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  Taking a break from the usual daylight activities created space to investigate a recent exhibit at the Nelson showcasing a unique multi-cultural and multi-faith dialog.   The works presented are but a cross-section of shared astronomical knowledge, preserved and advanced by Muslim scientists during the European dark ages.  Re-emerging during the Renaissance, thanks to the invention of the printing press, they communicate discoveries though beautifully crafted books, instruments, and images. Mapping the Heavens  is part of the World Religions Initiative at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. This exhibition is co-organized with the Linda Hall Library and is available for viewing through January 11, 2025.

Jackson Dean is one of our more favorite rising stars just now and this was a rare opportunity to catch him outside of the glitz and glam of an arena show.  Indeed, we had been trying to catch up with him, in just this type of format, for more than a year.  Each attempt was thwarted for one reason or another and we had kind of given up hope.  Then comes Q104 (KBEQ-FM) with their annual Christmas show featuring none other than this elusive musician. Hosted by PBR Big Sky at the Power & Light District, with proceeds going to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, this proved the perfect opportunity to catch his act, up close and personal, and unplugged.  This is the true test of the talent of any musician, to get up on stage with nothing more than their voice, instrument and stage lighting. Jackson Dean did not disappoint either. A country musician who is not entirely country, he is rhythm and blues, and a little...

An evening with the  Kansas City Repertory  interpretation of the Charles Dickens tale, "A Christmas Carol," turned out an excellent performance in this 43rd rendition the classic.  A diverse representation of performers stood for nary a slip in their execution.  The narrator stumbled a couple of times but recovered so quick, it was hard to accept that it had really occurred. When you have that many lines, it is hard not to miss one here and there though. Early in the opening acts of the show, a phone voiced its annoying melody.  However, nobody on stage missed a beat, or even blinked, as the device quickly silenced.  Technology is hard for some, I suppose.   It was not for the production though! A revolving set appeared well manicured and suitable for every angle of the production, and actors flowed seamlessly across and between scenes.   Extending into the audience as well, extras sometime enhanced the lighting and sound, prior to thei...

This date after Thanksgiving our crew remained a bit more local, visiting the  Festival of Lights at Powell Gardens .  The experience is quite a contrast with the effort last year in St Louis.   Many of the displays stand out nicely, as do a few very intentional arrangements in random locations.  They are well-placed for interaction and photographs. However, sidewalks lined with lighting stretch in random directions without any sort of guidance, seemingly without intent or construct.   The paths occasionally intersect, sometimes through tunnels of light, which is the highest level of interactivity.  Treats are available for purchase at multiple locations, but only one contains enough warmth to encourage folks to linger any length of time. Other fires pale in comparison, making the only other temperature refuge beyond the main building, Santa's workshop.  He was very busy there, enjoying the company and a photo shoot among the y...

  A random encounter with wassailers in Weston found them shuffling along peddling their vocal wares on the opening day of festivities at Historic Weston Orchard & Vineyard .  They had chosen the perfect day, with a bright shining sun and temperatures lurking about 0ºC, though seemed a bit confused about their role. This gang of carolers were attempting to apply house wassailing to the setting.  As this was an orchard, wassailing etiquette dictates they wander about reciting their incantations and singing to the trees of the fields in an effort to promote a good harvest for the coming year.   Shoppers appeared undeterred, mostly ignoring the misguided cretins.  They were entirely too obsessed with the small row of merchant tents where freezing sellers made every effort to hoard what little warmth they could.  In the big house, aka barn, others huddled around the cider tanks, with offered a variety of food, libations, and a more infused sort o...

A forecast of little more than continuing rain did not deter our trek over to Central Avenue in Kansas City, KS for the annual Dia de Muertos celebration.  The memories of last year commanded a follow-up on this cultural festivity in the hometown. The afternoon had been relatively rain-free with the sun peeking through from time to time. Arriving around 4:30 pm, we almost immediately wished that we had come sooner.  Within an hour of arrival, heavy rain sent folks scurrying for cover. We were fortunate enough to have stopped about that time to enjoy a little delicious local flavor, under a canopy, and from the very same folks as in the year before.   In spite of uncooperative weather, a general air of warmth and amiability filled the streets of Central Avenue, overcome only by opportunities to enjoy music, dancing in the streets, and some of the most delicious food and treats to be found anywhere. The lineup proved every bit as enjoyable as the y...

A visit to a local Native American museum in Colorado revealed some interesting facts and inspiring artwork, in spite of their lacking ability to display artifacts. Having read about the collection online, we were very much looking forward to visiting the Koshare Indian Museum in La Junta, Colorado.  Excitement turned to disappointment when we were greeted by a plain white sign indicating the government was up to their usual antics.  The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act  does serve a greater purpose.  However, there should probably allowances for special situations, if nothing else, in the interest of continuing to educate and inform, while in process. In spite of the mandate, the space is not lacking in form or artistic presence. One of the most notable features is the largest self-supported log roof in the world.  Spanning an 18-meter room, six hundred and twenty logs support their own weight of 36...

  Various rides and thrills stretched out along N. Holmes this evening for the first night of GladFest 2024.  Below the ferris wheel, surrounding parking lots and a couple of side streets hosted tents full of a random assortment of trinkets, crafts, and of course, politicians.   One can never seem to get away from that latter crowd, though most regulated to a lot more removed from the usual bustle.  Also available for the listening pleasure of everyone, amateur talent played their hearts out on the main stage.   The event picks up again with a parade on Saturday morning and more carnival and crafts through the remainder of the day into the evening, and on into Sunday.  It did not appear much different than previous years, though with a few less folks, and a bit pricier. 

  A few friends protested over their not being included in the last outing to a demolition derby.  In reconciliation, we dragged them out to the nearest comparable activity at Lakeside Speedway . Bone Stock Compact, Bone Stock"80"s, and Limited Weld filled the Pay Up Sucker Promotions lineup on this particular evening.  The wrecking crew showed up too, slamming into one another with as much ferocity as they could muster, until the final round. That final round proved to be a test in endurance though. Twenty cars filled the small area, with not much room to get enough force up.  Noting the family car had entered the arena, we cheered her success.  She made a go show of it, lasting until only three remained, including herself.  Unfortunately, she got stuck on another dead beast and lost the opportunity to finish.

A chance meeting extended an opportunity for an evening littered with glowing puppetry and performances from the local troupe and volunteers of  StoneLion Puppet Theater . Friday evening kicked off with a display of larger-than-life puppets along with a few acrobatic performances, followed on Saturday by art festival, music from local performers, as well as a parade of the giant puppets.   The glowing menagerie returned Saturday evening, with dinosaurs, dragons, butterflies, hippopotamus, aliens, and other intrigues designed to amuse the young and young-at-heart. A hot air ballon and free riding tour around the mall courtesy of  EZ Pedicabs  topped a magnificent side trip to the day. Only lightly disappointed that we missed prior years' events, we definitely look forward to visiting this absolutely free event from  StoneLion Puppet Theatre  return next year.  

  We dropped by for a look at progress on various forms of art littering the sidewalks of the City Market this evening.  Chores and other obligations had made it impossible to make it down for the festivities during normal hours, and the same reasons made visiting the next day improbable. The early evening viewing proved perfect for unhindered access to the art in progress. Everyone had  mostly left for the day.  A few lingered, finishing up their goals.  Judging by the number in progress, there did not appear to be quite as many participants as in years before.  What was on display looked good, although not quite on par with some of the displays witnessed in the past.

On the borderlands of the city, the oddly comforting smell of freshly tilled dirt pushed the more acrid stench of the encroaching urban area into the distant recesses of short-term memory for the evening. Diesel and dust would eventually become the dominant fragrance in the vicinity, occasionally interrupted by distinct aroma of burning alcohol.  A spot midfield, behind the cattle fencing and in front of the announcer booth, offered good fortunate right next to an individual intimately familiar with most of the vehicles and their drivers.  The cheerful character filled us in on expectations and unique rules for the events of the evening, happily answering questions and offering unique insight, mixing it up with a good dose of amicable conversation. High performance internal combustion engines cycling to explosive levels soon relegated all attempts at conversation to the space between each run occurring over the next several hours.  The machin...

Taking our seats on the side of the grandstand of the Platte County Fairgrounds late in the afternoon, we were anxious to kick things off.  The flag would not drop for another two hours though, and the sun would persist in heating things as much it could.  By the time the water truck entered the field, most in our vicinity looked on longingly as it hosed down the dirt, wishing it were them. Power Wheels started the demolition derby, racing around crashing into each other until the bitter end: that is, until their battery died.  50+ Bone Stock series followed immediately after, with an older group of young'uns smashing into one another with much greater enthusiasm. All in this class were beat by a girl, in minivan with a flat tire.  The fiery red head behind the wheel was "Bella," based on the chanting.  She survived all others in this heated contest of grease and steel.  A few more rounds followed this one, though we wandered off on other adventures. ...

The annual Freedom Fest on the Lake stood in stark contrast with all prior versions of the event, nearly to the point of being a non-event.  Day time activities were limited to a couple of vendors showcasing products, a bouncy house by the Arkansas National Guard and four or five food vendors overcharging.  Cardboard boat races, which had taken center stage for the last several years, failed to make an appearance due to lack of support. That probably should have been left for the end of the month anyway, rather than trying to combine it with the fourth of July.  Participation had declined significantly since combining it with Freedom Fest. A hot day at the beach on Saturday ended with music from local area talent  Sophie and the New Relics , playing their hearts out to a good crowd gathered on the asphalt, as well as the masses littering the beach and soaking in the lake.  The whole affair culminated with the usual massive...

A placard in the Music Hall tells a brief tale of destruction and rebirth in Kansas City at the turn of the century.  It reads as follows: "Convention Hall at the northeast corner of Thirteenth and Central streets was dedicated February 22, 1899.  The hall burned to the ground on April 4, 1900.  A new fireproof building was constructed in ninety days and opened by the Democratic National Convention on July 4, 1900. For 35 years, it was the center of the community activities and in it appeared the famous statesmen, soldiers, preachers, scientists, teachers, musicians, actors and athletes of the world.  There were held the city's first horse show, automobile and radio shows, and great displays of the products of industry and agriculture. Erected by popular subscription and dedicated to the use and benefit of the people, it was acquired in its entirety by the municipality on June 27, 1935, and merged into this great auditorium, so that the purposes of its founders might...

image borrowed under Creative Commons from  The Concept of “Resource” Traveling down the road this morning, tuned in to "Morning Edition" on the local National Public Radio station KCUR, a brief story unfolded about failing concert ticket sales across the nation.  It seems that just in the last few days The Black Keys and Jennifer Lopez have cancelled tours citing other reasons, in spite of data indicating pre-sales for their concerts were not living up to expectations. It is an interesting little tale that identifies the cause at a high level.  The cost of tickets to some of our favorite shows has become completely unrealistic.  Fans are backing away from the extreme expense of enjoying their favorite artists.  In 2023,  an article in People magazine  marked the average price of concert ticket at $252.  Add to that parking, dinner, d...

  The Saturday Open Jam has been missing from our agenda for quite some time now.  It is one the best ways to burn up a Saturday afternoon in Kansas City, listening to some of the best rock and blues musician in town.  This particular occasion featured the return of a longtime resident of the event who had been off the roster for more than year following multiple personal crises, one of which nearly ended his ability to perform at all.  Taking his spot behind the drums once again for a couple of tunes, "D" picked up right where he left off, keeping cadence as if nothing had ever happened.  There were tears among some of the crowd that were closer to him, understanding the extent of his dilemma.  After playing, he admitted stumbling a few times, but everything sounded great from our side of the stage and we look forward to seeing him play again more often.

A couple of folks from our crew participated in a run out at a local elementary school.  The entire schools showed for this one, lined up and ready to be splashed with some colored powder or another. The more they ran the more colorful they became.  Beats all around set a festive tone for everyone. Those of us participating chilled on the playground after a few laps, then joined back in for another lap or two to close out the day.    Free drinks and snacks refreshed those otherwise banned from enjoying the ice cream truck.  

  An afternoon focused on technology down at J. Rieger & Co. broke up the week nicely, offering a unique learning experience from Pomerol Partners.  Lunch and presentations associated with machine learning and data stack modernization were followed by a discussion around large language models with a few Kansas City IT leaders.   Immediately following that, Abstract Technologies talked about LATAM opportunities through nearshoring staffing services, followed by Black Khaki Brand Communicators discussing maintenance of organization cultural wellness.  Topping things off like a cherry on top, we learned of a new podcast worth listening in on, entitled " Drinks and Data ," hosted by KC technology leaders Kanon Cozad and Shawn Helwig.