How often do you think of the Roman Empire?

As I was sitting at a coffee shop with LuLu yesterday I overheard a conversation at a nearby table. They mentioned the recent Tiktok trend where men are asked how often they think about the Roman Empire.  The surprisingly common answer to that inquiry - "a lot/everyday/every other day"

Now according to these people - two men and a woman - this was "probably a lie," designed to woo potential female partners, and that no guy thinks of Rome that often. What woman, other than Mary Beard, would grow faint at such a line wasn't made clear.  Nor am I alleging these were America's best or brightest scholars: one of them said that the only time *he* thought of the Roman Empire was when he was watching a movie about it, "like 300" - which of course is a movie about Greece, not Rome. 

Now a few weeks ago Junie, asked me this very same question, phone in hand, probably to comply with that Tiktok trend.  And my answer was an honest "A few times a day."

I assure you, that wasn't to reel in a lady or because Rome was a "patriarchal,  militaristic society," or any other drivel that haters use to dismiss the answer. My reasoning is simple: Why wouldn't you think of Rome often? 

Not just the Empire, but the Republic that proceeded it, and Byzantium that followed it. The built a society that spanned three continents and lasted 800 years (1800 if you don't exclude the Eastern half of the Empire); not the largest empire in history, true, but no doubt the most influential to modern life. Law, politics, language, construction, you name it, the Romans had a hand in improving it. 

I think of their roads and their cement every time I drive over streets like Logan Avenue in Milwaukee, riddled with so many potholes you think it was target practice for artillery; I think of their language whenever I look up a term of art in the law; I think of their role as conquerors and their willingness to embrace change when I think of Christianity; I think of their art and their architecture and their weapons and their Senators and their Emperors and . . . 

Well, I think of them often. 

And NOT just when I watch "300."

Our Junie

Mitski Listening Party

In celebration of one of his favorite artists, Mitski, releasing a new album "The Land is Inhospitable and So are We," Smiley went to a listening party at Lilliput records, along with Junie and one of her Core Four, Kevin. 

A Seagull in Flight

While the seagull pictures on my Laborfest post were taken by me, Junie took some stunning pictures of her own that day. Here are a few. 

Now

While Junie and her friend continue to . .. whatever this is,  I'm out on a walk with Sawyer . There may or may not be Pokémon involved 

Laborfest 2023

On Labor Day, despite temperatures in the mid-90s Fahrenheit , Junie and I went down to the Summerfest grounds to visit Labor Fest.

Our first activity was to play the musical fountains outside the Summerfest grounds but I did not think of taking a picture of that. That's a shame cuz it was actually a lot of fun. Once inside the festival grounds the heat was pretty darn incredible and the sparse population reflected that. We quickly got  some ice cream - black cherry for me, double chocolate for Junie

We wandered over to the Miller Light stage to listen to a band from the comfort of the severely limited shade available. I felt bad for the musicians as there were only a dozen or so people listening to them, but again that was because of the heat. In fact my ice cream cone melted so quickly, even in the shade, that I wound up having to throw more than half of it away. 

Then we grabbed some free popcorn courtesy of Local 139 and went and sat along the lakefront where a cool breeze and some shade made for some wonderful accommodations.

The seagulls made quite a beautiful sight as well, floating just overhead.

We sat there at the lake for quite a while and I must say I wish I could bottle the perfection I felt in those moments. Afterwards we attempted to go get a slice of pizza for lunch and so bought a prepaid card (no cash was accepted on the grounds but there was a booth where you could exchange cash for a prepaid Mastercard).  Alas it did not work at the restaurant and I didn't give enough F's to go through it all again. 

So I gave the card to Junie to buy herself a new Olivia Rodrigo shirt at Target, where we stopped after the festival (and after a trip to Walmarts pharmacy)

Heat wave be danged, it was a good time and we had fun together. 

40 Years Later

Today is the 40th anniversary of my Little Grandpa's death, and I chose to honor his memory all day. I know that my perception of him is certainly not 100% accurate - after all, what adult presents their whole authentic self to a nine year old? - but the man he showed me is a man that shapes my life right up to the here and now. 

It being a Sunday, I went to Mass (with my mother-in-law today), and said a prayer for him. Then I met YaYa and her boyfriend Alex at the cemetery to pay our respects. YaYa had purchased and brought along a bouquet of flowers at my request. 

I said some prayers over the grave, introduced Alex to his potential future Great-Grandfather in law, and broke up a little bit. 40 years and it still stings. Man. Whodathunkit? 

Tacky it may be, but there's actually a Poke stop/gym at the cemetery, and they spent a minute or two showing me how to use my app. 

From there, I went home for a bit. Then I grabbed Smiley and headed over to a rummage sale run by Alex's parents, more to pay my respects and support them then anything, although I picked up a neat JFK PT boat lapel pin that YaYa had tipped me off too (kudos to me for raising a kid who knows enough history to have picked it out of the group), and a copy of a NY Times from 9/11. 

Later, after Lisa went to work, I dropped Junie off at her friend Lucy's house for a picnic with most of the Core Four.  If I haven't mentioned it, it was a blisteringly hot day (in the 90's) from start to finish, and just moving around was enough to make me thankful for air conditioning. So the idea of a *picnic*  . .  yeah, no thanks. 

Since I was already on the north side I went and refilled the little library at Junie's school 

Then, partly by design, partly by proximity, I moseyed down to the Milwaukee animal shelter where I was introduced to two kitties, a one eyed and very afraid Cleveland, and this fine specimen of canine genetics, all 15 pounds of him lol, ridiculously named Snoopy . . . 

I wanted him. Not gonna lie. But I sent text after text to the family and got no response, even after sitting at the shelter for 45 minutes. So I left. 

And when I got home Lisa texted that I should get him. Naturally. 

Alas, when I called the shelter was closing soon and would not adopt him out, and is closed for Labor Day tomorrow. 

Swell. 

Anyway, about an hour later Junie called for a pickup and I trotted back out. She had a great time, and I greatly enjoyed laughing at her carrying all her picnic stuff back to our car LOL 

So, a pretty varied day, but overall a good one, and (I think) an honorable way to honor Little Grandpa. 

:)

Record Heat and School Cancellations

Both Tuesday and Wednesday of last week (August 22nd-23rd) featured extreme heat by Wisconsin standards; Tuesday we crossed 100 degrees F here in Milwaukee for only the 34th time since records were kept (dating back to 1871). 

In response, Milwaukee Public Schools closed both days. I know folks in Texas and the Deep South probably find this amusing, but up here most schools not only don't feature air conditioning, the windows barely budge. In fact, Junie's school just remodeled to, in part, *remove* the ability to open windows, leaving the school to be cooled only by small vents in each window. 

In 100 degree heat, ya might as well coat the kids in butter and salt and pepper and serve 'em up on a barbeque platter. 

Oh, and it was a WET heat too. Ick. 

[apologies for Junie's language in the text. Not cool, pun intended.]

Junie's 16th Birthday pt 2

After breakfast on Day 2,  everyone on the trip went down to the pool to swim . Unfortunately , the handicapped lift aiding Grandma in getting out of the pool broke,  leaving her stranded in the water . After both staff and the boys failed to get her out , Hotel staff called 911 . 

She was okay and gave all the firefighters hugs and a kiss.

Then the group checked out and went to explore the Mall of America. Lisa and her mom went one way, the kids the other. Junie and the Core Four went to the amusement park inside the mall, to Popeye's for dinner, to Barnes and Noble and countless other stores, and to a mirror maze. 

They were there until 9:00 p.m.

At Build-A-Bear, Lauren and the Core Four chipped in together to buy a sloth, each of them adding a heart to the animal and then naming it with a combination of their own names.

Then it was on to our house, where they arrived around 3:30 in the morning. The last of the guests left in mid-afternoon. By all accounts it was a great birthday. To quote a very happy Junie, "I didn't cry!"  (a first for her birthdays!)