Esplanade!

I've come to the conclusion that the most beautiful sights to see are not in the art galleries, they are all around. Just open your eyes.

Paul Taylor · American choreographer

With more than ten dance companies to choose from, Angie and I trusted Aunt Patsy to decide which performance we would attend – and she chose wisely! We were treated to several Paul Taylor programs choreographed over the last forty years. My favorite of these was also set to music by another of my favorites, Johann Sebastian Bach. Taylor has been hailed as "the greatest living American choreographer" – and it's therefore so naturally perfect for his work to be accompanied by greatest composer of all time.

Here's a 26-second glimpse at Esplanade:

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And for those of you who want to watch every step from beginning to end:

· Paul Taylor's Esplanade · 1 of 5 · Paul Taylor's Esplanade · 2 of 5 · Paul Taylor's Esplanade · 3 of 5 · Paul Taylor's Esplanade · 4 of 5 · Paul Taylor's Esplanade · 5 of 5

Dude ... this is outtasight

After arriving in Durham for the evening's American Dance Festival performance, Aunt Patsy treated my sister and I to a mini-tour of the area before dinner. Take a ride with us under Graffiti Bridge, which connects Duke University's West and East campuses. Built in the 19th century, this bridge is a piece of Durham history as well as urban art.

Although I assumed the entry was marked with an Internet acronym, Ell-Oh-Ell-age — Angie can be heard suggesting that it can also be read as simply Lollege.

As we emerged from the other side, we encountered an unusual school bus – also covered with graffiti. In my excitement to include it with the bridge video, I ended up cutting the video off (easy mistake, it's a new camera!). Upon uploading my video to YouTube, though, I discovered that we had seen one of two ADF buses that dance students ride to and from their classes and performances. What a treat to see this, and then to come home and learn this bit of ADF trivia!

I went to Graceland yall!

My parents drove up to visit my family this week — and during their stay my mother had a sensational idea ...

I'm going to Graceland yall!

Elvis Presley's Graceland

Despite residing in the Memphis area since the early 1980's, I've never driven over to Graceland to see what all the fuss is about. It was a first for all three of us. Although I was expecting gaudy and kitschy, it was anything but. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised at how tasteful and inviting Graceland was, and also impressed with Elvis Presley's talent and generosity.

I also have new respect for Elvis Presley Enterprises. With lots of tourists in Memphis for the weekend's World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, things were already busy when we arrived shortly after 9am. Graceland staff are crowd control masters, and always gracious despite the sticky Mid-South heat. This doesn't mean that I'll return during Elvis Week in August.

The three remaining stubs indicate the attractions we skipped

My feet called it a day after touring the mansion, memorabilia, car museum and airplanes, although our tickets allowed entry to several other Graceland attractions. I opted against bringing my bulky old-fashioned camera along, but postcards and refrigerator magnets were available for sale in all four of the souvenir shops I visited. And with our Photographer Extraordinaire along, we didn't even bother posing for the standard Graceland customer portrait. See Mother's photos on flickr:

LIVING... MAEDEANS STYLE
Elvis and Graceland

My trip down Memory Lane ...

During today's museum tour I learned that the 1993 Elvis Presley commemorative postage stamp remains the most highly publicized and biggest selling stamp of all time. I was one of several thousand visitors to the two area post offices doing First Day Cancellations. (Yes, I went to both. It was the overhyped social event of the season.)

click on the image to learn more

On my way – to where the air is sweeeeeet

Most weekday mornings at 9 am, I turn on Sesame Street for Maggie to enjoy its catchy theme song, after which she sits on her own little stool and watches for as long as the average magnificantly brilliant one-year-old can stand (ten minutes or less). It's charming to see its guest stars in classic Sesame Street segments. Today's episode featured environment as its Word On The Street, with Jimmy Fallon giving an outstanding performance as Wild Nature Survivor Guy.

More Sesame Street guest spots worth sharing:

• Paul Rudd · Earth Rocks :37
• Billy Joel and Marlee Matlin · Just The Way You Are 4:37
• Johnny Cash · Nasty Dan 2:13
• Arthur Ashe · ABC's :54
• Christopher Reeve · ABC's with Ernie 1:19

Ghost of Fathers Day Past

A greeting from the heart:

Small successes

I don't blame you if you find it foolish of me to brag about this, but this morning marks the first day my bed has been made since breaking my hand three weeks ago. (And yes, of course the linens have been washed, it just hasn't been made up.) Like opening the Sprite bottle, changing my granddaughter's diaper, and carefully shifting gears with my right hand, it's another reminder that I'm gaining mobility and that things will eventually return to normal.

Realizing that this injury is simple compared to so many others that my orthopedic surgeon treats, I've repeated this phrase a gazillion times since breaking my hand:

I complained because I had no shoes,
until I met a man who had no feet.

Those covers didn't stay perfectly in place for long. As soon as Maggie and I were able to get Lori to go run errands, she and I played on the neatly made bed til it was all messed up again.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

See the 15-second video on YouTube

A Rose by any other name is still a badass

Recent reviews:

"Modern Drummer of the Year, yall."

"The apple doesnt fall far from the tree."

"He will one day form Eightdust!"

Cellos!

The newest item among my YouTube favorites:

Good gimmick

Advertising may be described as the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it.

Stephen Leacock · 1869-1944

In 1989, my 5-year-old daughter fell for those alluring commercials for Go-Go My Walkin' Pup. Set to happy music, they featured a smiling girl dance-walking down the sidewalk with her charming toy dog, while onlookers admired the pair.

Of course, Lori wanted one of those dogs ... and of course I foolishly shelled out forty bucks for one.

Lori quickly discovered that her new Go-Go Pup wasn't nearly as fun as the commercials made it seem. Fortunately, she and I learned an important lesson:

· Advertising is intended to deceive the consumer ·

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To this day, I still respect the creativity of clever marketing. Although I think Apple's newest iPhone app is ho-hum, I was impressed with the various sensory elements of its one-minute promotional video, which make it seem as fun as the Go-Go Pup did to my little girl.

Slick merchandising:

• By playing the best rock song of all time, it reaches teens to Baby Boomers.
• The models' various ethnic origins, and even the patterned rug, suggest Ocarina's worldwide appeal.
• Any idiot can play this thing, from a plain Jane or average Joe to a hash-pipe smoking hippie.
• Never be lonely again! From the looks of this cozy group, the Smule Ocarina evidently encourages camaraderie and friendship ... right?