Supreme gowns

I was stunned to hear of the passing of Mary Wilson, founding member of The Supremes on Tuesday morning. The Supremes are one of my favorite Motown groups. The picture I post with the entry today was from my 2019 trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. These dresses were donated by Mary Wilson, who with Florence Ballard and Diana Ross, was inducted into the Rock Hall in 1988. They appear on the album cover of the Supremes and Four Tops' Return of the Magnificent Seven album from 1971

What's Time Is It? Detroit Time!

 These are trying times lately, but telling time should not be trying. Shinola, a Detroit-based maker of timepieces, placed giant clocks around the metro Detroit area a few years ago. These pictures are from August 2019 and August 2018. This clock is  located in front of Ford Field and is  placed very conveniently, as Lions and Tigers fans can see how long it is until gates open and game time, or what time it is so you will not be late to your evening soirees in downtown Detroit

Safe Haven

I am going through my travel pictures, as I have been doing frequently here lately, and I run across this one from my trip to Chicago in 2016. This is at a firehouse between Michigan Avenue and Navy Pier. This sign is about the safe haven law for newborns. If a baby is born, and the parents feel like they are in no position to care for the child at the present moment for any cause, they can leave the child at a firehouse, police station, or emergency room, no questions asked, and the baby will be placed in foster care or up for adoption. There are laws across the nation that will help newborns that are abandoned by their parents. There is an organization called the National Safe Haven Alliance that will help you, as well 

 

Help a Young ballplayer with what they need

Baseball season is coming up quickly, Spring Training is beginning later this month. In March of last year, the baseball season was put on hold due to the Coronavirus. The Minor League  was cancelled shortly after the announcement of the Major League season's postponement. Many players wondered what they would do when they heard the news. One of the admirable efforts I noticed during these times was from Emily Waldon, a baseball writer on Twitter and on The Athletic. She brought attention to the plight of the minor leaguer and the situations they faced with not knowing what their job statuses were at the time, and helped connect Minor League players to companies and people who were looking to hire for the time being. Another admirable effort I ran across was Adopt a Minor Leaguer, which pairs Minor League baseball players with people who can help them out with what they and their families (if they have them) might need. 

Chronicling the Community

I am working on my family history since 2008, and here recently, I have been using my Library of Michigan card to do more research. One of the many platforms I have access to is ProQuest, which houses many books, newspapers, and documents. One of the newspapers that are archived and housed here is the Michigan Chronicle. The former offices for the Chronicle, located at 479 Ledyard in Detroit's Cass Park is shown here in September 2012 on the left and November 2018 on the right. The Chronicle is a black-owned newspaper and was part of the Sengstacke newspaper chain, which is now a part of Real Times media.They covered important information that was pertinent to the black community. They also covered events that the Detroit News and Free Press would not way back when. What most impressed me was the coverage of weddings, bridal and baby showers, Sweet Sixteen parties and the Chronicle's annual Churchwomen's survey reception, which honored women who were involved in the activities of her church. The Sweet Sixteen parties impressed me, because, depending on what the young lady's parents could afford, ranged from a casual party at home to a formal dance at a hotel ballroom with a young man the young lady or her parents knew (sometimes her parents' friends' son), escorting her. the weddings ranged from intimate weddings at the bride's parents' home, with the bride carrying a prayer book with flowers down the aisle, to large weddings at church with a fancy reception at home or at a large hall with many guests attending. The bridal and baby showers were equally impressive with card games taking place after all the gifts were opened and seen.  While looking through the Chronicle archives, I find many family members on both sides of my family, especially on my mother's side. I didn't realize how social Mom's side was, with club meetings and parties, debutante balls, sweet sixteen parties, and other functions. Dad's family was pretty social as well. I found my Dad in a couple articles from when he was in high school and when he was working. Dad went to high school with the editor's son, who I wrote about in a previous entry, who was his class president. 

 

Super Weekend Memories

As Super Bowl Sunday rapidly approaches, I am reminded of when the Super Bowl was held in Detroit in February 2006. The whole scene in downtown Detroit, the shuttles in and out of the transit center, the Winter Blast, the NFL Experience, celebrity parties and events around town, and other aspects of the weekend were crazy, but it was a great time. Here are a few pictures I took during all the festivities. The above picture is of the Spirit of Detroit statue in a special jersey for the occasion. A jersey is placed on the statue for any sporting event or if one of Detroit's sports teams makes the playoffs. 

This picture was taken at the NFL Experience at what is now the TCF Center (formerly Cobo Center). The Pittsburgh Steelers featured native Detroiter Jerome Bettis, who attended Mackenzie High School on Detroit's west side. 

The Winter Blast made its debut this year after a trial run in 2005. It was well attended by many people. It has been put on hold recently due to the pandemic, but I am quite sure that it will be back and better than ever after this virus is eradicated. 

During the week leading up to the Super Bowl, the GM showroom at the Renaissance Center was used as a media center for visiting media members.All cars were removed and media platforms were erected in their places. ESPN took up the entire Wintergarden, facing the Detroit River. They had many different features the entire week. 

 

YouTube Friday: Pregame Show - 2020 "All-American" Marching Band

YouTube Friday is here for the first Friday in February! Today's featured video is from Purdue Bands and Orchestras' YouTube channel. Here is the "All American Marching Band" and the "All American Twirlers" in their pregame routine for the 2020 football season. They had to split up into three platoons for a safe marching experience. I enjoy seeing their routines this past season, especially their Halloween show (check out the world's largest drum, and its handlers in that one!) 

Online Library

We all could stand to learn something new during these times, for our own personal knowledge or for our studies if we are furthering our education. For this purpose, I recommend the Digital Public Library of America. This site contains a wealth of information and topics of interest to many. I discovered this website while perusing the internet back in 2017 or 2018. Make sure to check out the digital collections and search for things that attract your attention. 

Delicious meals home delivered

Taking care of an aging relative is no easy task for anyone. I have experienced this when I was taking care of my father until his passing, taking care of his day-to-day needs and making sure he was okay. Many people are caring for aging relatives or relatives with special needs. I have been following the Dementia CareBlazers YouTube channel and Facebook page here for some time and thinking of three extended family members on my mother's side of the family that have been affected by and have passed away from this dreaded disease of Alzheimer's and Dementia. While caring for a family member, friend, or neighbor who is aging or dealing with living alone, finding healthful options for daily meals can be a challenge. As I am on social media, I find the site Mom's Meals. They can deliver a healthy, home-cooked meal to your home. The meals can be tailored to the diets of those dealing with different health challenges, such as for those battling Cancer, Diabetes, kidney failure, heart issues, and more. There are even plans for those who adhere to a vegetarian or gluten-free diet. I think that this will help anyone with the proper nutritional needs of those they care for. 

Stay Safe out there

 I have noticed that when the pandemic first started, and stay-at-home orders and lockdowns were first initiated in March 2020, people were preparing with survival kits, amongst other things. I first learned of these kits when I saw a leaflet for Redfora on my driveway in late 2019. I discovered their wide selection of survival kits, namely their popular Earthquake bag, which will provide you with the basics of survival if you need to evacuate for any reason. They also offer kits for your car if you get stranded or stuck in the snow or mud,  and one for your pets, primarily for dogs and cats, so they will be protected in emergency situations.  When I went on their website when lockdowns were put in place, there was a long waiting period for people ordering survival kits out of an abundance of concern as to when the lockdowns would be lifted or the strictness of them would be loosened.  Another preparedness kit I have discovered is Judy, which offers preparedness kits as small as a toiletry bag and fanny pack, to one as big as a large storage box. After seeing these and many other preparedness packs, I told myself I would start to get myself prepared and make a plan for my cat and myself just in case something happened and I needed to leave immediately. 

Helping those in God's Kingdom

Over the past few years, I have heard about Kingdom Home, a charity run by Matthew and Ashley Boyd (Matthew is a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers). Kingdom Home helps kids and young people in Uganda who might be targeted for immoral purposes and gets them on the path to a better life. The home also helps these young people to learn life skills to help them become better citizens in their communities. When I am able one day in the future, I would like to sponsor a young person here. If you can, whether now or in the future, consider sponsoring a young person and making a difference in their lives.