A New Greek in Tacoma!

Flew to Tacoma with my son Don, in honor of a new Greek in our family, a new Greek in Tacoma, Washington!

Thanks to Kelly and Chris Rosati we flew north for the christening at St Nicholas Greek Church of their son, my grand nephew, Leo Rosati!  It was a week of fantastic ceremonialism, many family parties, lots of cousin-bonding, and a Greek Festival that brought my thoughts back to Athens 2004.

Ah, and the dancing of Clara and Anna, and the dancing feet of our little Leo along with the super music straight from Greece gave everyone such good energy.

Greek music was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of Athens 2004. Greek music, deep music, powerful music that makes everyone want to dance. Add...a full moon above our heads...the Acropolis shining brightly high up on the hill, and dancing on that ancient ground (with laughter at our mistakes)...dancing with the world.

Laguna Beach's Oldest Lifeguard Vet, Johnny Garau

During my workouts at the YMCA a few years back, I heard this "Legend of Laguna", Johnny Garau, talking story about the Olympics in Barcelona.  The topic of the Olympics is automatically a cue for me to join in the conversation. Many stories followed before Johnny 'caught the last boat', August 23, 2013. He was ready.  He was ready.

ALOHA JOHNNY, now we'll keep our eyes open for your sailboat, O'Johnny, in the Dana Point Harbor.

Such a character! Such a surfer! Such a history!

Johnny was named after his dad, Aurelio, when he was born in 1925.  He was brought up and lived most of his life in Laguna Beach.  He also lived on his boat in the Dana Point Harbor for 35 years.  Up until last week he was Laguna Beach's oldest living lifeguard vet. Many locals smile when they recall meeting him and how, at one time, he swam or surfed to work! Yup, he kept his boat out in the ocean, not far from Thalia Street Beach in the old days. He would dive off his boat in the morning and surf to the beach.

When he was a kid out on the family ranch, he liked his tree house and liked to swing from the trees just like his idol, Tarzan, Johnny Weismuller.  Johnny Weismuller, recipient of five gold medals in swimming during Olympic Games in the 1920's.  Johnny Garau had lots of names. Aurelio, Frenchy, Uncle and Junior were a few. He liked the name "Johnny" best because of Weismuller and it stuck.  His parents asked him what he would like for his First Communion present when he was seven years old. He told them he wanted to see the Tarzan movie.  After they took him for pie at Knott's Berry Farm, they all went to see the movie Tarzan the Ape.

His dad, who became a father late in life, was his first teacher along with his very proper mom and the German Dominican nuns at St Catherine's Military Academy. There were many rules for him while growing up and this is what gave him a strong foundation which enabled him, I believe, to fly so high in life. Again, such a character!

His dad had an exciting life. He went hunting in North Aftica while in the military 'as a kid', worked in a mine and later worked in the restaurant and catering business. He catered for dignitaries and eventually Queen Victoria's Funeral. He moved to the east coast of the USA, worked at world fairs and went hunting with Teddy Roosevelt. Later moved to California and among many things, owned the Cotton Club in Los Angeles and Victor Hugo's, now Las Brisas, in Laguna Beach.  His dad was friends with several of the first Hollywood movie stars including Mary Pickford, as well as the opera singer, Caruso and the musician Cab Calloway. His mom spoke four languages. She came from the Blanchard Family who ran wagon trains, some of them from Canada, during the pioneering days. One of the wagon train stops was Las Vegas, New Mexico where Johnny's mother was raised. She was born in Texas. There is great history from both sides of his grandparents as well.

He often spoke of the afterlife...
was more than ready...
for those Olympic sized...
waves in the sky.

Aloha Johnny.

We are all one
in one Great Spirit.

(to be continued)

Great Olympic Fan, Eleanor Weems, World War II Pilot Flying Higher

This incredibly awesome woman, my 'California Mum', is one of the reasons I am writing this blog. It has been Eleanor's great enthusiasm for the entire Olympic movement that first got me interested in the games during the summer my sister and I lived with her family many years ago.

Her daughter, Frances, phoned me Friday to tell me her mom, (96 years old), was not responding.

Could do nothing else but head to be with her in Newport Beach, California.

After being by her side through the night last night, breathing with her, Fran and I went a few blocks away to 8:00 A.M. Sunday Mass at the little chapel on Balboa Island.

At 8:35 A.M. this morning, exactly when we were receiving Holy Communion, Eleanor left her earthly body. In her time...in His time.

Our World War II pilot passed beyond the clouds she once flew in.

She's now flying higher...stronger.

Olympics and Obama's Personal Speech on Race

Obama's speeches have been so inclusive, always from the people's perspective.
But this July of 2013 he spoke for himself about a personal topic and encouraged all of us to do so.

Here are a few of my many personal thoughts at random:

• Brought up by the most inclusive person I've ever known, my dad.
• Studied in a Liberal Arts College, Chestnut Hill, where many were advocates of the poor.
• Graduated, taught in California, worked and traveled freely around Europe and the Middle East.
• Taught and traveled for a few years in Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Taiwan.
• Was not allowed to enter some places in Asia where signs were posted, "No Whites Allowed".
• Heard from many Asians who had greater fears of blacks than any other country I'd been in.
• After several years in that part of the world went directly to work in Mexico City during the Olympic Games. Entered the Athlete's Olympic Village where everyone, for the most part, had manners.  Then was shocked at my own embarrassment as my friends pointed out the rudeness of Team USA's blacks inside the Athlete's Village. Tried to defend them by reminding my co-workers that there's a large range of types in every culture. Then after several times inside the village saw so much of it that I too had some personal negative thoughts. Perhaps having been around the 'ever so polite' Japanese where etiquette is a priority gave even more contrast.
• Obama as a young boy, for a couple of years in Asia...how difficult it must have been for him.

Then there was my year in Rio de Janeiro, where three million gathered a day ago for the Pope Francis.
Rio, where smiles and sidewalks, music and dancing, beaches and volleyball, white people and black people...blend.

Just as Obama said, talking about it will help many to understand. It can bring the inside out and clear the air. We often feel great after a good wringing out, aye?  And we all know that understanding and tolerating and sometimes celebrating differences can and will bring...
a more peaceful world,
a more peaceful country,
and a more peaceful home.

To Be or Not to Be, That is the Question

After my front desk duty at the Community/Senior Center
this afternoon went to a great Shakespeare/Musical
Production at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach.



Somehow my mind drifted to things 'to be' or 'not to be', archives, then paper...yup PAPER. 
Which will be around in long term future? Digital images or hard copies!? Archival paper is not the norm. Digital copies might be difficult to retrieve with the future of changing technologies. Which is better for thousands who work on family history, family journals and story telling.  The Dead Sea Scrolls survived, will digital? A question that many have.

Well here is a bit of an example of a hard copy. 
Notice the name "Carole Cadora" disappearing.
No doubt, like most, this is not archival paper.

IBC, International Broadcasting Center!

Sochi 2014 and Olympin!

Returned to the West Coast after attending a festive reunion with so many awesome classmates from Chestnut Hill College, in Chestnut Hill, Pa.  (So enjoyed Kathy Heidere, a classmate, who went to the Montreal 1976 games. We had a good chuckle about bumping into each other in Canada.  Such a buzz.) Among the pile of mail upon my return was a package from Olympin in New York.

The pin for Sochi 2014 was enclosed and had no Olympic rings!

Pimco, who once gave the license to the club, was no longer in charge of producing Olympic pins. Hmmm, nothing more permanent than change, aye? Now wondering about the new pin licenses. Many Russians, traditionally, had "pin fever". It will be interesting.  It seemed many more Russians than usual attended the 76 games...most likely because Moscow 1980 was to be next on the 'game plan'.

A Putin quote opens the Sochi Website:

"We are determined to organize a real celebration in 2014, a festival of sport, deserving of its unique mission: to unite people around the world with really significant values - a healthy lifestyle, tolerance and equality."

Household Projects Have Been Ongoing

Household projects are leading me to some fun Olympic visuals.

An example of an Olympic Certificate. I received this

after working for the AOB, Atlanta Olympic Broadcasting

 during the Centennial Olympic Games.  The two names in

the lower corners are Juan Antonio Samaranch and William 

Porter Payne.

Inauguration Day Parade, Washington DC

Crowded events keep many people away.  Occasionally they even keep me away.

Many years ago in between living in Asia and Brazil, I was home in the USA helping my dad and mom in our family business.  1969 was the busiest year my dad ever had.  When the inauguration day arrived that "excitement inner clock" of mine went off at 4:00, 4:00 AM.  This time the thought of a crowded event did not keep me away.  Quite like the Olympic crowd!

My parents were sleeping and although I wanted to wake them and ask them if they wanted to drive to Washington DC, I knew they were exhausted and opted to write them a note that went something like this: "Mom and Dad, I happened to wake up very early and have decided to drive to DC to join in on the historical inauguration event.  I will phone you later."

I arrived in DC and found a great parking space close to where the parade was forming. Soon after I exited my car, dressed neatly in one of my spiffy hand tailored Hong Kong suits I walked by a few of the floats that were ready to roll. The driver of the Florida float chatted with me and explained that the girl that was to ride with him could not make it.  

Yup, you guessed what he asked me next..."Would you like to ride in the parade?"

Naturally I answered YES!  And soon found myself waving to thousands.

It is such a fun world...and THAT was SUCH a fun day!

The Profound Power of THE Flame

Just what is it about the power of a flame?

The last thing I emptied from my car prior to heading to help salvage some family history and some of my own history in NJ was to place the bonfire wood I got from Bill Holder out for neighborhood grabs.
Was planning to have a bonfire on the beach in November 2012 but because nothing is more permanent than change, had to give up that little stash of kindling.  Just love bonfires and once in while driving home by Aliso Beach in the evening we will just stop and enjoy the sight of bright fires on a dark night with the the melody of the ocean in the background. Mm mm good!

As a kid, candles lit on our dining room table and made our meals so ceremonial! Candles across Atlantic Avenue at Saint James Church made our prayer time more sacred.  Fires in our "6404" fireplace made our cold winter nights warm and cozy.  Lit candles on our birthday cakes always made us a bit breathless just as fire works did on the 4th of July.  ( For my kids, Don and Marion, occasionally I would light a candle for small meals, even if we were only having a tuna fish sandwich!)

The seven day candles in Old Serra Chapel in San Juan Capistrano made our family have hope in hard times and allowed us to give others hope by lighting a special candle for them. The iron workers out on the Mission grounds made useful tools with their fire, just as the Mission's ovens modeled from Spain's 13th century ovens were used making Capistrano the place where technology began in California.

Whether it be at the Kris Kringle night time markets of Europe, the fire dancers of the South Pacific or the flames that attract fish to the fishing boats in Asia, the warm candlelight of Chestnut Hill College's chapel, fire, when used for good, makes us feel incredibly good.

Whether it be the huge torches along the night beaches of Waikiki or simply a tiny tea candle in a jam jar hanging from a tree or placed by a flower in the center of the table during evening cocktail time, fire can make a serene lovely night lovelier.

But just what is it about the magnificently PROFOUND POWER OF THE OLYMPIC FLAME...

Montreal 1976 Olympic Flame

There is not one person that I know that has not been profoundly moved by the Olympic Flame.