Mr. B shares his favorite summer flicks

Before we close the books on July 2019, I wanted to write about some of my favorite summer movies. I present my list in no particular order, and I note that not each features a summer theme. 

One or two were released during the summer months, became major hits for the year and remind this writer of that particular summer.

Each contains one or more the elements needed for memorable summer film – comedy, music, thrills, or simply a well-told tale that entertains and distracts from hot weather. 

American Graffiti (1973) Before bringing “Star Wars” to movie theaters, George Lucas directed this gem of film about high school graduates and their friends spend a final night together before heading off to college “back east.” The movie includes cars, laughs, and a rocking soundtrack. The movie is one of the first to employ the “one-crazy-night” theme and does a wonderful job with it. The cast includes Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Richard Dreyfuss, Charles Martin Smith, and Bo Hopkins.

Dazed and Confused (1993) Director Richard Linklater’s tale of the first night of summer break in 1976. The story line follows students who about to enter their senior year at a Texas high school and those looking ahead to their freshmen year. Those old enough to remember 1976 will immediately recognize familiar characters and behaviors common to the era. The cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Wiley Wiggins, Jason London and Ben Affleck. The film’s soundtrack features many pop hits of the ‘70s. Music, cars, parties, and acts of defiance – everything one needs in a summer hit.

Grease (1978) John Travolta and Olivia Newton John star in this hugely popular hit from the summer of 1978. The show opens just as summer break is about to end and a new school year is set to begin. We follow a group of high school students through the academic year, focusing on the romance between good girl Sandy, and Danny, a greaser. Songs from the soundtrack remained on Top-40 playlists for months.

Ghostbusters (1984) Director Ivan Reitman’s tale of three former university instructors turned ghost hunters earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture and one for star Bill Murray for Best Actor. The movie dominated the box office in the summer of 1984. It doesn’t include a summer theme, but contains all the elements of a solid summer comedy. 

Jaws (1975) Director Steven Spielberg’s mega-blockbuster summer hit won three Oscars (nominated for a fourth) and continues to pack a punch for suspense and shocks. The story centers on the hunt for a killer shark that is terrorizing the waters off a New England beach. The cast includes Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, and Murray Hamilton. 

Meatballs (1979) A few years before making “Ghostbusters,” Director Ivan Reitman and Bill Murray partnered for this light comedy about the counselors and campers at a low-brow summer camp. Murray leads the cast, and his work makes “Meatballs” a better than average summer movie. It’s tame by today’s standards, but still entertaining and worthy of your time.

Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello starred in several ”beach party” movies during the early 1960s, and ”Beach Blanket Bingo” is the best of the bunch, I think. The series featured light plots, young characters, surfing, and dancing. This movie stands apart from the rest of collection, because it refined the fundamental elements in the series. Harvey Lembeck supporting work as Eric Von Zipper, the buffoonish leader of the Rats, a motorcycle club, remains classic comedy from the 1960s. It’s all light-hearted, even nostalgic summer entertainment.

Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation (1962) James Stewart stars as Roger Hobbs, a business executive and family man who plans a quiet family get away and gets a whole lot more in this light comedy that always reminds me of the family vacations of my childhood. The cast includes Maureen O’Hara, John McGiver, John Saxon, Reginald Gardiner, and Fabian.

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Director Michael Curtiz’s Oscar-winning salute to American entertainer George M. Cohan stars James Cagney as Cohan. This gem aired on TV nearly every July during my childhood and became a summertime tradition for my family. I think the song and dances numbers are entertaining, and the movies offers a solid jolt of patriotism.

- Did I miss your favorite? Post a comment here or email me at kbotterman@gmail.com. Thank you for reading.

Breaking bread and nourishing community

This past weekend was special because I celebrated a sense of community while sharing a meal with my neighbors at my homeowners association's annual picnic. 

The event included music, games, and an assortment of good food. It also provided an opportunity to visit with neighbors I have not seen since last year's picnic. And it all took place under clear skies and comfortable temperatures.

We elected members to the association's board of directors, and we cheered as winners of a raffle drawing were announced and presented with their prizes. I didn't win anything.

I ate too much. But it was all worth it, I thought afterward, because the event seemed to revitalize a sense of community for many. 

I serve on the board of directors (but was not on this year's ballot because I have two years remaining on my term of service). I see others members of the board at our monthly meetings. 

I see other neighbors while walking my dog.  We wave or nod to each other. We exchange pleasantries, and we then resume our tasks. It's a simple exchange that typically lasts less than a minute. It's polite, but hardly constitutes a conversation. 

And that's why I valued the picnic. When we sit and share a meal with someone, inevitably we ask questions, we share information, we learn a little more about the neighbor we see throughout the year. 

Conversations allow us to learn and understand. Understanding fosters concern, and a sense of concern reinforces the fibers of community.  And community seasons life and can help lighten the strain of daily living. 

So my weekend was special, because my sense of community was refreshed and revitalized, and that doesn't happen every weekend.

-- Thank you for reading. Your comments are always welcome. You may share your thoughts here, or email me at kbotterman@gmail.com.

A few mid-June notes and observations

Notes and Observations on a mid-June morning

• I follow Major League Baseball, but not too closely at this time in the season. I usually pay more attention after the All-Star break in July, and then my attention stays high through the World Series. I follow the league standings throughout the season, and I am happy to see my two favorite team are doing well. My Minnesota Twins stand in first place in the American League Central division. The Twins, 44-22, hold a solid lead over the second-place Cleveland Indians, 34-33. That's good news to me.

And my Chicago Cubs are a half game out of first place, behind the Milwaukee Brewers, 39-29, in the National League Central. The Cubs, 38-29, recently slipped out of first place, but hold a four-game lead over the the St. Louis Cardinals, 33-33. It's a long season and much could happen, good and bad. But for now, I'm having fun as my two teams are riding high in the standings.

• A wet spring continues to impact agriculture in Illinois, according to the Illinois Farm Bureau. Only 45% of the state's corn is planted as of June 10, and only 21% of soybean farmers planted seed. And insurance carriers are seeing a record level of prevented plant claims, according to a Country Financial representative.

The Farm Bureau recently shared some details. Illinois recorded a statewide average of 8.43 inches of precipitation in May, making it the third wettest May on record. Parts of west central Illinois recorded up to 12.5 inches of precipitation in May. 

Fortunately, it's not all bad news for Illinois. Farmers in Coles County this week reported nearly all corn and soybean planting completed, and Macon County farmers reported corn planting is 80% complete and soybean planting is 60% complete. Several other counties posted similar reports.

• The Farm Bureau's weekly report included an interesting item about Illinois farmers who are using vending machines to on their farms to sell items such as milk direct to consumers. I look forward to following the practice to see if it produces positive results for the farmers. I hope it does.

• The news media frequently reports on the status of the Millennials (those ages 23 to 38), including their spending habits, their interests and their fears. I find some of the information interesting. But there are times when some of these reports seem tedious and leave me feeling a bit sorry for Millennials. Several "news" outlets shared a report earlier this week about a hot item on Twitter that compelled a number of Millennials to tell us they are "scared" of doorbells and ask friends not to use the device when announcing their arrival. Instead, Millennials prefer visitors to send a text stating "here." Several Millennials commenting on Twitter stated texting is their preferred form of communicating, and it reduces the chances they'll be victimized by the anxiety-inducing doorbell.

The reports sparked another round of Millennial bashing, which I admit was hard to resist in this case. I know several Millennials, even work with a few. I avoid speaking of them in generalizations as much as I avoid speaking that way about other groups. Do on to others as you would want them to do to you, I figure. Of course, it would help if others kept some of their anxieties and fears to themselves.

-- Thank you for reading. Feedback and comments are always welcome. Share them here or email kbotterman@gmail.com. Give thanks each day.

A few notes and comments from Mr. B

A view from my window

I live in Batavia, near the Fox River, and enjoy the sights and sounds that come with being near a natural playground for birds and other animals. I enjoy seeing the many different birds, and listening to their songs, especially in the hours near daybreak.

In recent weeks I have seen a woodpecker, cardinals, robins, a blue jay, a pair of red-tail hawks. and many others. My favorites are the mourning doves that are building a nest on my veranda. They are beautiful and find their cooing a comfort.

After Biden, what's next?

Joe Biden's April 25 decision to enter the race for the Democrat's nomination for president in 2020 brings the number of candidates in the field to an even 20, and makes one wonder if any more Democrats will join the fray. In other words, what or who is next?

I don't know the answer, I don't like to make predictions. I sometimes struggle to keep track of the 20 candidates now. I couldn't name each of them, and there's some I haven't heard a word about in months. I don't object to a big field. As far as I'm concerned, all these candidates make things interesting and entertaining.

It's fun to see what some of the candidates are promising voters at this stage of the process. It will be interesting to see what some will be promising in the months to come. 

JB, Think Big Illinois and taxes

Think Big Illinois is a group funded, in part, by Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and directed by a man who helped run Pritzker's 2018 campaign. The group currently is trying to persuade residents to support JB's effort to replace the state's flat-tax with a progressive tax that he promises will benefit most Illinois families.

And Think Big Illinois appears to be spending some big dollars are direct mailing. During the last two weeks, at least four large, glossy mailers have arrived at my house, including two different pieces that arrived the same day. I do not support Pritzker's efforts, but I take a few minutes to look at each of the mailers. They are well-produced and easy to look at, but they provide few details about JB's plan and almost no information about Think Big Illinois, a tactic that always makes me leery. 

Considering Democrats hold both houses in the Illinois legislature, JB's proposal is  likely to win approval this spring, regardless of what residents think of the plan. And that makes me think about the money JB and Think Big Illinois are spending on the a series of mailers.

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Mr. B offers a last look at the Big Dance

I wanted to offer a few thoughts about the 2019 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament before the event fades from view. I know I'm a bit late in doing this, but it is April 14 and snow is falling outside my window. I think I can still write about college basketball, under the circumstances. Besides, this won't take long.

1. My brackets held up pretty well during this year's tournament. My picks for the Final Four, included Gonzaga, Kentucky, Michigan State and Virginia. I picked Gonzaga and Virginia to meet in the championship, with Virginia winning the title. Virginia and Michigan State made it to the Final Four, and Virginia, of course, won the national champion, defeating Texas Tech, 87-77 in overtime.

2. Purdue - Was a favorite of mine entering the tournament and fought its way to the Elite Eight, where the Boilermakers fell to Virginia. I was raised on Big Ten football and basketball, and Purdue is a sentimental favorite to me. I thought the Boilermakers played well in the regular season, but performed poorly in the conference tournament. I think Purdue redeemed itself in the NCAA tournament. 

3. Six teams -- Wofford (a 7-seed), Liberty (a 12-seed), UC-Irvine (a 13-seed), Iowa (a 10-seed), Murray State (a 12-seed), and Buffalo (a 6-seed) -- were all pleasant surprises to me as each advanced to the second round. Sadly, that was as deep as each team went in the tournament, but it was entertaining while it lasted. 

4. Bruce Pearl and Auburn University received a lot of criticism throughout the tournament (some of it legitimate), but I give credit where credit is due. Auburn played exceptionally well.

5. I was pleased to see Texas Tech and Virginia in the final game. I enjoy college basketball, but I don't consider myself an expert or even knowledgeable about the game. I follow the season, but in a casual way. That said, I was happy to see new teams in the championship round. I did not miss Duke, North Carolina, or any of the other familiar faces from the Top 25.  And for that reason alone I thought this year's event was memorable. 


-- Thank you for reading. Feel free to comment. Send email to kbotterman@gmail.com. 

Leaning on the simple things

I live near the Fox River. I enjoy the sights and sounds that accompany the change of seasons along the waterway.

During late February and March I enjoy hearing the Canada geese return to the area and go about their routines, which as far as I can tell involve floating in the river and flying. I like hearing the honks as the big birds take flight over my neighborhood.

I enjoy watching them in flight, but I think there’s something special in hearing their constant honking, especially in the predawn hours or at night, when I can't see them, but can hear them flying overhead.

There are times when the geese fly so low over head I can hear their wings flapping.

The geese behave in a similar manner during autumn, and that’s always enjoyable, too. But I think hearing their activity after a long winter is pleasant because it tells me warmer temperatures will soon arrive.

Winter 2018-19 has been challenging in northern Illinois. We have endured major snowstorms, extended periods of sub-zero temperatures and windstorms that included gusts to 60 mph. None of this is uncommon in the upper Midwest, but it makes for a long winter.

So until temperatures start climbing back to the mid-40s and beyond, I will make do with the simple pleasure of seeing dozens of geese fly over head and listening to them honking their songs to me.

--Thank you for reading. Email comments to kbotterman@gmail.com

Mr. B remembers snowstorms and snow forts

As snow falls outside my window and a cold wind blows, I'm enjoying memories of playing in freshly fallen snow as a child, back in the late the 1960s and early '70s. 

Dozens of children resided in my neighborhood in those days, the products of several Catholic families. There were three families of at least seven children or more on my block alone. My family included eight children. There was always someone to play with, and it was never difficult to gather players for a baseball or football game. And it seemed as though each one of those kids could be found outside immediately after a snowstorm.

Some kids made snow angels and snowmen, but many of us built snow walls, igloos and snow forts. And nearly all of us participated in snowball fights. I can recall battles involving 40 or more​ children, with not a parent in sight.

Two of my older brothers were like combat engineers when it came to building sturdy snow forts. Terry and Tim built forts with tall walls that had firing steps for the defenders, and they always constructed a small igloo within the perimeter of the walls, where defenders could go to warm or seek cover from a heavy barrage of snowballs.

They once pulled some paneling dad stored in the garage and used it to make an internal room within an igloo. They frequently built snow forts in January that seemed strong enough to stand until July. They didn't, of course, but that's how it looked to a 10-year-old.

Few in the neighborhood could compete with my brothers' snow fort designs, but the Moose brothers, Jack and Joe, always gave it a good effort. 

I always enjoy reflecting about those days whenever snow falls. I don't play in the snow anymore, and I don't enjoy driving in it. But I savor the memories of watching my older brothers construct snow forts. And I remember doing my part to help defend them from an attacking force of friends and neighbors. 

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