Signs of the Times

WORRIED A LOT less about the state of our youth coming of age these days. Sure, today's kids face a much larger list of distractions and temptations than we did back in the days of drive-ins and a dime bag, and what we read about on the front page above the fold makes me cringe sometimes, and I'm still cool and hip and all that (can't you tell from my use of the words cool and hip?). But an old friend from high school now residing in Davis, CA tells me that last Saturday morning, a group of her son's friends showed up at the house to start his 16th birthday celebration right (and early), by taking him out to breakfast. That is so beyond cool...it's...BOSS! I'm going to go out on a limb here and chalk it up to good parenting. So kudos, not only to the kids who did the deed, but to the parents there in Bicycleland who showed them the way...

I HAVE A very good friend from my days in Stockton. Known him almost 40 years, love him to death. We even roomed together for a year or so durning the Ronnie Ray-gun era. For the last few months we've been going back and forth, debating this or that political issue on FaceBook; all of it well intentioned, most of it good natured. Yesterday, I learned the neice of a colleague from my BGP days was kidnapped down near San Diego and had been found dead. I posted a notice of condolence and later in the day, my childhood friend responded: "To bad that girl wasn't packing, then maybe she could have met the threat on equal terms." Here's a thought: maybe if there were real, tough, enforced gun laws, this 17 year old girl wouldn't have had to meet the threat at all. I wish the girly-men hiding behind the long-unnecessary 2nd Amendment because they are afraid someone is going to take their pop guns away were as tough as this young woman was forced to be. Rest in Peace, Chelsea...

THEN AND NOW: In 1977, at the Oakland Coliseum Stadium; The Eagles, Steve Miller Band, Heart, The Atlanta Ryhtym Section and Foreigner. Ticket Price: $12.50. July 12, 2010 at the Lodge in Sun Valley; James Taylor and Carole King. Ticket Price: $50. Of course, if you want to get in an hour early to grab the really good seats to this General Admission show, it's only $250. Oh, you wanna shake their hand before the show and go backstage afterwards for a glass of champers? $500 smackeroos...EACH.

I have been in love with Carole's music for 40 years and JT's almost as long, and to see them together accompanied by all the old gang from the Troubadour days; guitarist Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar, drummer Russ Kunkel and bassist Lee Sklar, famous in their own right as "The Section", is something not even I would have dreamed would happen one day. Now I've worked with and love them both, and $50 for a general admin. show isn't all that bad.But an extra $200 to get in an hour early? And another $250 for a quick handshake and a glass of domestic? Yeah, I know...this is a benefit for one of Carole's Rocky Mountain causes, but Geez Louise! Dylan was right: the times, they are a changin'. What's that?...Oh yeah, of course I'm goin'. Whatya, NUTS?...

THERE IS A call center here in IF, Center Parnters. For the last few weeks, I've been hearing radio ads stating "We're expanding and we've got a position just waiting for you!". I'm thinking hey, maybe the recession has turned the corner? Cool beans. Yesterday, I run into a friend of mine, Patti, a trainer at CP. I ask her what's going on, wondering if maybe they reeled in some new accounts and bought the building next to them (for all the "expanding" going on). Seems it's not so much they are expanding as it is they can't keep anyone employed. Word is, and not from Patti, middle management is squeezing the front liners so hard, they'd rather be unemployed than work for "The Dragon Lady". I've heard of promised bonus structures changing without notice, quotas raised and hours to meet them cut, etc., etc. I'm guessing that word of mouth in our little hamlet won't be filling those phone desks anytime soon. I've heard similar management/employee squabbles from current and former employees at Qwest and Wal-mart. Bus101: "Good attitude creates good job performance". Management training ain't what it used to be...

ONE OF THE several pies I have my fingers into these days is a non-profit I started last year to help raise funds for the teachers, students, schools, and academic clubs here in IF. It's had a slow but steady first year; we've given a couple of scholarships, helped some schools add some much needed equipment to their classrooms, etc. I read in the local fishwrap a few weeks ago about one of our high school's choral groups losing the funding for their accompanyist. I called the instructor and then went out and managed to get some very nice raffle prizes donated from local businesses, figuring they could probably earn about a half to three-quarters of what they'll need for next year in about a week. Several days later, I receive an e-mail telling me that her kids had gone out and got together some prizes for a Silent Auction held at a recent performance, and that comparatively speaking, she was rather disappointed in the prizes we were offering, and therefore she was going to have to pass "this time around". When did we start criticizing the manner in which someone does us a favor? Even better was the instructor's "this time around" conclusion. I adore teachers and their profession, so maybe it's just that this particular teacher is involved in the arts. You know how those performance types can be. Oh, that sound you hear? That is a fog horn, noting that for this particular instructor, the ship has sailed and there will be no return to port. And yes, after finding other student groups in need who appreciated the opportunity, there was more than enough money raised to have paid for her accompanyist. Here's hoping, sincerely, that acapella is in vogue next year...

I FEEL SO much better now, knowing that our vaunted legislature in Boise has our backs; more importantly, the backs of our teachers and students. When asked about yesterday's 128 million dollar cuts in the 2011 State Education Budget, 4% of which will come from teacher's salaries, State Senator Jim Hamond (R-Couer d'Alene) responded: What's likely is that we will not damage our schools, because those teachers in the classroom are there, and they want to be paid well, but they're not they're for the pay. They're there because the love the kids and they love improving their opportunities by providing the best education they can." And this guy was elected? Here are my questions to Senator Hammond: Does that mean that if they don't come back to work becuase of what you've decided on their pay, that they don't care about the kids? Since you did not cut the pay of the legislators, who like to present as fact that you are in this position not for the money but so that you may serve yor constituents, does that mean that because you made these cuts to teachers salaries and not your own that you are there for the pay and that you don't love the kids or want to provide the best education you can?"...

AND FINALLY, I'm driving down Broadway yesterday afternoon, where I see the requisite homeless/down on his luck/unemployed man, with his requisite pup, at the turn-into Wal-mart; a sturdy leather leash in one hand, a Starbucks Grande Sumpthin' in the other. I roll down the window and ask him how someone in such dire straits could afford a $3 cup o'Joe and our down and out man about town replies, "Well, I dint get no foam". Times are tough all around.