Monthly Archives: July 2009

(Community Matters) Dave’s a 4th grade teacher from Troy


His grandparents first vacationed at the Lakeside Inn Resort

His parents honeymooned here

Grew up running all over the place with the founders’ grandson during the summers

That grandson is now the owner

Dave’s just waiting for his kids to wake up to go out fishing

(Community Matters)

(Community Matters) in The Nation

(Community Matters) A few more pics. Can’t believe I forgot to take my camera with us on the boat last night. We parked on the water, down the lake near Whitehall/Montague for the July 4th fireworks.

boat dock/fishing pier at Lakeside Inn

he’s peddling awfully hard to make it up the incline from boat launch
maybe Steven and I should have adopted kids. my heart sings just seeing ’em

Steven on our balcony

path from Inn to Rudy’s

also called turtle alley, shards of turtle eggs after a fox or skunk has dug ’em up

looking down path from Rudy’s

Last night, received a Facebook note from our cousin, Dave Tomlinson that the family was in St. Joseph’s, MI visiting Mike, Tracy & the girls. So . . . . of course we had to drive down and see them this morning

Mike, Tracy & the girls

David & Steven

Uncle Bob

the girls

After our visit, I dropped Steven in Grand Rapids where he’s attending the Poets, Prophets and Preachers Conference,

(Community Matters)
Facebook – through FB our cousins learned we were in Michigan and sent us a note last night that they were too – in St Joseph’s, which is south, also on Lake Michigan coast near the Indiana/Illinois/Michigan border. So this am we’re venturing out to have breakfast with David, Lisa, Cadance & Laurel Tomlinson, Mike & Tracy Kienitz and Uncle Bob (Tomlinson).

##Then, we’ll be off to Grand Rapids where Steven’s attending *Poets, Prophets & Preachers,* a conference of people exploring the intersection of theology, performance art & literary theory. I’ll return to White Lake (tonight or in the morning) to continue the practice of midwest Americana.

###Frank Rich’s column: seconds my fear that the financial services industry is too addicted to paper profits to realize substantitive reform & regulation which would serve its long term interests, even if not short-term, banker bonus interests.

###Thomas Friedman’s column on ET (energy technologies that produce clean power & energy efficiency) a provocative read, especially in the context of big oil dominance in *The Big Rich* and Fast Company’s recent article on the microgrid. The latter about how big utilities are doing everything they can to prevent consumers from generating their own power, which would reduce our reliance on fosil fuels – particularly effective in Tx.

(Community Matters) Gorgeous weather yesterday, after a couple of days of cold, overcast (which worked out just fine actually). The community where we’re staying is actually called White Lake, though the postal city is Whitehall. Township about 30k, 96% anglo.

As the map shows, White Lake Township is on Lake Michigan. What it doesn’t show is that to the east, it’s also on White Lake, a rather large recreational lake.

Ellie has been taking sailing lessons for a couple of years and took Kirk out yesterday. She’s really very good – and only 10yo, good gosh.

Amy & I went out on the boat.

the light house (on channel between White Lake & Lake Michigan)

the channel

Steven at lunch at White Lake Yacht Club

Steven got out a lot more yesterday. He probably slept eighteen hours on Thursday, not surprising since he’d never recovered from Scotland/UK/Austin/HongKong/Austin jet lag.

(Community Matters) The National March for Equality will take place Oct 10 & 11. Just booked our flights – should have last week when first checked. Last week, could fly roundtrip Washington National Airport for $240 each, today, $440. Instead, booked to/from BWI for $220 each – using one of our $500 vouchers just earned on this trip (we agreed to fly to Detroit instead of Grand Rapids for two $500 vouchers). Of course already booked at the Tabard Inn – booked tentatively weeks ago when first rumblings of a possible march.

(Community Matters) perplexing

(Community Matters) Allan Baker’s latest play, Last & Always, was produced in NYC as part of Short Stories 10 by Native Aliens Theatre Collective during Pride Week. Allan says:

New York was quite fun! I saw a lot of theatre…God of Carnage, August: Osage County, Mart Stuart, Next Fall…and my own play, of course. I also got some very good news about a possible future NYC production of my newest play, A Midsummer Night’s Conversation. And I visited museums and galleries as part of the background research for my next project: a modern re-telling of the Rigoletto story…set in the contemporary art world.

(Community Matters) Former students know I have way much affection for Goldman; nevertheless, I’m looking forward to reading this article.

(Community Matters) Steven and I are in Whitehall, Michigan for celebration of July 4th. Amy, Kirk & Ellie Rudy are our hosts. We’re staying at Lakeside Inn Resort on White Lake – just down the hill from their house. Lake Michigan is nearly across the street.

The Rudy’s have been visiting here for 10+ years, Amy & Ellie spending most of every summer for the last several years.

Loved meeting so many summer friends, hanging out at the 100+ year White Lake Yacht Club and driving everywhere in the cool golf cart.

(Community Matters) Reading the ABJ story about Boy Scouts’ $2.5mm challenge grant – I’m not especially a fan of boycotting Boy Scouts or banning from funding or participation. And, I do believe we need to make progress with the organization accepting gay & lesbian participants.