Jealousy for Upstate New York

February 13, 2010 – 3:56 am

There is no love lost in leaving behind New York State winters with the cold, harsh, long—very long—depressing days that can begin as early as October and end as late as May. Despite the distance from those lake effect snows, Philadelphia has had more snow than Buffalo and Syracuse, New York. With a record breaking 72.1 inches of snow this season, the first blizzard of 2010 hit on the fifth of February dumping 28.5 inches on the region. The latest blizzard brought freezing rain, sleet and another 15.8 inches of snow with 35 mph winds and thunder snow.

Philadelphia is still cleaning up after two major blizzards with another storm on the way. Is there a possibility that Buffalo, New York could be jealous?

Glad I'm not the owner of this car. February 9-10th Blizzard, 2010. Photo by Christine Otis

Glad I'm not the owner of this car. February 9-10th Blizzard, 2010. Photo by Christine Otis

Nah!

Do you know what bothers me most of all?

I have yet to go sledding.

First, I have no sledding partner nearby.

Second, I don’t own a sled.

Third, I haven’t gone sledding in about 20 years.

There is my other favorite pastime that, unfortunately, has lost its glitter. Shoveling is an understatement for the amount of work I’ve done digging out my driveway. No, I don’t own a snow blower. I love shoveling snow. But this year, my love has been lost.

Even I thought I was nuts after digging out my driveway for the fourth time this season, and that was before the last blizzard began. The usual amount of snow shoveling I do for the season? Zero to one.

It’s usually zero.

Hungry robin during the Blizzard of February 5-6th, 2010. Photo by Christine Otis

Hungry robin during the Blizzard of February 5-6th, 2010. Photo by Christine Otis

I have shoveled, shoveled, and shoveled my driveway, giving myself the much needed work-out or so I tell myself. I fed the lonely robin that appeared to me in the first storm—cold, hungry and continuously staring at me—as I crazily shoveled in blowing wind and flying snow. I wasn’t too certain who thought who was more nuts—me or the bird. I fed it blueberries, cranberries, rice and bread, offering it up in a bowl set-up in the branches of the bushes.

The robin went right over and began feasting. It didn’t fly away when I got extremely close to take pictures, sometimes looking at me dead on.

Hungry robin staring at me during the Blizzard of February 5-6th, 2010. Photo by Christine Otis

Hungry robin staring at me during the Blizzard of February 5-6th, 2010. Photo by Christine Otis

 

The following day with the blizzard gone, the robin visited me while I shoveled more, flying down and landing under the car, while I scooped the fluff of white into a mound. Once again, the robin watched me. It was the only bird that seemed to personally thank me for the food I gave.

I guess I should have visited home and missed the whole mess, but then I would have missed feeding the robin, getting the great shots, and getting my work-out, too. Although my love has been lost, maybe I can find it again. Despite the harshness of the weather, I made a feathered friend, igniting my spark to share tales of blizzards, birds, and what it brings to us and out of us to share, jealousy and all.

By Christine Otis | Posted in Weather, What's going on | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Tree Lover

January 9, 2010 – 11:32 pm

For the love of trees, I tip my hat to this man: 101-year-old Frank Knight. He took care of an elm tree, Herbie, for over half a century. Carefully pruning away fungus and ridding the tree of pests, he helped Herbie fight against Dutch elm disease 14 different times which initially sickened the tree in the 1950’s.

Herbie is estimated to be about two and half times the age of Frank, making the tree about 240-years-old. Herbie’s canopy reaches 120 feet wide and 110 feet high. The trunk is a little over 20 feet in circumference.

Known as the tallest and oldest tree in New England, this Yarmouth, Maine tree can stand proud for overcoming the pitfalls that many trees faced when Dutch elm disease made its appearance. Tree warden Frank Knight calls Herbie his old friend and is proud of saving this tree from the disease that ravaged so many others at the time.

Now the time has come that Frank has to say good-bye to his old friend.

Herbie, hit again by Dutch elm disease, doesn’t have the strength to overcome it this time. Frank has accepted the fact and after discussing the situation with other tree experts, Herbie is slated to come down January 18th.

Frank thought Herbie would outlive him.

“His time has come and mine is about due, too.” Knight stated. “Nothing is forever. I don’t want anybody to grieve when I go. Just be glad I could do what I did while I was here.”

And we are.

By Christine Otis | Posted in What's going on | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Blizzard of 2009

December 20, 2009 – 11:57 pm
Fountain by Philadelphia Waterworks. December 20, 2009 Photo by Christine Otis

Fountain by Philadelphia Waterworks. December 20, 2009 Photo by Christine Otis

That’s what this weather is: a huge understatement. It’s Friday, December 11th with bone chilling cold and a stinging wind. The memory of my roots smacks in my face as the harsh cold pushes through me and licks my heels. The frosty wind makes me shed tears with no effort on my part. The only thing missing was lake effect snow and a blizzard.

The wish was granted. Yesterday, a blizzard arrived dumping 23 inches of white flakes in a day. Traveling was joyous fun, especially on winding, hilly roads. There were no deer around, luckily, as the road continued with awkward bends into the hills.

The snow collected and stuck to the wipers. It created miniature golf ball size ice clusters that made the wipers ineffective as I poked along Interstate 76 at 5 mph. The cars were like a heard of cattle, all heading in one direction in the blinding snow.  

The four lane highway turned into two lanes. The dotted lines that usually define the different lanes were no longer visible and it didn’t matter. Motorists wanted the distance, too scared of hitting one another in the rough conditions.

The sun was going down and with it, the solid formation of ice under the newly fallen snow. Around the bend, a car slid and red lights grew in intensity in front of me. I braked, too, sliding on the surface as my anti-lock brakes went into effect. Almost hitting the car in front of me, my pounding heart came to a stop, momentarily, as my car did finally come to a complete stop. I was thankful of my Upstate New York roots.

This wasn’t something new for me, but a typical snowy day. The only difference was the amount of traffic. The car behind me came close to hitting me, too, but I was thankful that the line of us, that now zigzagged like a drunk, was no longer in motion. My heart returned to its normal rate. I was equally as thankful that the car ahead of me didn’t hit the barrier but only tickled it.

It’s been a while since Philadelphia has had snow like this. This is the second largest snowfall for us with one storm. The blizzard of 1996 holds the record for most snowfall with 30.7 inches. That blizzard was incredible, crippling the region for days. After that blizzard, the only way to get around the city was by foot.

Sledding on the Art Museum steps. December 20, 2009 Photo by Christine Otis

Sledding on the Art Museum steps. December 20, 2009 Photo by Christine Otis

This one isn’t as bad with people still managing to get out for holiday shopping. Snow still needs to be cleared throughout the area, but people went to the Art Museum to go sledding down the steps.

What is most striking to me is that these last few weeks have been so frigid.

Winter gets all the blame, but it is after all, still fall.

By Christine Otis | Posted in Weather, What's going on | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Grandma’s Mustard Plaster

November 30, 2009 – 8:06 pm

It’s the time of year when people get sick. Running noses, nasal stuffiness and chest congestion are the common symptoms of becoming sick during this time of year when the temperature plunges and November rains come pouring in.

Many people want the quick fix to relieve symptoms that deplete our energies, so they run to their doctor wanting a prescription for relief. However, this isn’t the way to go. The simple fact is those old remedies that we’d make fun of our grandparents using actually works and here’s one you shouldn’t overlook: mustard plaster.
 
My first exposure to this was when I was about 10 years old and my mother put it on me despite my angered protests. It was something I believe she learned from her mother who used it on her when she was young. The one thing I will never forget is that it worked better than anything the doctor prescribed and there’s a reason why. The science behind it explains why using a mustard plaster relieves chest congestion.

Mustard irritates the small hair-like follicles called cilia in the lining of the lungs. This irritation moves the cilia, which in turn, move any debris out of the lungs.

The recipe calls for ½ teaspoon dry mustard, 1 tablespoon flour, approximately two tablespoons of warm water and a dry towel, t-shirt or flannel material. Mix the ingredients together until it forms into a paste. Spread that mixture over the towel or whatever you’re using and put it in the microwave for about 50 seconds. Then place the heated towel on your chest and let it rest there for about an hour.

Now there are some precautions to consider. It can burn your skin, so don’t keep the mustard plaster sitting on your chest for too long. Also, if you use too much mustard in the mix it will burn your skin. There are different variants of this recipe, but it is pretty much the same. For example, if you use hot water instead of heating the towel, that is a possibility, but don’t use boiling water. Some recipes also call for ground mustard seed.

It’s a quick fix that will save you the expense of a doctor’s visit.

By Christine Otis | Posted in Health, What's going on | Comments (0)

Thankful to be Human

November 28, 2009 – 8:53 am

It is the time of year to be merry and full of cheer. It is also the time of year for depression to hit. It is also the time of year to be broke.

I think I’m all of the above rolled into one. I’m human and I don’t think I’m any different from many other people out there battling with the lack of sunlight, tighter wallets, while thinking of what to buy, what to re-gift and what to look forward to. I’m moving through the ups and downs of life, too, with and without holiday cheer.

Black Friday is now over along with The Big Gobble Day and here I am being creative, oscillating between the written word and drawing. I have neglected my blog—although without intent—getting caught and tangled with life’s demands.

I have wanted to write about various subjects in the past month about the stock market to Halloween, to All Saints Day to Veterans Day, to what the true meaning of giving and being thankful means to us chemically. I’m speaking about our body’s chemicals that are released when we are appreciative and say thank you. It actually makes us feel good, releasing certain “feel good” chemicals the body produces naturally. 

Instead, I’ve lent a helping hand to a friend in need and have been working on other projects on my plate.

In return I have gained new depth in understanding, challenged my abilities to accept what is and have learned to let go of what once was.

I have a lot to be thankful for and I’m grateful I can appreciate what comes my way regardless of how bad it may seem at the time or how good it truly is.

One of my wishes is to spread the joy I feel and the love I have for life to others. I do my best with what I have and I try.

Some of the best things I’ve experienced recently:

Taking a walk with my niece and talking with her
Sharing
Playing with a child
Laughing with friends
Playing Scattergories
Falling asleep on the phone with a friend
Talking to family

It’s the simple things in life that mean the most. They are truly precious. I hope you find what is precious to you and appreciate what life has to offer in the smallest and simplest of ways.

By Christine Otis | Posted in What's going on | Comments (0)

The LEGO® Brick House

October 13, 2009 – 10:22 pm

A close up picture of the fully functional house, which was built using 3.3million differently coloured bricks

The house was erected with basic colors and amenities: red, yellow, white, black and blue and running water, a functioning toilet and shower. It was the simplest of houses made out of the simplest of toys. Like the old commercials toted: “A child’s pride is the best thing a toy can build,” so was the house that James May built.

The LEGO® brick house was built for James May’s Toy Stories, a TV series about famous toys on the BBC.

James May has taken toys to an all new level. He considers them to be more than a mere toy, by becoming an integral part of the invention process. With his focus on technology, his passions have shined through with whatever he undertakes. One of his first adventures was in constructing a Plasticine Garden at the Chelsea Garden Show.

What followed was a house built from LEGO® bricks for his TV series. It took over 3 million LEGO® bricks to construct the life-sized house. Constructed on the Denbies Wine Estate in Dorking, Surrey, England, the LEGO® brick  house stands out against the greenery of vines and rolling hills as something out of the ordinary. It reminds me like something you would see on the BBC children show Teletubbies, but unlike that show, this house is real. 

Unfortunately, the LEGO® brick house was destroyed after the vineyard decided they wanted the land back. With no offers to take the home, not even from the LEGO® Company, it was another Lego home that came crashing down.

By Christine Otis | Posted in What's going on | Comments (0)

Taxation of the Arts: The Pennsylvania State Budget Scramble

September 26, 2009 – 8:57 pm

As the state of Pennsylvania scrambles to find new sources of revenue to balance the state budget, a proposed arts tax has come into play. The proposed arts tax would add an additional 8 percent to the cost of tickets for museums, plays, zoos and historical parks in Philadelphia and 6 percent for the rest of the state. The events that are exempt from the proposed tax hike would be movie tickets and sporting events.

“It’s ironic that [the arts will have] a higher tax than major-league sports,” said Todd Holtsberry, a member of the Secret Room Theatre and the Philadelphia Dramatists Center. “Their players seem to get paid a lot more money.”

State Senator Larry Farnese, (D., Phila.) and Senator Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery) both attended the rally in opposition to the arts tax.

Approximately 200 supporters opposing the higher taxation on the arts rallied on the Avenue of the Arts on Friday waving signs and yelling, “Save Our Arts!”

Young and old, students and professionals and members of the art community came to show their support. 

The rally made their way throughout the theatre area and went up to City Hall.

By Christine Otis | Posted in What's going on | Comments (0)

Bosom Buddies: Stock Exchange and the Incarcerated

September 15, 2009 – 7:35 pm

America can boast it is the leader for the incarcerated.

Our prison system is on the stock exchange.

It’s not necessarily the prison system, but the companies that run them. Some companies explicitly, others implicitly while companies have gone through buy outs, mergers and name changes. America is not the lone profiteer. Europe is profiting, too, off of our bad boys and girls.

Corrections Corporation of America is now the fourth largest correctional facility in America having climbed the ranks from their first day in 1983. A private corrections management provider that went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1994, it has increasing revenues from a growing inmate population.

According to their own Second Quarter earnings for 2009:

“Management revenue from state customers increased 8.2% to $216.8 million during the second quarter of 2009 from $200.3 million for the same period in 2008. The growth in state revenue from the second quarter of 2008 was primarily attributable to a combination of increased inmate populations and increases in average per diems.”

By having tougher sentencing laws, like the Three Strikes Law, more people are sent to prison, which in turn means fatter wallets for shareholders.

One of the largest shareholders Sodexho—who recently changed their name to Sodexo—is headquartered in Paris, France.

The prison system is becoming a monopoly with Wackenhut not trailing far behind CCA. A subsidiary of Group 4 Securicor, Wachkenhut was bought by Group 4 Falck, a Danish company, leaving the shareholders quite a bit wealthier after the merger.

Companies can claim they are helping by offering more facilities for the incarcerated, but with Wall Street involved and shareholders dollars at stake, a downfall of diminishing returns would not be a pleasing reality.

So the system needs to be continuously fed.

There is little interest to rehabilitate the incarcerated when it would be considered a loss of profit for the shareholder. It is no wonder that our criminal system is rising at an alarming rate and why America is #1 for the incarcerated.

Some would argue that our streets our safer with the tougher laws.

There are inmates who are mentally ill that don’t belong there with the closing of many mental health facilities. Prisons are also filling up with non violent criminals that need more appropriate sentencing to fit the crime.

Many European countries have decriminalized marijuana use and possession whereas America is still under pressure to legalize marijuana.

There’s a great deal more than what meets the eye, but the Prison Industrial Complex has become very profitable like its counterpart the Military Industrial Complex.

Sources: US Bureau of Statistics, Corrections Corporation of America, BBC, NY Times, Washington Post, Forbes

By Christine Otis | Posted in What's going on | Comments (0)

The Meaning Behind Labor Day

September 7, 2009 – 10:31 am
The Pullman Strike

The Pullman Strike

The first celebrated Labor Day was on September 5th in New York City in 1882; however, Labor Day wasn’t made into a national holiday until a labor union strike. It came about with the Pullman Strike in Chicago on May 11, 1894.

Pullman Palace Car Company workers walked out due to reduction in wages. Considering trains were the major means of transportation in the late 1800’s as Industrialization was in full swing, having a train strike crippled the nation despite the strike only occurring in Chicago.

Conflict between the labor unions and railroads caused such an upheaval of commerce, that President Grover Cleveland fearing the worse was yet to come, pushed legislation through Congress to have the first Monday in September as a federal holiday. Congress signed it unanimously making it law only six days after the end of the strike.

What Labor Day means to us today has probably changed from those first celebrated days in the late 1800’s. I’m uncertain how many of us actually know the meaning behind the day, but today is the last break before the full swing of fall enters the scene. The day is like an annual signal that the fun-filled days of summer is coming to an end. It’s the last hurrah before the weather turns colder. But more than anything else, it’s a time to be with family and friends, to relax and enjoy the day being happy and thankful with what you have.

By Christine Otis | Posted in What's going on | Comments (0)

Review: The Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obreht

September 1, 2009 – 9:51 pm

Téa Obreht has her fictional debut in the New Yorker with “The Tiger’s Wife.” The story, taken from her novel that’s due out this April, questions fact and fiction based upon memory. Obreht begins her story with one fact. The city was bombed in 1941 by Germans. The story immediately breaks from that shifting into a fictional tale about a tiger and the pivotal role the tiger plays in villager’s lives during a horrifying time of Nazi threat.

Told from the tiger’s perspective which is very much like a child’s, the tiger has no sense of what is happening around him. The tiger’s plight of escaping his confines while falling bombs surround him, accentuates the desperation of not being able to break out. Not understanding the meaning of war, yet wanting to escape the caged feeling, the tiger’s predicament runs parallel with the citizens of the city. Feeling threatened, weakened by lack of provisions and resources of means to flee, the overwhelming sense of doom is encapsulated by the tiger’s position.

Obreht’s quiet mention of the tiger’s place being a citadel almost goes unnoticed with the descriptive analogy of the punctured wound felt by the tiger when the bombing of the fortresses’ wall turns to rubble. The combination of the two victims—one of the citadel, the other the tiger—are formidable.   

With a hole in the citadel, freedom is provided for the tiger to roam wild in the midst of war that creates fear for the citizens yet the tiger is the hinge that creates mysticism, speculation and a questionable reliance of memory of what truly happened in a time long gone.

The tiger which Obreht refers to as the “jungle creeper” is another way of describing the German invasion and the Germans themselves. The German tanks were known as tigers, although they didn’t come into existence until 1942 and her story begins in 1941; I can’t help but think that Obreht’s choice of this particular animal was a purposeful one that had to do with the distasteful disgust of Germans during the war furthering her metaphorical meaning of tiger.

Ignorance, change and the unquestioning understanding of what took place long after the tiger is gone leaving only the word—tiger—behind as a descriptive means to depict a character’s wife, curiously takes the reader into her unknown realm. The mysterious woman, who then becomes the focal point left by the tiger’s departure from the story, remains in a fogging haze.  

It is from the metaphor of tiger that Obreht pushes the reader into a realm told by a woman whose Grandfather loved tigers. How much of the story is true and what was fabricated leaves an unquestioning wake in the tiger’s exodus.

The story’s point is like any story retold: how to separate fact from fiction. Beginning with one fact, Obreht’s fiction falls right into place.

By Christine Otis | Posted in Reviews, What's going on | Comments (0)