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NOVEMBER 1999
First and foremost, you should do this: click on Michael's Journey to find out about his trip to Indonesia. There he met the young man whom he has sponsored through Compassion International for 10 years. Go check that out, and then come on back here for your basic LOST AND FOUND news. We'll leave the page right here while you're gone.
Okay, welcome back! On with the newsletter . . .
So the other day, our daughter Eleanor comes home from her friend's house, all excited about Hannah's special "writing club." In this club, Hannah has a machine. When you push on it, it puts ink on a piece of paper. After you press on the things a bunch of times, a bell goes off and then you start over.
She has no idea how pivotal this machine seemed in the lives of her elders. I mean, I used to have a thing called a "pen." This device didn't even use a bell. In fact, so primitive was this scriber that I had to decide on my own when it was time to go back to the other side of the page and begin anew. My oh my, how things have changed.
| Anyway, November turned out to be the eleventh month this year: the last November of the millennium—discounting how that pesky miscounting thing means it really happened in 1993 or so. That aside, I'll give you a brief rundown of things LOST AND FOUND. Firstly, we got a new van. We call it the Limo Van, since it's about 30 feet long. |
Limo Van
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Free photo!
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We also got a new camera (see those great crowd shots from Oak Lawn last month for an obvious justification). Just for fun, here's the photo that was left on the camera when we bought it. Further, we have the results of last month's trivia contest. You remember, the famous Bridges? Perhaps you don't, and I don't have all the entries in front of me. Suffice it to say, only two people had the right answer and the Bridges are 1) Michael D. and 2) The Old North. Okay, on to the concerts . . . |
| Concordia University, Mequon, Wisconsin. Halloween night! You can imagine, if you've ever been to a LOST AND FOUND concert, that an excuse to put on costumes and apply face paint plays right into our hands. It was Slide Girl Central. A few photos for you . . . All in all, as opposed to some next to some, it was a joyous event. Even the room was wearing blue. There was one rule, however, that gave us pause. |
Boogie on!
The girl with "Dept." didn't show up
That's planning!
How's the volume sir?
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As in "I"
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After that, we headed south a few miles to the Chicagoland general metropolitan area. (Was that vague enough?) Along the way we stopped at a fine restaurant. We noticed a sign in the window. Once we arrived, we played at an old favorite, Concordia University, River Forest, where prior to the concert we did a little radio show with some new friends. |
The next day we traveled eastward. Along the way, I allowed the Limo Van to run out of gas. Not intentionally, mind you, just sillyly, or sillily, or silily, or sillillee . . . (I'm just trying variations until I get an okay from the spell-checker here) sillylee, silleely, sillilly . . . (okay, never mind) UNINTENTIONALLY. It wasn't so bad, compared to Maine pal, since this time it was only snowing. Michael hitched a ride up to a gas station and we made it to Muskegan in time to play a concert. And a fine sold-out show it was.
| From there, we drove off using gasoline to get us all the way to the east side of the state where they keep a town called "Rochester Hills," where we played at a high school, where we were taught to begin a fragment with a word other than "where.". It was a short drive to Clarkston, the town in which we played a most unusual venue. When we arrived, young men were using rollerblades to jump over obstacles on the very spot in which concertgoers would soon be sitting. (See, I didn't use the word "where" there.) Turns, out they brought out chairs and there was plenty of room for everybody. |
Sit on down!
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Miranda, who rocks
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The next night it was a return to yet another favorite venue: Valparaiso University, in its eponymous town. That night we had a real treat as our friend Miranda Stone opened the show. She's from Canada, and she rocks something fierce. The next morning we got together with our friends The Fitz Family for a little practice on the Christmas Show. (For information on where that tour's taking us, you can click here to go check out the info.) That evening found us at a camp playing for a fine group of young people from the great state of Indiana. |
The next day we headed east, and then north on I-75, which leads us to this month's trivia. Hands on your buzzers please . . .
For ten points, and a return to face the challenger next month, can you name the location of the above two photos? E-mail your answer to us at hengh@speedwood.com. Results will be posted in the December newsletter.
Anyway, then we played yet another old favorite: St Lorenz Church in Frankenmuth, Michigan. A packed room and a lot of fun. The next night we finished our brief tour with a concert in Napoleon, Ohio, in a h-u-g-e sanctuary. Lots of fine people were in attendance and we were pleased since the room was so h-u-g-e. Then we took some time off. Well, make that we took four days off.
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"No, he was shorter than those two."
Hey Kansas
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Beginning anew in Northwest Ohio, we played at the LYO gathering held at the Maumee Bay State Park. A comfortable place to stay. Michael and another fellow had to undergo the standard police line-up, since it was a State Park, and not just a local one. Fortunately, they both passed and the gathering proceeded apace. Michael then awarded the Plastic Faux Wood Red Button award to this year's winner. She was obviously pleased, and many folks went away disappointed after having worked so hard in preparation. Anyway, we then spent a day at my place before driving westward into parts west. |
The first stop on this swing was Girard, Kansas. A really comfortable room made for a really comfortable night for all. The next night was yet one more old favorite: Seward, Nebraska. The most folks at a Seward show we've ever had the privilege to play for. We also had the chance that night to hang out with our old friend Glo Hennig.
| Driving on the next day, we zipped over to Omaha, Nebraska, where we played for a great group of young folks from all over Nebraska. Michael had the opportunity to deliver a short stump speech (hengh!). Also that weekend, we had the opportunity to meet a young fellow who really enjoyed receiving one of our cards. And with yet another opportunity, we were reunited with our very dear friend Pr. Tom Rogers. Tom is one of our favorite speakers, so if you're looking for a great one, we can hook you up with him. |
My Stump Speech
"Dig your card!"
Tom Rogers
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Blue Tongue Girl
"My advice to you . . ."
What an honor!
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A few more opportunities in Omaha: 1) We met a girl with a Slide Girl tongue. 2) Michael had the chance to promote his new video and 3) We signed a shirt to be given to Stephanie of Nebraska, the original Slide Girl herself! |
| And finally, we played once more for the Youth Specialties National Youth Workers Convention, where we got to hear amazing speakers, bands, and words of wisdom. Of course, the pinnacle moment for us was lunch at the local mall with some serious dignitaries, including the Homecoming Queen of Southern California. We did notice backstage that the organizers had bought some water for the performers. |
Friends and Family
Is that all you brought?
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After that, we went home and went directly to sleep. I'm aware that that's an extremely snoozy ending, but hey people, we were tired, okay? If you'd like to see some photos I took during the month, you can click on the Photo Phrenzy and check them out. And now, I must hurry and end here as we're about to begin the Christmas show in St Louis and my writing club is about to close.
Rock on people, rock on!
george
Read more of George's monthly newsletters.
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