John Anderson in 1980. To quote Steve McQueen in The Magnificent Seven, “It seemed like a good idea at the time.” So I felt compelled to see the play.

I was almost late for the play, after stopping to watch a young woman work up the energy or nerve to grab a bar and leap into the indoor sky from a platform. Did I forget to mention that the fieldhouse also has a trapeze school? Not your typical theatrical venue.

The play was okay. The highlight for me was the performance of one of the actresses, who transformed her body language through the course of the show from an innocent, scared young lady to a seasoned, confident woman as her character developed.

Reviews for Franklinland, now playing at the theater, look good.  So I expect to be going back soon, in anticipation of which I’ve started working out.

Ah Wilderness – Goodman Theater – July 6, 2017

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The Goodman Theater is a wonderful venue, with two great spaces. Its shows present top-notch actors and excellent production values and I can walk there.  But lately almost every time I go there I wish I hadn’t. I know this makes me an outlier, but this is my blog. Get your own.

The theater marketed Ah Wilderness as Eugene O’Neill’s classic family comedy. They got everything right except the part about comedy. I was bored to tears and left at intermission. With nothing else to say about that, I will recap my other recent visits to the Goodman.

In September 2016 I saw Wonderful Town, music by Leonard Bernstein, book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Great credentials. And I remember, as a kid, loving the movie version of the play My Sister Eileen, upon which the musical was based. Rosalind Russell in her prime. But the show is dated. What it made me think of however, was Avenue Q, another show about the quirky residents of a street (Avenue Q versus Christopher Street). Avenue Q may be my favorite play, ever. Sue me (no wait, that was Guys and Dolls – loved that one too).

In December 2016 I saw Second City’s Twist Your Dickens at the Goodman. I had high hopes, but the production was filled with swearing, which was supposed to be funny, and many in the audience apparently found it to be, but I found it distracting and tedious. No talent involved. If I owned a watch I would have kept looking at it.

The one show I did like at the Goodman the last couple years was King of the Yees (April 2017). It wasn’t perfect, but it was current and everything about it was interesting.

Because its plays consistently get good reviews, I’ll probably keep going back to the Goodman for more, but for the new stuff, not for the retreads of shows that are over 60 years old (except maybe Guys and Dolls).

BMW Championship – Conway Farms – September 16, 2017

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Getting two free passes to the BMW Championship (golf tournament) is nice in and of itself, but the real benefits come in the form of the parking pass for a lot that’s a relatively short shuttle ride from the course and access to the corporate tent and all its free food and drink.

I’ve been to golf tournaments before (and frankly I’d rather be playing than watching) but my guest had not, and he was elated at the opportunity, like a little kid in a candy store. The added attraction was that I previously had met one of the players, a young man in his first year on the PGA Tour.

When we arrived at the course, we walked around a little to get our bearings and then headed for the food. We arrived at the tent just in time to get some of the breakfast remains before they were cleared away. Once on the course again, we set our sights on finding the player I knew. We tracked him down about the 13th hole and not unexpectedly he did not have a big following, which made it easy for me to identify his mother, whom I had met years ago, and reintroduce myself. She remembered me (we have a mutual friend) and brought me up to speed on her son’s play that day, which had not been good.

Upon our arrival, however, her son’s game picked up. He started making birdies, finishing strong.  My work there being done, my friend and I retreated to the food tent for lunch. Then back onto the course for a while, until we had had enough of the blazing sun, whereupon one last visit to the food tent seemed appropriate before departing, though we were extremely disappointed that the afternoon snack did not include ice cream. I don’t remember who won the tournament.

American Writers Museum – Gillian Flynn and A.J. Finn – January 16, 2018

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I haven’t read any of Gillian Flynn’s books (though I enjoyed the movie Gone Girl) and I haven’t read A.J. Finn’s first effort, the highly acclaimed The Woman in the Window, but now that I have seen Finn speak in person, I will remedy that omission. He’s a hoot – candid, funny, animated, articulate, and well-schooled. The program was a give-and-take between the authors that was never dull.

Because it started 15 minutes late, as too many things I go to seem to do, I had to leave when they started taking questions from the audience. I regretted having to leave early on this occasion, although often I can’t get out fast enough at that point in a program to avoid the questioners who don’t know the difference between a question and a statement, or just want to hear themselves talk, or want everyone else in the room to hear their opinion or resume. If that’s your thing, start a blog, like I did, where people can read your thoughts, if so inclined, at their leisure and without it cutting into the time of the invited speakers.

There were only a few empty seats when we got there, but apparently the museum is still new enough (it just opened in March 2017) that there aren’t a lot of members yet (I happen to be one). So, after being adorned with member wrist bands, we were lovingly directed to a couch along the wall. We couldn’t see the speakers, but had no complaint about that.  Even so, a staff person came by and suggested that I could push the couch forward along the wall to a spot that would allow an unimpeded view. I hesitated doing so, but the staff person took it upon herself to do it for us. My $40 membership had already paid dividends.

42nd Street – Drury Lane Theater – December 30, 2017

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This performance at the Drury Lane Theater marked the 20th play at 13 different theaters that I have seen in 2017. That’s not even in the ballpark compared to the numbers put up by people I know on the Jeff Awards Committee, but I can narrow my selections of what I see to the kind of shows I prefer, which, if you haven’t figured it out yet, means ones that make me smile and laugh, and, even better, include tap dancing (which is why I loved SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical and its tap dancing squid, which might destroy my credibility but for the fact that The New York Times loved it also).

I went to see 42nd Street on a last minute whim. You can do this a lot when you’re retired. Every day is Saturday. Okay, this time it actually was Saturday, which is why there was a 5:00 performance. I bought my ticket online at 3:00 and was out the door by 3:45.  I love that theaters hold back house seats. As a result, I wound up sitting in the 7th row center, with an empty seat to one side for my puffy coat.

At intermission a woman two seats away on the other side, leaned across her husband to tell me that she was enjoying this show more than Hamilton. I haven’t seen Hamilton (I’ve never seen 1776 either – hmmm) – I can see a half dozen or more shows for the price of one Hamilton ticket – so I couldn’t respond regarding my preference, but I did comment on not wanting to spend the money on Hamilton, which immediately made a best friend of the husband, who apparently had made that same, albeit losing argument to her.

As hoped for, 42nd Street made me smile. The tap dancing was fabulous and there was a lot of it. Going to the 5:00 show enabled me to avoid traffic in both directions, get a good parking spot, and make a quick exit. It’s the little things in life.

Broadway in Chicago – 2017

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I don’t have a subscription to any theaters because I like to pick and choose (waiting to see reviews first if possible) and it’s always possible to get a ticket if you’re flexible. My schedule is and I take Pilates.

It won’t come as a shock that all four shows I saw in 2017 in the Broadway in Chicago series were musicals, though the list may seem peculiar – Something Rotten, Aladdin, An American in Paris, and the pre Broadway opening of Escape to Margaritaville (which did not receive the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for drama).

Something Rotten was only here for a two-week run. I had some hesitation about seeing it here because my experience seeing it in New York seemed unbeatable. I had blown out of a reception and purchased a last minute ticket at the Times Square discount TKTS booth and arrived at my seat less than ten minutes before curtain. And what a seat – seventh row center, and with an empty seat next to me. And Christian Borle, who won a Tony for his role, was playing Shakespeare in his next to last performance. Great show – in my top five all-time. But I digress (as always). I also loved the Chicago production.

Aladdin brought a constant smile to my face. Tap dancing and the show stopping Friend Like Me. I have a friend who wouldn’t go to the show with me because she doesn’t think much of Disney shows – big mistake. (She has since softened her opinion, but that’s for another time.)

I agreed to see An American in Paris even though I wasn’t interested in doing so, and I didn’t like it. I found the book of the show to be inconsistent and the attempts at humor unfunny. The ballet numbers were beautiful, but, you know, not tap dancing.

I went to Escape to Margaritaville with a friend as a lark. My expectations were low and were met. But, I have to admit, I caught myself smiling. Good enough for me.