Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Return to Oregon




In early June, Linda, Cary and I went to Oregon, my first trip there since defending my dissertation at the University of Oregon twenty years ago this May.

Linda, Leah, and I flew from Denver, CO, where our children now live--I visited them this past March--to Portland, OR, and drove our rental car to Cannon Beach, famous for Haystack Rock pictured above and in scenes from The Goodies; Kindergarten Cop; and Point Break's conclusion--you can see Haystack and the Needles in the background during a storm.

I loaded a series of photographs from the trip, one that focuses primarily upon places visited, including two trips to the coast, and another series of shots that concentrates in the main on family, including my mother, whom Cary and Leah finally got to visit. They also got to meet their Uncle John and Jeannie (my youngest sister) and their cousins Cary and Sarah, pictured on the left.


I also enjoyed my first visit to the University of Oregon campus in over twenty years, since I defended my dissertation. The campus has changed a great deal; however, some things remain pretty much the same, including the Fish Bowl, scene of John Belushi's famous food fight, pictured on the right, from Animal House. You will recognize the place from the You Tube video.

I enjoyed, too, an excellent Dungeness Crab from the fish market, still in operation, at which I used to buy crabs and other sea delights, especially during the final year of my work at the university.

We also ate at Mo's Restaurants in both Lincoln City and at Florence--see the photograph at the top of this entry. What
fun to enjoy once again Mo's famous clam chowder.

One the way to Florence, Linda, Cary, my mother and I enjoyed a ride along the beautiful Umqua River. This scenic ride also included a visit to Loon Lake, a few miles from the Umqua River and a beautiful area at which Linda and I used to camp and fish.





We will return again to Oregon next spring.





Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Sheriff Carl Goes to Lima!



The Sheriff of Peru is Chosen!


What absolute fun for John--AKA Sheriff Carl--McNorman. As the following videos and images suggest, Peru's Sheriff enjoyed a hell of a time in Lima.

Despite his best efforts as a substitute for Peru's National Soccer Team, however, Peru managed to lose in soccer to Columbia.

But what a rich experience for a good fellow.

John is chosen:


A New Celebrity in Lima:


I add here an interview with Flavio Pantigoso, Creative Director of Y&R Peru, makers of the famous advertisement filmed in Peru, NE, in which I was honored to take part.

I compiled in an earlier posting a list of many links connected with the original visit and the fun-filled events that followed, including my visit just a year ago now to Peru.


Monday, May 7, 2012

PSC 2012 Commencement


Commencement for Peru state College took place on Saturday morning, May 5, and on a stunner of a day.

I posted a few photographs at the Al Wheeler Center and then quite a few after the formal ceremony when everyone gathered on campus for a post-commencement celebration.

As the photographs clearly indicate, everyone enjoyed the sun, company, food, and music, a fitting way to conclude a successful school year.

Congratulations to all the graduates. 
 








Spring 2012 Concert Band and Concert Choir Concert




Last Sunday, April 29, the Concert Choir and School Bands performed for a large end-of-the-season show, and an excellent one.

You can see photographs from the concert on either Flickr (good for downloading favorites) or  on Facebook.

I recorded a couple numbers from each group for your enjoyment.  First, the Concert Choir sings "Choose Something Like a Star," followed by two numbers, "No Mari," featuring Yusheng Li on clarinet, and the ""Take Me To the Water."

Robert Frost Poem:


"No Mark" and "Take Me to the Water":


The College Band also provided the audience with an uplifting and challenging selection of music, beginning with Alfred Reed's "Millennium III" and concluding with "Of Sailors and Whales:  Five Scenes From Melville" by W. Francis Mc. Beth.

You can watch all of "Millennium III" and two Sections, "Queequeg" and "Ahab, from the scenes from Melville's Moby Dick that feature the narration of Josh Young, Director of Theater at Peru State College


Millennium III



Queequeg and Ahab




Friday, May 4, 2012

Peru Visits Peru Again

The Sheriff and I at Cotty's

Crystal Beer, Sponsor of Peru's National Soccer Team

Flavio (top left) and Jorge (bottom left) plus Logan and I

Bill Clemente, Jack Whistler, and Logan Mertz

On Sunday, March 11, Logan Mertz, Jack Whistler, Karl the Sheriff, and I spent eight hours helping film a commercial for Crystal Beer, a popular Peruvian brew that serves as the major sponsor for the Peruvian National Soccer Team.

While 'el equipo inca' has not reached the World Cup for quite a number of years, hopes run high that this team will qualify for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.

So the team generates considerable enthusiasm in Peru, leading the coach of the team
to announce that all Peruvians are members of the team, including, as matters turn out, one of us who took part in that great "documentary" made last March here in Peru, and which has drawn over two million hits and continues to win major awards.


And, of course, the video's sensational popularity resulted in my trip with Logan to Peru this summer sponsored by a popular television station in Lima--the trip got featured on Peruvian television.If you have not seen these videos, just go to the previous links and enjoy the fun.

BILL AND LOGAN IN PERU PART ONE



BILL AND LOGAN IN PERU, PART TWO:





At any rate, we four "characters" featured in the documentary now got invited to join
the Peruvian Soccer Team. 

And the exciting, stunning, and artistically wonderful commercial aired on the night of 4 May. 


Although Sheriff Karl got selected, a superb choice, I will count myself a member of the Peruvian National Soccer Team until El Mago  tells me "no way, causa!!"
As one of my Peruvian friends noted, if I got into better shape, El Mago just might put me on the team as an alternate!




I posted photographs  and a video from the making of the commercial; alas, the battery went dead on the movie camera before we got to all the drinking!




And a couple weeks ago, a television crew came here to film a short one year after the famous video show; just look at my Peru and Peru Appreciation Day blog entry for photographs of that event and follow the links, one of which leads to the fun television spot that drew nearly seven hundred new friends to my Facebook page.

Who knows what will happen next! 


On May 8,  Peruanosenusa Lajuerga posted a new video compiled from many of my photographs from the past year "with" Peru.