The Boys of Summer

It's HOT and HUMID this week in Maine. My heart goes out to all the little leaguers who are clothed in unbreathable polyester playing in the Senior League World Series here in Bangor. It's an odd place to hold a world playoffs - there are teams from across America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. I went to the field with my photog friend Shane Sunday morning to do some research for a little story I'm writing.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Bangor West Little League team winning the state title. To mark the occasion, a hearty breakfast and dedication ceremony took place at the Shawn T. Mansfield stadium in Bangor. For those of you who aren't familiar with this lovely baseball diamond, it was built in 1990 with funds from Stephen King -- the best-selling horror writer who lives in the area and whose son, Owen, played on the 1989 team.

In doing my research I found a nice article in the Boston Herald about the team and how they ended up in a Stephen King short story. It's a small-town American story about a rag-tag team of boys who did something uplifting for their community. Sort of like those cheesy sports movies like "The Mighty Ducks" but this one is true. Check it out for yourself!

Photo by the Bangor Daily News

What Mimi Saw: Colbert Report

I love the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. I love it more when it hits home. Below is a clip from "Better Know a District" featuring Maine District #1 and Chellie Pingree. The knitting thing is so funny I made a fool of myself cackling at work...alone. I'm having trouble embedding the video onto the blog...some html is broken...but click on the link below and watch it. You won't be sorry...

Chellie Pingree on The Colbert Report...

What Mimi Heard: Wind Turbines

Ok, so I didn't really hear wind turbines in person...but I did listen to my friend Anne Ravana's radio story on MPBN about a family in Mars Hill who is being affected greatly by the wind turbines built in their backyard.

You can read the story here, or listen to the link. I suggest listening to it because the main interviewee, Wendy Todd, gets quite emotional. You can't help but feel for her.

I think wind power is a great idea. So did Wendy Todd before she lived near them. I never thought about the flickering of light from the turbine or the noise that accompanies it. I believe her when she says it gets under her skin and drives her crazy. And the fact that it has lowered her property values so much that she doesn't think she could sell her house is stressful. Take a listen and see what you think...

The Maine Switch takes a break

For those of you Portlanders who read this blog (all 2 of you...) you should know that The Maine Switch is going on hiatus. Some of you might know that I worked for MaineToday/Portland Press Herald for all of 12 weeks last summer, being laid off twice in the process. The Maine Switch is their alternative weekly. Well, it was a weekly until my first lay-off, then it was a bi-weekly. Now, a year later, it's taking a siesta.


Here's what editor Karen Beaudoin has to say on the subject:

Let me stress that — hiatus. Your favorite bi-weekly publication has been put on hold with the goal of studying it, changing it and eventually re-introducing it as a product that’s more in line with the needs of Greater Portland and more competitive with the alternative weeklies currently in this market.

We’re aiming to produce an even more engaging, vibrant, useful and entertaining publication. You may look forward to it even more than you have each new issue of Switch.

For the time being, look for selected Switch columnists and some of the regular Switch content to appear in Go, the entertainment guide in the Thursday edition of the Portland Press Herald.

I wonder if they have a planned date of return. Karen and Avery Yale-Kamilla will move to the features department of the PPH -- which is great.

Here's what I liked about Switch:
1. The covers were always great.
2. The columnists really knew what they were talking about.
3. The paper was shiny.
4. They catered to young people like me!

Here's what I didn't like about Switch:
1. The printing wasn't always great -- sometimes the photos looked really bad.
2. There was an overwhelming amount of "healthy" and "vegan" eating in it. I like fat foods and meat.

We'll just have to wait and see what happens. I hope for the best but in this economy and with the sale of the paper, I'm not gonna hold my breath...

Appetizers...for cats

I found this ad for Fancy Feast Appetizers for Cats online.


Do people honestly think their cats care what they are eating? My dog eats the same thing every day and never complains. It's a one course meal. This is ridiculous.

Reading makes me cry sometimes

Have you ever read something that is so well written that you feel like your have sunk your teeth into the smoothest, creamiest, thick lemon pie that you want to die because nothing will ever be that good again?

This is what I am going through reading Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck. I don't know if I was having an emotional day or what but I literally shed a tear due to the sheer beauty of Steinbeck's sentences. There was nothing out of place or missing and every word was doing it's duty.


I picked up this book for a few reasons:

1. I had a coupon.
2. The Grapes of Wrath is one of my all time favorite books.
3. Steinbeck spends a good amount of time in Maine.

I'm already a 1/3 of the way through and I wish it would never end....

BLAH LAZY

In case you haven't noticed, I haven't been reading much lately. I'm TOO busy! Summer is always like this in Maine...especially now that the weather is sort of cooperating for once.

I've had a really stressful few weeks at work that have really gotten me down. I've had problems with coworkers and trouble trying to make everyone happy. Some have insinuated that I don't work very hard. The nerve! In a small company everyone pitches in. Bad attitudes and nasty remarks don't help. It's a stressful job with tight deadlines...an industry I'm used to working in. I don't get stressed out to the point that I have to make my coworkers feel bad to make myself feel better.

With that said I'm trying to deal with several people with very different sensitivities. I'm editing one monthly magazine while trying to get our yearly wedding magazine off the ground at the same time. I'm also trying to increase our web presence by blogging, twittering, and facebooking while taking photos and coming up with story and blog ideas. Oh, yeah, and I also have a life. And a dog to care for. And a lawn that needs constant mowing.

Now is the calm before the next storm. I'm enjoying it and trying hard to get ahead for next month...and the month after. Being organized has always been a knack of mine. So instead of reading I've been jogging, making a quilt for my niece, camping, celebrating the achievements of my friends, and trying to get a good nights sleep.