We seem to spend half our lives finding organizers.  It's been almost an obsession for the last two months.  Between that and trying to get my lasik treatment done, it seems like that is my life.  I know that Tara got sick of it, and she had to take a break.  Debbie has been helping out, but she is not really too into organizers the way I am.  I will search for just the right one for the right closet or person.  I am kind of like that.  It has to be just right. Jim thinks I'm crazy.  I haven't been to the support group for months.  He and Mr. Callahan are holding up my end there, I guess. Mr. Callahan is traveling to Rio in a week.  He's going to compete in the triathlon there.  He is 94 years old and can run a mile in just under 6 minutes.  One of the news shows is going to do a story on him.  I think it's the one one with the ticking clock, which is appropriate, Sixty Minutes.  Most of those guys on that show are about his age.  I think they want to find out his secret.  But there is none.  Mr. Callahan says that he eats what he wants, but does exercise.  He says it is his genes.  I believe that.  Debbie and I will be going out to look for organizers later tonight.  After that we will stop and have a dinner somewhere.

Our daughters are both away at school, and now that they have gotten over the homesickness, they can begin to really settle in and hit the books.  They had a rough time of it at first, because they miss all of us back home.  Even though it seems the whole family descended on the college campus, and the girls were excited to go away to school, it was tough on all of us to let go.  We had all kinds of advice, which started when they finally were accepted and it was a sure thing they would go.  Our utmost concern was stressing the importance of security to our girls.  A large, lovely family who protected them and kept them sheltered from the bad stuff has always surrounded them.  Now that they have grown and are leaving the nest, we want to make sure they keep themselves safe.  They tell us they are very aware of their surroundings and know not to do anything that will put their safety in jeopardy.  Even so, we will continue to worry and try to monitor them, at least for a little while until they really see the world as it really is, and not through rose colored glasses.

There are many people who suffer from vision related problems. People of any age group can face difficult of near sightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism. To cure the vision related problem one may consider undergoing vision surgery. There are many options one has to consider before opting to undergo surgery for their vision problem. One can opt for photorefractive keratectomy or LASIK surgery. LASIK is the more advanced form of vision surgery than photorefractive keratectomy. By undergoing LASIK surgery one can enjoy unhindered normal eyesight without the need of eyeglasses or contact lenses. LASIK surgery is quite effective on vision problems and a majority of the people who have undergone LASIK surgery have benefited from it. LASIK is also very popular among the ophthalmologists. LASIK is virtually painless and the eye also takes comparatively less time to heal. There is also an advanced form of LASIK, which is known as the wave front technology. It is very important to consider certain aspects before one decides to go for vision surgery. The most important thing is the budget. One should also consider all the pros and cons of the surgery before opting it.  It is good to check the credentials of the doctor before going for the surgery. An experienced doctor would always be more efficient.

My Aunt Robin and Uncle Paul have a best friend that is a personal injury attorney in Atlanta.  They used to live right next door to him when they lived in Atlanta, but they now live in Grand Junction, Colorado.  I got a chance to meet him when I went down to visit my aunt and uncle when the Olympics were there.  They had their friend Bill over for dinner the first night I was there, and we discovered that the two of us had almost identical tastes in music.  Since then we have always kept in touch by talking about new albums we had picked up, or awesome concerts we had gotten a chance to go and see.  When he saw that James Brown was playing at Indiana University Auditorium on my birthday, he decided it was time to take a trip up north and check out the Godfather of Soul.  We bought the tickets saying we had to see him while he was still around.  Little did we know he would pass away three months later.  This past New Years Eve I decided it was time to make a trip back south, and went with him to see Widespread Panic play.  They were absolutely incredible, and I was thrilled to see that Jimmy Herring had fit into the band so well.         

Jim is a friend of mine.  I've known him for years.  When he called and said that he was going to the hospital, I had no idea why.  Later in the day I went to see him.  He was having problems with his blood sugar.  He was not achieving normal sugar levels, so he had to be put under a doctor's care in the hospital.  When I arrived Jim was sitting up and alert and to me he looked fine.  That had not been the case just hours before.  He was slipping into a coma, and he had to be given a hefty dose of insulin.  For a short time he wasn't responding, but eventually he came around.  Jim's wife, Sara, was there.  She was obviously worried.  I was worried too.  I hadn't seen Jim in about six months, and he looked tired and drawn.  He put on his big smile when I entered, and we joked a bit, then he got quiet.  He was tired.  Sara and I left the room and walked to the family waiting area.  She told me Jim would be in at least overnight so the doctors could evaluate his progress and make sure all his sugar levels were where they should be.  I said I would visit him at home soon.

Not only was I balding, but my forehead was itching like CRAZY.  It itched me especially just after waking up in the morning, and even worse—right before nodding off at night.  What I could see of it looked like dry, flaky patches of skin.  Almost like leprosy or something.  How creepy!  No one had said anything to me up to this point about it, but I knew it was going to drive me nuts, so I consulted with my girlfriend’s hair stylist, Minerva.  She did Laurel’s hair right out of her home, in this weird neighborhood of the city.  Well, actually, she rented out the basement of the brownstone for her business and lived one flight up.  I was very reluctant to talk to Minerva, but I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go.  She looks just like a gypsy, with her own hair like a huge bee bonnet on her head, and her eyes are always transfixed on some point out in space, a hundred light years away.  I called her and she told me to just come by during business hours.  I told her my problem, and she looked at the top of my head for a very long time.  I half expected her to start chanting some magic spell or incantation, but then she broke the silence by saying, “Donald, I will suggest for you a cream.”  No, no, I don’t want to start with lotions, I said.  Can you give me something that will grow my hair again?  “You mean a hair loss treatment??” she said,  looking startled.  (She pronounced the h in “hair” like the Yiddish “ch” in “charoseth.”)  “Umm—yes, maybe so,” I played along.  “But—vy vud you want to do that to your natural head?”  Oh, boy.  This wasn’t going to be easy.  “Let’s say you’re tired of this itch all the time,” I said patiently.  “You don’t want to try and soothe it with creams or lotions.  You want to stop being BALD!”  “Vait, vait a minute.”  Minerva went to the back of the salon and returned instantly with the Yellow Pages, which she had already expertly flipped to the “H”’s.  “Zere you go, Donny!  Take your choice!”

There are several ways that one can take pride and get involved in their cities.  One way is to become immersed in the cities’ local music scene.  The Chicago local music scene is one that has thrived and evolved throughout the decades, and one that deserves some recognition.

The local Chicago music scene has roots in the blues.  Back in the day artists such as Howlin’ Wolf, Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters came to Chicago to record and play their brand of the blues in the clubs that had sprung up around the city.  Blues legend Buddy Guy is also a product of the local blues scene in Chicago. 

The local Chicago music scene evolved along with the music trends.  Jazz also found a home in the local Chicago music scene.  Jazz king Louie Armstrong came to Chicago after leaving New Orleans in order to become a part of the thriving local jazz scene.

The local Chicago music scene still contributes a decent amount of classical music to this day.  The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is world renown, and has won two times as many Grammys, 10, as any other group for the classical album category.   

Another musical genre that the local Chicago music scene boasts is house music.  Chicago is in fact the birthplace of house music, and it is believed that the name comes from the Warehouse, a Chicago dance club.  Trax Records, also known for its house music is based in Chicago.
 

Chicago has also provided many rock and roll acts from its local scene.  This includes Styx, Chicago, and more recently bands like the Smashing Pumpkins and Fall Out Boy.  There are also many up and coming bands coming out of the local Chicago music scene such as The Redwalls, The Hue and Bumpus. 

Perhaps the most recent and thriving genre of music to come out of the local Chicago music scene is hip-hop.  Thriving rappers Kanye West, Common, Twista, Rhymefest, R Kelly and Lupe Fiasco all call Chicago home.  Many of them even have lyrics about Chicago, and growing up there. 

Another important part of the local music scene in Chicago are the cities incredible music venues.  There are the smaller bar venues such as Schuba’s, the Kinetic Playground or Martyrs, to some of the cities larger more storied venues such as the Aragon Ballroom, The Metro, The Park West, The Riviera, the Vic and the Chicago Theater.  There are also the larger stadium style venues like the Allstate Arena, UIC Pavilion and the United Center.  Some of the outdoor stadiums in the area have also played home to some of the worlds greatest music acts.  This includes Soldier Field, Toyota Park, and recently Wrigley Field has been added to that list. 

All things considered, the local Chicago scene has offered a great amount to the music world.  Countless amounts of bands have called Chicago home over the years.  The venues in the city are a site to be seen in them.  One thing is for certain; the local Chicago music scene will be a force to be reckoned with for a long time to come.