By the N3 Entertainment Guide Guru I know, I know you’re tired of it. Winter has been showing a little bitterness of late and like the mail for a postal worker it just keeps coming and coming and… Well, you get the drift (no pun intended) and we get that it can be a challenge but as long as the Old Man lingers we may as well make the best of it and the only way to do that is to jump right into the teeth of it and shake out some badly needed fun. Remember a few weeks back when we were touting the Freezin’ Season Winter Carnival? You know the one that got cancelled because the doggone weather wouldn’t even cooperate for a frosty festival, deciding instead to toss out an ice storm that cancelled the activities? Well it’s back and it is scheduled for this Saturday. That’s right, regardless of the Old Man’s effort to put a damper on even this ray of winter fun the organizers , bless their little pea pickin hearts, have regrouped and will be churning out some wintry whoopee beginning at 1pm at the Welcome Center located at 4684 Evergreen (mM37) The schedule? 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Intro to Ice Fishing 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Sledding 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM Winter Bird Feeding Craft and Presentation 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM Snowshoe/Hike the North Country Trail 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Build a Bat or Bird House 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM Chili Cook-Off Judging and Fishing Trip Drawing 5:45 PM - 8:00 PM Winter Night Photography presentation and activity Carnival goers will also learn about Michigan's natural environment, plants, and animals during the winter months and be able to try out new ways to stay active outdoors and how to stay safe with fire/heaters during the cold months. Take that you wretched false forecasting rodent who had the nerve to promise an early spring. Did you see the review Ms. Megan Wirts did on the Grant High School production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame? https://www.nearnorthnow.com/features-and-fun/sanctuary Well it’s epic and will make you want to go and besides supporting high school theater is one of those very cool things you can do while providing an evening of exceptional entertainment. These kids work hard and deserve not just an audience but one that will deliver a response that will make all their hard work worthwhile. Details? Like I said read the review. Speaking of our Ms. Wirts she is doing her stand up comedy thing at Hennessey's Irish Pub in Muskegon ( 885 Jefferson St) at 8pm Friday. If you've seen her perform and heard about this you're likely to be already going but if you're not a Megafan of Megan yet, she is definitely one funny lady. Have you caught the Acoustic Lunch scene at Newaygo Brewing Co. yet? The Loomans are delivering some great music to go with their fine brews and to-die-for pizza. This week it’s Nathan Dill squeezing out some sultry sounds on jazz guitar. Head for downtown Newaygo Saturday 12-4pm and you will not be sorry. http://newaygobrewing.com/events/ Other upcoming events? Check out the Great Decisions Speaker Series latest offering at the Dogwood Tuesdays at noon. This is some real thought provoking stuff folks and if you’re the kind of person who actually desires and craves some well thought out ideas from people you won’t find on facebook or one of the panel driven cable news (and I use the word ‘news’ in only the broadest sense) shows check one or more of these out. There are two more after this week so don’t delay. This week the topic will be “Life after the Arab Uprisings and the Islamic State” with Rania Abouzeid, author of "No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria" so come on down and get yourself some real skinny on what’s going on in our world. https://www.nearnorthnow.com/the-pulse/great-decisions-speaker-series-continues-at-the-dogwood-center Wednesday night is Tall Cop Presents “High In Plain Sight” a free program with free dinner and free child care and a boatload of what you need to know about the current drug culture. https://www.nearnorthnow.com/news/tall-cop-presents-high-in-plain-sight Thursday Brooks Township will be the site of a presentation on Climate Change by George Heartwell. Yes, I know there are those who have yet to believe in the whole climate change thing but then again there are those who still don’t believe the world is round so opinions are like... well like a lot of things everyone has. https://www.nearnorthnow.com/living-well/considering-climate-change Stay warm and stay hopeful. Spring Training games are in full bloom and Opening Day at CoPa is just 27 days away...though I fear we could be in for another long season fellow Tiger fans.
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By Tim McGrath We were comfortably ensconced in the house turned seminar facility on the Aquinas College campus ready to be lifelong learners. Like many colleges, they realize the oldster set is a hot market to tap. We baby boomers aren’t ready to shuffle off to shuffleboard while watching our chin turn to chins, and our bellies become cup holders. No sir, we’re ready for action. Hit the gym in the morning, golf course or pickleball (and naps) after lunch. But wait, there’s more. We’re not going to be mental loafers, either. Keep the brain nimble; ready to juke and jive at a moment’s notice. At least, that’s what the brochure said. So, there we were feeding our gray matter. There were about twenty of us in the living room turned to cozy meeting space. The day’s seminar was led by a very engaging priest from the community whom I’ll call Father Tom. Can’t remember what the theme of the session was, but I vividly recall the part where Father Tom broke us off into groups of five or six people to discuss whatever it was we were supposed to be discussing. While we were busy at it, Father Tom quietly crept about the room listening in on the groups. Smiles, gentle laughter, encouraging remarks; all very nice, indeed. As we were discussing, I casually remarked to someone in our group: “Well, maybe you should…”. Didn’t get another word out. “We don’t should on people here”, Father Tom not so casually remarked. “No shoulding allowed”. “Now, let’s rephrase that without shoulding on him”, he encouraged with a smile and a gentle chuckle. So, that’s what I did. “Much better this time,” he remarked. Everyone in the group seemed satisfied the menace had got his comeuppance. Yet, I had this nagging feeling I’d be required to stay after the seminar and write one hundred times: “I won’t should on Billy ever again”. Thankful it didn’t happen, but I sure beat feet out of there at the conclusion. No way I wanted to get caught short disappointing a priest. I had just been schooled on do-overs. Father Tom was making a valid point. Most of us don’t want someone telling us what we should do unless asked. It grates on my nerves when it happens to me, and here I was offering up to a complete stranger what I thought would, obviously, improve their life if they’d just do what I said. So, in retrospect Father Tom, thank you for letting me have a do-over here. In fact, Cheryl and I have a running joke/rule in our home about it: no shoulding allowed! Sometimes, however, do-overs take an unexpected turn. My Cub Scout troop was scheduled to appear on The Buck Barry Show in a couple weeks. Buck Barry was a local celebrity in Grand Rapids during the 50’s and 60’s. He was our version of Gene Autry and The Lone Ranger, and he had a live weekly TV show one afternoon a week, along with his Saturday morning Buckaroo Rodeo broadcast. We’d been asked to do a little square dancing with the local Brownie troop on that afternoon’s show. I don’t think any of us had the slightest clue how to square dance, but our den mother (my mom) thought it’d be a great opportunity. Plus, Buck assured mom he’d teach us everything we needed to know; we just had to show up about an hour before the show aired, and we’d have it down pat in no time. Sounds plausible that a bunch of eight year olds could learn to square dance on live TV in sixty minutes, right? Buck was right; he showed us a few moves, and, in no time we were sashaying around the studio with our little Brownie partners in fine form. Buck introduced our piece of the show, we took our places, the music started, and what had been a mostly well oiled dancing machine broke down into chaos. It probably would have been hilarious to see this unfolding while watching at home, but not for us dancers. Thankfully, Buck realized quickly what was happening, and stopped us. “Well, buckaroos, let’s try this again; I know you can do it. Everybody get with your partners, and let’s take it from the top!” We all quickly reorganized, the music started, Buck started calling out the moves. And, just as we were starting to promenade, I looked at my little Brownie partner. Something wasn’t right. Her face had turned the color of paper. “Are you OK?” I mouthed. She looked back at me, shook her head no. And, in that same moment, she vomited – all over me. Not just a petite little throw up; this was volcanic. Our do-over on live TV quickly devolved into the stuff producers of live TV get hives over. Have to hand it to Buck, though; he was made of sterner stuff. He was used to his little buckaroos going off script from time to time. “Well, buckaroos, looks like we’ll need to watch some of our favorite cartoons for a little bit while we get cleaned up. But, first, let’s go to commercial!” Not much else to report, other than as we were heading out of the studio, I spotted Buck sitting off camera fanning himself with his Stetson as he took a drag on his cigarette. I like do-overs, in spite of there being no guarantees of anything better happening than the first (or second, third…) time. Depending on the situation, it could be simply a futile gesture, or a life changer. I keep reminding my golfing pals of this. “C’mon, guys, we get mulligans on this hole, too, right?” Irish folk group Runa, bring their musical talents to the Dogwood Black Box on Friday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. Quickly gaining recognition as one of Irish music’s new “super-groups,” Runa has been enchanting audiences by pushing the boundaries of Irish folk into Americana and roots music since their formation in 2008. Interweaving the haunting melodies and exuberant tunes of Ireland and Scotland with the lush harmonies and intoxicating rhythms of jazz, bluegrass, flamenco and blues, they offer a thrilling and redefining take on traditional music. Seeking to preserve and continue a traditional culture in a modern age, Runa creates the backbone of its signature roots sound from the musical and geographical diversity of its individually established band members. Their strive for excellence and creativity blazes a trail for the future of folk music, earning them the reputation as one of the most innovative Irish folk groups of this generation. Runa consists of vocalist and step-dancer, Shannon Lambert-Ryan of Philadelphia, Dublin-born guitarist, Fionán de Barra, Cheryl Prashker of Canada on percussion, Maggie Estes of Kentucky on the fiddle and mandolin, and Zach White of Missouri on mandolin, vocals, banjo, and flat-picking guitar. The group has been honored internationally, winning Top Group and Top Traditional Group in the Irish Music Awards and three Independent Music Awards including Best LIVE Album, Best World/Traditional Song, and Best Bluegrass Song. Tickets are $15.00 and are available through the Dogwood Center Box Office, NCCA-Artsplace in downtown Fremont, or on-line at www.dogwoodcenter.com. For information, phone 231.924.8885. The Dogwood Center is located one mile east of downtown Fremont. |
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