Earthquake

Was napping early this afternoon, and when I got up, the Internet was abuzz with news of a 5.9 earthquake centered in Virginia, between DC and Richmond, and apparently felt by many here in Cincinnati, though not by me.

Apparently, the ground around my house must have some shock-absorbing sponginess about it, because this quake did not, as you can see, even knock the Charmin off the edge, even though it was perched precariously on the edge of the table. Nor was my collection of bobbleheads disturbed. Everything in the pictures is in exactly the same position it was in last night. Also, Pixel, my cat, who was inside at the time, did not seem to notice anything amiss.

Reading others' description of the quake made me feel a little like Monty Python's Ralph Melish (link to YouTube is audio only):
"June the 4th, 1973, was much like any other summer's day in Peterborough, and Ralph Melish, a file clerk at an insurance company, was on his way to work as usual when... (da dum!) Nothing happened! (dum dum da dum)"

I'm certainly not complaining about missing this event, mind you. After some flood damage to carpets in my house earlier this year, I could certainly do without an earthquake. ;-)

Bacchanal Steel Band at Colerain Park

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School has started in many districts in the Cincinnati area, but summer isn't quite over yet. Friday night featured another great concert thanks to the great folks of Colerain Township, this time featuring the Bacchanal Steel Band. Wonderful summer music for a beautiful summer night!

G Miles and the Hitmen at Greenhills CotC

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Greenhills Concert on the Commons' winning streak with the weather continues -- another gorgeous night! This concert featured a great blues band, G. Miles & the Hitmen.

And for Tony and I, a blast from the past; a surprise visit from Dick Hagerman, a Waycross volunteer from way back. I don't think either Tony or I had seen Dick since Bill Clinton was President.

Dick Hagerman sighting

I was going to take a whole bunch of pictures, but I was almost to the Commons tonight when I realized I had left my Canon at home, and there wasn't time to go home and get it. Oh well. I made do with the camera on my smartphone, which seems to suffice, though it requires work in Photoshop Lightroom to get them to look halfway decent. So if some of these pictures are a little fuzzy, or the color is off, or there are noise bands, that's why. ;-)

Cry Havoc!! And Let Slip the Dogs of War!!

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Shakespeare in the Park came Sunday evening with a traditional staging of Julius Caesar (though some of the traditionally male roles were played by women, this was not the gender-reversed version of the play that the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company staged back in April). Just as the show was about to start on the lawn of the Harry Whiting Brown Community Center, a rainstorm came through sending players and audience scurrying into the nearby Scouthouse, where the play was ultimately staged. Of course, by the time the players were finished setting up inside, the storm had passed, and the skies were clearing. But the show went on inside, where, in my opinion, the audience was better able to hear the actors, without being drowned out occasionally by passing trains. :-)

All in all, a most enjoyable evening of Shakespearean theater.

A Taste of Colerain with a concert by Naked Karate Girls

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The Naked Karate Girls rocked the Colerain Twp. Admin. Complex again for an appreciative crowd at A Taste of Colerain (an encore or sorts of their concert on the Fourth of July). Again, absolutely beautiful weather (which alas, won't last -- it's supposed to rain and storm Saturday and Sunday). Not to mention the great food available; I forget the name of the restaurant whose booth I got it from, but a delicious chicken tenderlion sandwich w/lettuce and tomato. :-)

Magnolia Mountain

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Gorgeous weather for the Greenhills Concert on the Commons. This week featured Magnolia Mountain, a band that describes itself as "Americana" and seems to be a mix of rock, country, bluegrass and folk, or what Tony called simply "Mountain Music." A sample of the concert is here. Really, they were quite good, and the concert was graced with one of the most gorgeous sunsets I've ever seen at a Concert on the Commons.

Next Concert on the Commons: next Wednesday, featuring blues band G.Miles & the Hitmen.

Connie Pillich on Columbus Report

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Ohio Representative Connie Pillich (D, District 28) came by Waycross Community Media Studio's Columbus Report Monday night for a chat on various subjects of interest to Ohioans, including the state's budget, election laws, redistricting and other sundry subjects. She also mentioned that she will not be running for reelection to her seat in the state legislature; instead, she will be running for U.S. Congress, likely in the 1st District, a seat now held by Republican Steve Chabot. I say likely -- nobody really knows what the district maps are going to look like, what with Ohio losing two seats in Congress. We'll see...

Smooth Jazz in the Park Festival 2011

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The 10th Annual Smooth Jazz in the Park was held on a hot Saturday night in August. The weather people were warning that there may be thundershowers and such in the area, but they fortunately never materialized. So an excellent Jazz concert was held featuring an excellent group from Columbus, by the name of fo/mo/deep. Unfortunately, I didn't catch their explanation of the group's name. But it was great music, whatever they call themselves.

VRN 2011

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The 2011 VRN (Volunteer Recognition Night) for Waycross Community Media volunteers took place tonight at the Forest Park Senior Center. A lot of wonderful awards given out, including Jason's fifth straight Volunteer of the Year, and a national Hometown Video Award (pictured at right) given to Waycross volunteers for our coverage of last year's Smooth Jazz in the Park (congratulations, everybody!). In addition, I was recognized with a "longevity" award, in recognition of my volunteering for 20 years now. This award came with a Skyline Chili gift card and two tickets to a Reds game. Not a bad haul. Now if the Reds would just get in gear...

MU Steel Band returns to Concert on the Commons

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The Miami University Steel Band returned to Greenhills Concert on the Commons for another great concert. And the weather, for once, wasn't near as hot, and besides the A/C in the Waycross production truck worked! (knock wood...)

A party for Tony's birthday

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A fun time was had at Casa hugh57, celebrating Tony's birthday. Steaks (with hot dogs for the kids) were grilled, followed by pumpkin and/or apple pie with ice cream.

Didn't get too many pictures (somewhat busy on the grill cooking steaks), but what I did get, here they are. :-)