Where did we go wrong?

Every working person knows in theory that those we love must be our top priority.
However when you're in back-to-back meetings from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
it's tough to break away to whisper
"I love you" 
into your cell
or office telephone.

With today's mobile technology -
even when you're off work your phone is on.
How many of you have taken a bio break and made a call at the same time?
And be honest - when have you not used your free time to read e-mails?

Multi-tasking is another word for compulsive.

For years I resisted getting a Blackberry.

I would sit in meetings and watch peers consumed with their tiny devices. Totally distracted - they would constantly pick it up and spin some odd little wheel on it's side. The damned things seemed to just take over any group session - isolating the users from the rest of the group.

I labeled anybody who used the mobile device "rude". Proudly proclaiming that I would never be "one of those berry people".

Then the CEO told me I had to get one.

Suddenly

where ever I was, 

whatever I was doing,

my very existence 

was ruled by my 

"crackberry".

And... that meant 

I worked constantly.

I was addicted.

And like most 

addictions, one day
it just happened.

How many "innovations" actually made your life better?
I entered the workplace in the late seventies. It was a time of transition in the workplace. Bigwigs still sat in corner offices and held a key to the Executive Wash Room. A lot of change happened over the subsequent years as new technology was quickly embraced. Let's step into the Time Machine... 

  

Facsimile Machine

My first fax was from an illustrator in the U.K. I was informed that a "transmission is coming in" and then stood for 15 minutes as I watched the laser head move back/forth. Amazingly a faint grey image was slowly revealed. Thirty years later... when is the last time you sent a fax?

Overnight Delivery

In olden days we used a messenger service.  Some schmoe rode over on his bike, picked up your package, and delivered it within city limits.

Corporate Campus
Years ago, everyone worked downtown. That meant you were not chained to your desk in some mega complex out in the middle of a corn field.
Imagine... calling a friend and going out to lunch. Civilization!

Voice Mail
Once upon a time... real people answered the phone. If unavailable a secretary, receptionist, or operator answered your call. When you returned to your desk a pile of  "while you were out" messages were waiting. One can still experience this archaic ritual when calling a corporate honcho.  But dial an ordinary Joe and you must "speak after the tone".

Desktop Computers

In my opinion the most revolutionary thing about these monsters was that you could quickly and constantly make changes. When not constrained by "White Out" or carbon paper or the mimeograph - revisions could be endless.

Green Workplace
NOTHING was better than working against a deadline AND smoking a cigarette at YOUR DESK. I'm all for recycling. But why force our tobacco addicted peers to shiver by the loading dock in sub zero temperatures?

Since breaking out of the corporate construct -
I can proudly say that I use technology to help rather than control me.

So dear working friends...

Do not assume I will read your e-mail within 10 seconds of receipt.
I check my messages several times a day.

Do not expect to get an immediate response.
I now stop and think before I type.

Do not expect me to "step out" and take your call.
I must be doing something important (to me).

Do expect me to respect and value every contact.

If you took the time to reach out it must be important (to you).

THEY'RE HERE!

Anticipation...
As a kid there was nothing more exciting than preparations for "company".
Mother spent hours deciding on the perfect menu.
And days fussing over the table to make sure it was "just right".

Our holidays were especially filled with anticipation.
Ethel would make plans with my Aunt Millie for weeks in advance.
Thanksgiving and New Years Day were our holidays.
Christmas was always at Aunt Millie and Uncle Fred's.
And for me that was exciting for many reasons.

Top of my list was
SODA!
Something we NEVER
had at our house -
NEVER!
Aunt Millie kept boxes upon boxes
of ice cold Shoprite soda
on her enclosed front porch.
All day long I could go out
and pick any flavor I wanted -
including my favorite
DARK BLACK CHERRY!

The next best reason was
BIRTHDAY CAKE!
After all Christmas is Jesus' birthday. So every year we lit the candles and sang to our Lord & God. As my cousin Janet and I got older - we rolled our eyes during this tradition. But... we still ate that cake!

And then there was the
RITUAL OF THE GRAVY!
Millie was the polar opposite of Ethel. Mom wanted it done NOW! Millie felt it must be done "correctly". Wondra flour was sifted into milk then "drizzled" into the pan. Then stirred slowly with the back of a spoon so that there would be no lumps. Every year Ethel paced back/forth as the spoon moved methodically back/forth. It took every ounce of self control for Mother to not grab that spoon!

Finally and best was watching
TELEVISION!
Uncle Fred always had the football game on. This was absolutely prohibited in our home. Mother GLARED at him all day while "Fritzl" blithely ignored her. Uncle Fred adored Cher - and if she was on air we watched!  My vivid memory is of the "girls" sitting side-by-side on the sofa whispering "tramp" and "hussy".

It's funny how little things end up being big memories. 

Build it and they will come

I HATE CHRISTMAS TREES!

For years I avoided erecting
these balsam towers. Many a
Christmas was celebrated in
Williamsburg at my parent's
fully decked home.
More recently, Frank went to
Montana at least a week prior.
Meaning a glowing fir arose in
our Lewistown living room
BEFORE my arrival.

I'm not sure where my allergy to evergreens actually started.
In my younger days nothing made me happier than putting up the tree!
I planned, fussed, arranged, fluffed, rearranged, and swagged to the max!

Drop it... now!
A struggling student, I purchased a
"fresh" tree for $5 at a discount lot.
While vacuuming in preparation
for my first tree trimming party -
I gently tapped the tree stand.
ALL of the needles fell off!
With guests arriving shortly I rushed
out and purchased a tiny tree from
the reputable neighborhood lot.
Fortunately it was "pot luck" so
there was plenty of food/drink for all!

Out of the mouth of babes...
My oldest daughter was 21 months old for her second Christmas.  That morning her Mother carried her down the stairs as I cried "HO-HO-HO" from behind the tree. Filled with joyful anticipation we sat Elizabeth down in front of her artfully arranged (and color coordinated) gifts. Her response? A cacophony of screaming sobs! We finally realized that all she wanted was a bowl of cereal in the safety of her high chair.  An hour later Liz happily opened her presents.

Courtesy of www.mnprairieroots.files.wordpress.com

Where's Martha?
Fiscal challenges did not defer decor! Out of a job - I festooned with fresh garland crafted from cuttings found in the trash. On Christmas Eve I grabbed a free tree after the lot closed. Imagine merrily decorating it at 2 am?!
Oh to be young again.

I get very melancholy thinking about Christmas past.

I don't miss the multiple trees, wreaths on every window, sugar dipped fruit, roaring fires, or bowls of shiny red apples. All of that was truly a fantasy. 

Like a character in an old movie 

I did everything possible to create the perfect holiday. 

But decor wasn't enough...

Barbara Stanwyck - Christmas In Connecticut - 1945

Like many - some of my hardest times have been spent during the holidays.

Furtive gatherings seemed to bring out the worst in my fractured family.

Sadly many a Christmas was filled with anger and heartache on all sides.

These events made all the accoutrements become symbols of sadness.

Wake up Ebenezer!

A Christmas Carol - 1938

With Frank's help I've worked my way out of holiday purgatory. My only remaining piece of Christmas baggage is an aversion to tree trimming. However yesterday we decorated our tree TOGETHER. And as with any work in progress.. it was not perfect. But I'll get there... promise!

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Do you hear what I hear?
Saturday evening we attended a musical soire supporting our local Art Center.

Founded in the mid 70's by a group of area artists -
The Lewistown Art Center nurtures local artistic endeavors and education.

http://www.lewistownartcenter.org/

OK... plug over... now back to the evening... 
All of the musical performers were local.

Standing in front of an audience of your peers must be daunting.

Some were decent - others amazing - all were 100% engaging!

But for the audience a live performance is thrilling no matter the output.

That's because you never know what to expect.

Living in Lewistown is sort of like being in that audience.

Believe it or not... there's usually something new and different to see.

The organizers of this evening expected about 150 people at most.
MORE THAN DOUBLE ATTENDED.

Jack's Hangar - Lewistown MT - Photos courtesy of  www.oldcarsweekly.com

Jack's Hangar

The musical event was held in a hangar at our local airport.
This wonderful venue was built by local business owner Jack Morgenstern.
Rather than keep it purely utilitarian - the interior is just plane fun.

A collector of antique
automobiles and trucks -
Jack resurrected the
enamel facade from
the old Standard Gas
station that once stood
downtown on the
corner of Main & First.

Not to be outdone -
his wife installed her
own retro malt shop
called "Annie's Fizz Bizz".
Nothing takes you back
to better times like
sitting in a vinyl booth
eating a hot fudge sundae.

What is most amazing
is that Jack and Annie host many local charitable events at their hangar -
GRATIS.

Lewistown Band - Lewistown MT - 1910s - Courtesy Montana Memory Project - Lewistown Library

Music has always been an important part of life in Lewistown.
From the start residents performed wherever - whenever they could!
Solo, or together in bands, orchestras, choirs, chorales, etc.

Judith Theater - Lewistown MT - Courtesy Montana Memory Project

In those days there were
plenty of places to do so -
The Culver Opera House,
Three theaters including
The Judith (pictured left),
a plethora of Fraternal Club
stages, plus local
school auditoriums.

Sadly most of those venues are gone or converted into apartments.
However that doesn't stop our local musicians from performing!

Aluminum Room Lewistown courtesy www.charliebigsky.wordpress.com

The Aluminum Room

  

Every Wednesday evening -

all summer long -
weather permitting- 

a group of local musicians 

perform for free 

on the Main Street 

sidewalk in an 

aluminum clad alcove.

Courtesy www.8moremiles.blogspot.com 

Conveniently located next to
The Montana Tavern - 

you can grab a beer 

and listen to the music 

under the stars.
Or if you prefer you can
fish while you drink!
Big Spring Creek
one of Montana's
best trout streams
runs under the tavern.
Just open up the hatch
in the floor
and drop your line!

NPR visits The Montana Tavern!

Now... back to our program...

Dave Rummans put together
the program and performers.
Another local who left town
and CAME BACK -
Dave is a passionate
advocate for all things
musical AND Lewistown.

You see - just doing something, anything in Lewistown makes a difference.

That's the beauty of a small town. Almost any effort has big impact!

What would Lewistown be like without people like Dave?

A note to my dear readers...

We all learned last week what an awful place this world can be.

Many have written amazing and moving commentary on that sad event.

This blog is purposefully "light" so I've opted to continue in that vein.

Hoping that positive words and thoughts can change the reality we live in.

7th Day Surprise - Overload

And I thought I had a lot of baggage...

Often watching somebody else navigate life makes your lot seem better.

Not only is it humbling... it just puts everything in perspective.

Reality is the "new black".  Try it.

Anyone can whistle

Except me.
No matter how hard I try it is a daunting skill I cannot master. Genetic?
Today's blog is NOT about Lewistown.  Rather it's all about me.
As I ease into my new daily rhythm, I'm realizing that I am a piece of work!

"what's hard is simple - 
what's natural comes hard".

Hear Lee Remick sing Sondheim

I'm trying to be less anal.
I'm trying to relax.
I'm trying to let go of all the fuss.
But...
How do I redefine laid back for me?
How simple do I really want to it to be?
How relaxed is relaxed vs. comatose?

Lewistown is teaching me to put
everything in perspective. Leading
to the realization that the majority
of what I focused on everyday -

DID NOT MATTER 
TO MOST PEOPLE.

The harsh fact is that the world
was not going to change for the
better just because we ran a
successful sale over the weekend.
Nor was the new color for Spring
ever going to cure cancer.

So... 

what does this really mean?

Specifically how will 

this philosophical journey 

impact my future? 

Frankly I have no idea.

And fortunately I may not have to worry too much longer.

On the 21st the Mayan calendar ends and supposedly so does our world. That would make this so much easier wouldn't it?
My dear friend "G" knows about all about this cosmic stuff. Her advice?
"Don't freak out".  

Thom Browne - Spring 2012 Collection

To be clear.
It's time to put everything in context.
And let me reassure
all of my dear and concerned friends.
I am in no rush 
to figure this out.  

Rather -
for the first time in my life
I'm going to let it happen naturally
and in it's own time.

And to make things clear -
I have NO intention of becoming a missionary or abuse counselor.

I simply want to do something that means something.

Am I jaded or does the above statement seem either incredibly naive?

Honestly I have no idea how I will achieve the new "zen". 

Maybe I'll visit my grand daughter.

Maybe I'll redecorate.
Maybe I'll call Doris on a more regular basis.
Or... maybe I'll accept a fabulous new job.

Guess we'll all just have to wait and see what happens.

Nick Conley

Is that somewhere to the left?

Saul Steinberg 1976 * The New Yorker

New Yorkers are notorious for being geographically challenged.
My Mother asked me the above when told that I was relocating
to Chicago. As this famous cartoon demonstrates - native born
denizens of Manhattan have a rather myopic view of our country. 

However I've learned that as soon as I mention Montana -
almost every New Yorker's eyes light up.

Apparently that is because for some odd reason they think

Montana is a modern day Beulah Land.  

Yes - it is a paradise where protected buffalo, deer and antelope still roam.
But the fact is that there are not a lot of people in Montana.
Here are some further facts to support that point.

Montana
is the fourth largest state (geographically).

Following
Alaska, Texas,
and California

Montana 
is the third 
least densely populated. 

Following
Wyoming and Alaska.

New Jersey
is the most
densely populated
state averaging
1,189 
people per square mile

Montana averages
6.8 
people per square mile.

Montana 

ranks 38th in 

median income.

$70,004 puts Maryland at 1.

$67,825 ranks Alaska as 2.

$44,222 places Montana at 38.

$36,919 puts Mississippi at 50.

All seems to indicate that there is not a lot money or people in Montana.

Where did they all go?

At one point Butte, Montana
was the most affluent city in America. "The Rich Hill" yielded copper, gold, and silver worth $48 Billion.
Only three "Copper Kings" put most of that into their pockets.

Senator William A. Clark (right center, not a relation) was the biggest and most crooked. In 1895 he left Montana for New York and rarely came back. His daughter Huguette (far right) was born in Paris but lived her
entire life in Manhattan.

Initially Huguette was raised
in the massive Clark Mansion
at Fifth & 77th Street. After her
father's death she moved into
a 42 room apartment
at 907 Fifth (corner 72nd Street).
Subsequently living as a recluse
for the balance of her life.
Huguette's last years were spent
in a private suite at Beth Israel Hospital.
She died there alone
two weeks shy of her 105th birthday.

It's doubtful that Huguette ever visited Montana.

It's even more improbable that she spent any money in Montana during her lifetime. In the end she left an estate of valued at over $300 Million, the 2 floor apartment, a hacienda in Santa Barbara, a Connecticut chateau, a Degas, and a legacy of isolation and loneliness.

Oh... and she also left behind
this 9 carat pink diamond ring.
It had been sitting in a safety deposit box since the forties.
This trinket broke all records when it auctioned for
$15.7 milliion
at Christie's New York.

Apparently Huguette was one of the few New Yorkers
who did not have a secret desire to live in Big Sky Country.
Would she have been happier in Montana than New York?

But... where does one dine?

Off the menu
I'm blessed to have many friends who reside beyond Lewistown city limits.
Most of these exotic hot house hybrids call the isle of Manhattan home.
Therefore their perception of the world at large is often slightly warped.

Yesterday a tres soigne New Yorker asked me the above question.
She seemed truly interested in the culinary customs of our locals.
I doubt she would have been surprised had I responded -
"We hunt it down then cook it up right fine".

Calvert Hotel Dining Room - 1950s - Lewistown MT - Courtesy Montana Memory Project - Lewistown Library

Well I'm glad to reassure all of my fellow bon vivants and gourmands.
The fact is Lewistown has several great restaurants to choose from.
Following is my short list of what I consider "must do's".

Courtesy www.freeimagefinder.com

The Mint
113 4th Avenue South
406-535-9925

18 years ago when I first visited Lewistown, The Mint was empty. Shortly thereafter two Bozeman chefs transformed it into the best dining establishment in Lewistown.

Two words describe their mantra - QUALITY and CONSISTENCY.
Quite frankly I have NEVER had a bad meal there.
Something I can't say that about many a lauded New York establishment

The Mint's Menu is simple and elegant.
Every night choose from at least 5-6 fish specials.
Or opt for menu favorites like Chicken with artichokes.
I think their pork ribs are among the best I've ever enjoyed.
Hand rubbed and roasted - so yummy I prefer my sauce on the side.
And the Creme caramel... no wonder my jeans are tight!

Courtesy www.thecalverthotel.com

The Onyx
216 7th Avenue South
406-535-5415

Sometimes it takes someone from out of town
to help us see what Lewistown really has to offer.
In 2007 Minnesotan Steve Duffy drove through and found The Calvert Hotel.
Built in 1912 as a girl's dormitory for the high school -
it operated intermittently as a hotel and restaurant (see above) since the 1920s.
Steve invested a lot of love (and over $1M)
to transform The Calvert into the lovely hostelry it is today.

Downstairs is the Onyx Bar & Grill.
The menu is what you would expect for a quality restaurant in Montana.
Steaks, seafood, pastas, etc. But the wine celler is what sets the Onyx apart.
Focused on Californian and Washington vino... the names are impressive.
Caymus, Opus 1, Rubicon, Stags Leap, Silver Oak, Leonetti, Betz & more.
If you want to spend $500 for a bottle of wine in Lewistown, Montana -
this is the place to do it.

Courtesy of http://okyay4.com

Main Street Bistro
122 W. Main Street
406-538-3666

Dave Pallett was a local boy who loved to cook. He left town to study/work with the best chefs in California. Happens a lot - our best often move on. But this time DAVE CAME BACK.

Since 1997 Dave has been serving Cordon Bleu cuisine at local prices.
All from a humble store front that used to be the Snow White Cafe.
Experience a menu inspired by the golden age of "California Cuisine".
From Napa Cabbage Oriental Salad, to the vegetarian Grilled Portobello Sandwish. And be sure to end it all with the best Bread Pudding EVER.
Dave personally prepares it all everyday.
Next time you're in town stop by and dine with Dave!

Courtesy of lizsblahblahblog.blogspot.com

The Empire Cafe
214 W. Main Street
406-538-9912

Sometimes you just want a home cooked meal.  If you don't want to have to cook it yourself - The Empire Cafe is your spot.
Where else can you get
- 2 pork chops
- Choice of tater
- Side of Veggies
- Soup or salad
- Dessert
- Coffee or Tea
ALL for JUST $6.99

Decor is not why you frequent The Empire.
IT AINT PRETTY.
But if you want to journey to your childhood and the heartland.
IT WILL WARM YOUR SOUL.
And where else can you dine with the real people
who have inspired every Mickey Rourke/Willie Nelson movie ever made?
ALL FOR JUST $6.99.

I hope this culinary journey has been helpful.
The establishments featured are just a few of our local options.
One thing you won't find here is an endless string of CHAIN restaurants.
So... next time take a detour and dine in Lewistown.
We're ready to serve you!

Palais Royale 1917 - Lewistown Montana - Courtesy Montana Memory Project - Lewistown Library