Winter Update

Winter Day at Bryant Park

9:54 AM ET, 6:54 AM PT

Hello future self and anyone who might be peeking.

As I am currently crossing into Nebraska from South Dakota on my way to Los Angeles, I'm back in the air with some time to write again. As usual it has been a while.  What's new? Well a good amount I would say.  Work has been busy which is a good thing. I have been traveling quite a bit already this year - I have been to Costa Mesa, CA (where I got to meet up with Smash!), Washington DC (twice), Hershey, PA, and now to Los Angeles.  It's not even March yet!  It almost feels like my days working for Free the Children. Almost.

Anyway, as of the beginning of the year our company has been acquired by another company so there has been a lot of work to do.  I feel good about the acquisition as it should allow for us to expand our product and really help bring added support to students.

As for me, I keep truckin' right now. Things are starting to click with my piano playing (did I tell you I started taking lessons?) .  I am about a year in now and can play many chords and scales if not many songs yet.  Unfortunately, all of this traveling has kept me from the keys and being able to practice.  I have tried using GarageBand on my iPad, but as you can imagine it's not the same.

What else is going on?  Well, the Harlem Shake videos are pretty popular at the moment.  I am a big fan. I wanted to create one with some friends over the weekend but no one was interested.  C'mon man!  You know you are getting old when the prospect of doing something just for the sake of it doesn't sound appealing anymore.  Sure I guess we are busy, but I really don't want to lose contact with that fun and creative part of my brain.  Related thought: I'd like to invest in a good camera and a new personal computer so that I can make stuff (videos, images, websites, etc) on the go just for the fun of it.  Alas, work takes a majority of my time and that equipment is not cheap! I hope future posts have more video/images/side projects attached to them.

I think that's about all I have for the moment.  I have to start thinking about our 10 year reunion.  My goodness. 10 years is a long time, but I can honestly say that the majority of friendships and people that I met during those four years have been the most stand-up group of people I know.  Our class was particularly awesome in that we minded our own business and got our work done.   I am excited to put something together to see everybody. Who wants to help??

Last thoughts before I sign off: 
**The latest Jack White album is incredible (listen to "Take me with you when you go")
**Technology is awesome - possibly as early as this year I will be able to control a computer without a mouse and Google Glass looks sweet
**And I want to see a few more concerts this summer.

That is all.

Mid Journey Mo Bro

As most of you probably don't know, I have embarked upon a journey to full upper lip foliage with a few of my coworkers this Movember.  As is customary, we are doing this to raise awareness and funds to combat prostate cancer.  

Besides reporting on the status of the unpredictable follicle growth, I would also like to take this time to encourage you to contribute even a dollar to the cause.  It may come back and benefit you in ways that you may never realize.  If you are like me, you probably believe in paying it forward and good karma.   Consider this a sure-fire way to earn some of that. 

Now: mustache time.   Click on my MoSpace page to view my progress report. 

A big Thanksgiving Thank you to all of my family and friends for their continued support. 

Best, 

Steve

Movember Journey

Hi Friends,

For the month of Movember, I will be joining a couple coworkers on a gentlemen's journey to a respectable growth of hair on the upper lip and prostate cancer enlightenment. I anticipate a humbling experience.

First fact of the journey is brought to you by the National Cancer Institute:
1. By age 80, more than half of all men have some cancer in their prostate.

Shoot.  That's like betting your all your marbles (pun intended) on black at a roulette table with 00's.  I don't like my odds.

I like to think that my odds of growing a respectable mustache in a month are are a little bit better, though I am already dreading the extremely awkward first couple of weeks.  Thanks for joining me for the mustache ride.  Keep up with it here: http://mobro.co/schragoo

Here grows...

Light the Night - Manhattan 2012

Hello friends,

Every so often a worthwhile cause comes along that I feel is appropriate to share with you and ask for support.  Please consider parting with a coffee and a beer this weekend in exchange for some good karma.

----

As a kid I remember deflecting fears of cancer by proclaiming proudly "I can never get cancer and even if I do, they'll have a cure for it when I'm older".

It was a silly thing to say and in my heart I knew that it was a tall order. It was hope, however, that hijacked my thoughts and made me utter those words. It was much easier than thinking about the alternative.

Years later I still want to believe it, and despite cynicism trying to override that hope, I see that progress has been (and will continue to be) made - thanks in large part to organizations like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

A few reasons why I am supporting the LLS and walking in their Light the Night event:

- Since my childhood (early 1990s) the survival rates of all ages and all types of leukemia have risen from 45% to 57%, thanks in large part to funding and awareness by the LLS.

- In all five blood cancers the LLS works with, the incidence rates are statistically higher in males than females

- My good friend April has worked for the LLS for some time and she works hard and speaks highly of it.

- I have family and friends who have been diagnosed with a blood cancer, It's scary and not fun.  The LLS provides a ton of support materials for families going through a battle against blood cancer.

-  Karma. It feels good to pay it forward.

Please consider donating to this group.  It's as easy as clicking on that red "donate now" button to the right.  

If you need any other reasons, give me a call I'd love to hear from you.

Thank you all, you all rock,

Steve

Notes from 37,000 feet

MCO -> DTW - I should rename this blog to "Thoughts in Transit" because that's always when I seem to write it.

Hello future me and anyone who might be spying. Today I decided to write because my work devices are all out of juice. Thusly, work is not an option.

I know, try not to be mad. I don't mean to put you second, but at least I'm writing, right? Right.

So let's see, where am I in life? Well I'm on my way home to work out of my parent's place for a week and spend Memorial Day weekend celebrating my good friends John and Kim getting married. This marks the first of my close friends to tie the knot: a pretty momentous occasion in my book. I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened sooner and I'm happy it's the two of them. It makes me believe that I keep smart and intelligent friends who understand what marriage means and choose their partners wisely.

At least that's what I want to believe. I'm pretty sure if anyone proves me wrong it won't be the Cramers. Many happy thoughts to them.

Switching gears, Memorial Day marks a whole bunch of awesomeness every year it seems. Not only are my friends getting married, but the music festival formally known as Technofest happens in Detroit, the Detroit Grand Prix has been resurrected and will run this weekend, it marks the beginning of summer and I am going to see family and friends. Needless to say I am in a good mood.

The one thing missing is my actress girlfriend, Sarah, who is lighting up the Brooklyn Heights theatre stage this weekend in a production of Finnean's Rainbow. We have her scheduled to make a weekend stop in Detroit at the end of June though so I should have a chance to show her off then.

Detroit, Detroit, my how you call me back. It's funny, when people ask me, I usually say "I live in New York, but from Detroit". And I interchange New York and Detroit when I refer to home regularly. But I must say, New York is making a strong push to keep me around right now. Work is busy (a good thing) and I surround myself with extremely intelligent, entertaining and challenging friends. I feel like a rock star just hanging out with them.

I feel like I am making progress professionally and am happy with living so close to Sarah and exploring my neighborhood in Queens. Each day I seem to get a clearer picture of where I want to go in life. It makes me want to write a poem. I think I'll try.

The Great Lake spread out to the horizon in every direction.
Am I in the middle of it? I'm not certain.
People float.
A boat in the distance causes those in its wake to bob up and down

Now I see them

Now I don't.

I'm with the crew on canoes and kayaks. I enjoy it here.

There is sun to be had today.

For a moment, it's as if the barge in the distance didn't exist.

-----

It's nice to be home. Good night world.

Location:Somewhere over America

It's been six months and still no word, I don't deserve it??

HERSHEY, PA-  If you get the reference made in my title for this post, you might be from Detroit.  Or you're an Eminem fan.

Either way, I looked at my blog today for the first time in... well, six months and I realized I should probably put the fingers to the 'pad for another installment of OneSteveWorld.  I know you are all clamoring.

Pennsylvania. That's where I am. I'm staying at Hershey Lodge because I gave three presentations to the 99th Regional Support Command today. Well not to all of them, but to those who wanted to show up.  Presentations went quite well in case you were wondering. Great showing.

But that's kind of boring.  I could say that not a lot as been going on in my life but the would be a lie.  I am busy busy these days.  Traveling for work (I have been to Orlando twice and will be heading back two more times before June), playing Ultimate Frisbee out on Randall's Island, enjoying the early-onset summer weather in NY by frequenting the local Queens' biergarten... You know, the usual.

Yada Yada Yada, I can talk about stuff I am doing in New York but you don't care.  Basta dire (suffice it to say) I am alive and well.

Thanks for stopping by, I'll try not to wait so long until my next post.

Here are some pictures. 


One love.

Lighting the Night

Hi Friends,

A couple of weeks ago around 8,000 people walked across the Brooklyn Bridge raising over $3.3 million (and counting) for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of New York to help battle cancer.  A group of my friends (and University of Michigan Alumni) formed a group called “The Conquering Heroes” in honor of my Ann Arbor mentor Nick Cheolas who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last year and has been battling cancer in his own right ever since.

I am very happy to distinguish many of my friends who contributed to this great cause and I want to recognize them here.  First are my teammates who in the span of less than a month were able to raise $1,040.00 in Nick’s name.  They are:

Hanlu Chen

Ashley Houle

Andrew Juiris

Dara Leung

April Maas

Sarah Miller

The following people donated to a member of our team:

Robby Solomon

Andrew Brown

Robert Fine

Courtney Doman

Danielle (Dipert) Crandall

Anonymous

Alberto Sbabo

Danny Goodman

Raymond Ponkey

Brittany Bremenour

Mary Jo Carley

Elizabeth Ponkey

Dan and Sally Juiris

Beth and Dan Homan

Naomi Makofsky

Matthew Perille

Jennifer Hildebrand

John Haben

Nicole Armbruster

Rochele Lesperance

And very generous donations from:

Dane Fossee

Charles Champlin

Renee Maas

Norman Ponkey

Mary Kay Haben

While words always seem to fall short in the face of cancer, I find great pride in seeing my friends donating money, committing time, and lending an ear to someone in need.   In the words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama: “If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another.”

Thank you, again, to all of those mentioned above. 

Additional donations may be accepted here:  http://pages.lightthenight.org/nyc/Manhattn11/schragoo

Check it

Saturday July 30, 12:50 PM - I-76 Pennsylvania

Hello world! I am writing from the car on my way home from Philadelphia, PA after picking up my brother from his Wharton Business School summer camp program.  Sounds pretty cool. My parents and I have been grilling him with questions about all the cool people he met and things he got to do. I'm pretty jealous but pretty proud of him, too.  He got a chance to meet some incredible people and even saw Larry Page (Google founder and UM undergrad)!

I am on my way home for a week - it should be a nice break from New York living for a little while, but it sounds like it is still going to be pretty crazy.   I'll get home late tonight, tomorrow we are having our fantasy football league season kickoff party, Tuesday I am off to South Haven to visit Sarah and her family and then Thursday I am heading up north to be with my mom's side of the family.  We are celebrating the life of my cousin Cooper who passed away this year after a fatal skiing accident.   Sad story, but we all know he would be happy with how he is being remembered.  Some of the guys in the family are growing a chin and 'soul patch' to imitate Cooper's style.  Should be fun and crazy.

So my last post was about the end of the world and what songs are appropriate to play for that.   Luckily the world didn't end, and since then I have had a chance to head down to New Orleans for a librarian conference there. It was a blast.  New Orleans is a really cool town and Bourbon Street is wild (I need not say more).  I really enjoyed the music culture they had down there though.  My favorite moment was probably when I went to lunch by myself close to the water:  I sat down outside and listened to a rhythm and blues band jam out while I ate an alligator po' boy and enjoyed the sunshine.  I would go back there again in a heartbeat.

Speaking of music, I am hoping to go see a concert or two this summer.  J Geils and his band (including Peter Wolf) are opening for BB King in New York. That might be fun to go to. I am planning on going to see the DMB Caravan as well.  I might try to go for all three days, we'll see.

Alright I am going to take over driving from pops for a while.  Until the next post,

Checkit,
Steve