Sunday, August 19, 2007

Dave's brain on blogs

An unpublished comment to my previous post "Night at the Park" states that my "brain is in my pants," which is a hoot, yet true, because my brain is focused on my wallet in my back pocket, where I have photos of some favorite people, like my grand-daughter (call me "Doodah") and my hero Ben Franklin, both of whom are pictured on my MySpace page, which gives another snapshot of where my head is at.

I think the commenter referred to my observation that a certain City Councilman's face lit up when he saw the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce director at last week's Miner's game. But she has that effect on everyone who meets her, 'cause she's beautiful and charismatic. And the Councilman had been imbibing, so he might have been having a beer-reverie.

Speaking of beer reveries, did you click on the photo of stadium vendor (below)? I couldn't resist his pitch (captured on video): PEAnuts, CrACKerjacks, Ahs Cold Bear. I bought a Budweiser Select from him, wondering what my friend, Mr. World Tour Beer Philosopher thinks of that beer. Have you checked out Shawn's blog? It's gone from down-home to world class in about a year or so. I remember when it was just me and him... ;-)

This weekend, I'm driving the Amtrak crew for my friends at Blue Star Lines. Pick up the engineer, conductor and LSA's at the station and drive them to the motel. Then pick 'em up the next morning, and take them back to the station. Interesting, the things I hear on these trips. Did you know the Cubs beat the Cards last night? ;-)

On Friday night, I joined a few of the crew at Show Me's. Have you been? It's like a cross between Hooters & Buffalo Wings, but smaller. It's one of a chain of midwest bar-restaurants. In Carbondale, it's located across the street from El Bajio on East Main. Can't recommend it, though: too loud and smoky, 'though the wings -- and breasts -- were magnificent. ;-)

One thing I CAN recommend, however, is the Carbondale Bytelife blog, where Scott Thorne is sticking to it, keeping us abreast of current thinking on the local sales tax and other local issues, with the help of commenters like D. Gorton. (Wonder what the D stands for.) Here's a trivia question: Whose hand is writing with a pen in the photo in the Bytelife header? Hint: local internet marketing whiz. The first person to correctly answer the question gets a complimentary blogging.

Have a great week.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Night at the Park

Friday night's "Carbondale Community Day" at Rent One Park in Marion - a game between the Southern Illinois Miners and the River City Rascals -- was a great success -- a feather in the caps of the Chamber of Commerce and the Southern Illinois Miners. While at the game, I touched base with City Councilman Lance Jack about his support for the newly proposed City Sales Tax increase, and also with Meredith Rhoads and Lisa Cardinale of the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce.

You should have seen Lance's eyes light up when he saw Meredith approach. If you had, then you would have been standing with me, which would have been cool, because we'd be together, and I wouldn't have to tell you about it here. But Meredith has that effect on everyone she meets; so positive -- she's like the Nicole Sack of local business -- although she dropped the ball by not inviting Richard "Pete" Peterson, retired SIU prof, and author of the St. Louis Baseball Reader, to be among those who threw out the first pitch.

But future Mayoral candidate (i predict) Joel Fritzler was one of those who threw out the first ball. I didn't see if he reached the plate or not. But also tossing were Kevin Baitty, Woody Thorne, and a player to be named later. Four, count em 4 first pitches.

Lance said he's running the Lick Creek restaurant now, which is fitting, since he was chief cook and bottle washer in the kitchen at Harbaugh's for years, and has a "lick creeky" lifestyle, with many music contacts and friends.

Meredith was busy handing out fans and tickets to the play area -- and getting a check for $313 from the Miners organization, a kickback from ticket sales. Councilman Jack was in that photo, too.

Lisa C. was with her kids, who were diggin' Dippin' Dots, little ice cream pellets in a small upside-down Cardinals helmet, invented by an SIU alum, named Curt Jones.

Ran into Bryan Trammel, pastor of the New Beginnings Community Church, who used to be in the building where European Cafe was recently located (and LaRoma used to be). I first met Bryan in 2003, when he his new church had just opened, and the local street people were puzzled? Well, now the congregation meets at a new location off Striegel Rd. and the local street folks congregate at Veterans Park.

But the highlight of the night for me was getting a video clip of a Miners' stadium vendor hawking his products. I told him I'd put it on YouTube. He said they might want to use it at the stadium. I should send it to the Arthurians, right up the block from me on Town Square, since they create the Miners' media.

I left before the game was over, with the Miners were ahead 6 or 7 to 0 when I left for the 7th inning stretch, and rode my motorcycle down the 14 mile stretch of highway 13 back to Carbondale.

Sunday, August 05, 2007

Blog days of August

Back from Denver for an extremely hot week on the street, wondering what next: to Rev up the bus issue again? Or continue fueling for a second run in Fall or Spring. Complete with posters of the City Council members who voted to inconvenience so many Greyhound bus travelers.

The Newell House building restoration continues, and my work at Art Lovers sometimes requires a hard hat.

Been keeping up with city politics with Scott Thorne, who's doing such an great job at Bytelife. No one else is posting much, city-wise, and frankly, I'm not much interested in most City Council business. Sales tax or property tax, it doesn't matter to me. A referendum on it might be a good thing, but we elected City Council members to vote on such issues for us, to save the time and expense of referenda. I think the sales tax increase would be a better idea -- if Carbondale Main Street businesses were exempt.

I wish Peter the Great was still in town, so I would know what to think. But having "Thorne on our side" has helped to salve the wound of Peter's loss. Many people are commenting on Bytelife, a full perspective of opinion -- possible fodder for the closing chapter of my blook about how blogging improved my personal life, and my community.

I should hire that Blook Blog gal to do pre-publicity PR for Carbondale After Blog. She has referenced it again, in the context of an experimental group fiction blog.

It definitely will need internet marketing like the Arthur Agency did for the Pillowshop and the Southern Illinois Miners. (Don't know if I can afford them, though.)

At least I can afford a couple of box seat tickets for the Chamber of Commerce "Carbondale Community Day" at Rent One Park in Marion -- as the Miners take the field against River City Rascals next Friday. Future Mayoral candidate Joel Fritzler will be among those to throw out the first pitch. He will be joined by Woody Thorne, and a player to be named later.

The Miners marketing really covers all the bases. Three persons throw out the first pitch at these events; and they have three different mascots, too. Not counting Auto Credit Man.

Speaking of naming players, Les Winkeler writes a SI Miners' blog called Miner Details!

And speaking of blogging newspapermen, I hear that Jim Muir's contract with the Southern has expired, and he won't be writing or the SI anymore. Perhaps he'll have more time to write to his long silent "From Where I Blog" blog, last posted to almost a year ago.

That said, this blog will fall silent for another week or so. I'll post some photos of the game.