Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:34PM | Becks Davis
Did you know that Americans spend about $6.9 billion on Halloween? That makes it the second largest commercial holiday in the country. And I thought it was just about kids trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, and playing dress-up. So, what are you doing for Halloween? If you haven’t a clue read on for some fun ideas.
This is my actual pumpkin that I carved last night.
Weekend Roundup
1. Yucky Stuff Weekend Walk - This guided tour at the Belle Isle Nature Zoo features the grosser side of nature. Worms, anyone? October 31 & November 1.
2. Halloween Mystery Tours at the Detroit Institute of Arts - A guided tour of the American Art galleries features tales and secrets about the artists whose work haunts the American wing. Suitable for kids 5 and up. October 30.
3. Haunted in the House - The Detroit Opera House is transformed into a haunted fantasy featuring techno music and cash prizes for best costume. October 31.
4. Halloween Happy Hour Bar Tour - Inside Detroit is hosting this bar tour starting at the Ghost Bar in the fabulous and haunted Whitney! Other haunts on the tour include the Bronx Bar and the Garden Bowl. October 29.
5. Go Comedy! All Star Showdown - Two teams of Detroit's best improvisors battle it out in a game show format. Prepare to laugh. October 30-31.
Do you know of a great event going in on Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 1:04AM | Becks Davis
My husband and I finally made it to Michigan Stadium to see the Wolverines play Penn State. My husband hasn’t even been living in the States for a year so he’s doing pretty good to see a game at The Big House so quickly.
Michigan Stadium
Me? I’ve been a die-hard U of M fan since I was knee high to a grasshopper. “Oh-how-I-hate-Ohio-State” weren’t the first words out of my mouth but it was a mantra I was taught at a very early age.
But I had never made it to a game. And I double dog dare any one of you to call me a “Walmart Wolverine.”
What did you say? No, I didn’t go to Michigan. I dreamed of going to Michigan and out of the 5 universities I applied to they were the only one that said, “Thank you for your application fee but no.”
Yes, MSU fans, I was accepted to your lovely school. I just didn’t want to go where the majority of my high school was headed. No offense.
Anyhow, I grew up in the 70’s raised on Bob Ufer, Bo Schembechler, and the storied Wolverines. You know that horn that Bob Ufer had? My parents had one too. That floppy Michigan hat? Check. A standing bet with the neighbor across the street with the winner of the Michigan vs. Notre Dame game getting a bottle of Amaretto? Check.
So unless you listened to Bob Ufer live, like I did, I don’t want to hear about “Walmart Wolverines.”
Sorry, I just had to get that off my chest.
Bob Ufer said of Michigan Stadium:
The hole that Yost dug, Crisler paid for, Canham carpeted, and Schembechler fills every cotton-pickin' Saturday afternoon.
We got tickets for this game against Paterno and his Nittany Lions a few weeks ago. This is how we decided to celebrate our 4-year anniversary. We didn’t realize that the weather was going to be crap but it didn’t matter.
My friend Chris, who got the tickets for us, also invited us to his tailgate party. This group of friends have been tailgating at Michigan games for 15 years, since they were undergrads. They have this pre-game party down to a science. So much so, that it led me to remark that men would only be this organized if sports and/or beer were involved.
Did I mention the location of the tailgate party? Right outside of The Big House at the corner of Keech and Green. This was the media lot. We were right next to the Big Ten Network stage. And from what I understand, Robbie Timmons is usually a few cars over.
The menu? Coney Dogs, of course.
The atmosphere both inside and outside the stadium was electric. Honestly, of all the big events, sporting or otherwise, that I have been to, this was different. Possibly because the size of the crowd. 106,000-plus rooting for the Maize and Blue all in one place!
The rain and the score of the game were a disappointment. But we’ll go to another game and hopefully it will have a different outcome. I’m proud to say that my husband is a Wolverine fan. I didn’t pressure him. Ok, maybe a bit.
I did learn something interesting about Michigan Stadium. It was built on an underground spring and during construction it turned the surface into something similar to quicksand. A crane sunk into this quicksand-like substance and it is still underneath The Big House.
I’m not going to give you a complete overview of the day as I think that has already been done well. Read here for highlights from Chris Spiek and Philip Lauri gives his experiences here.
What did I get out of TEDxDetroit?
I’ve been mulling this over since the event and three themes keep running through my mind.
Action, Connections, and Inspiration
Action
Dr. Gary Gabel kicked off the event with these staggering words, “Your time began running out the day you were born.” It’s a heavy way to begin the morning but we all waste valuable time. He went on to say that positive thoughts will move you forward in life. Negative thoughts, or negathoughts as he called them, disable us.
Later in the afternoon, Dan Izzo of Bizdom U charmed the audience with his explosion of F-bombs. It certainly got our attention. His main point was to, “Turn Dreamers into Doers.” True creativity, he said, lies in doing.
Charlie Wollborg, of Curve Detroit, ended the day with this whopper, “excuses don’t change the past, they delay the future.” His slideshow pictures showing his young son growing up cemented the thought that we must, “do it now!”
Connections
Lee Thomas, entertainment reporter for WJBK Fox 2 news, gave an honest an emotional talk about how his weakness became his strength. But he said one thing near the end that pulled at me, “we need each other, it’s true.”
The master of networking and builder of relationships, Terry Bean, spoke on the Six Degrees of Connectedness. “We are all connected,” he said. But he also reiterated something that is close to my heart, “who cares what side of 8 Mile you’re on?” I’ve been trying to get people to realize that the people of the city of Detroit and the suburbs need to work together. We can’t exist without each other. We are all Detroiters.
Inspiration
Chazz Miller is the man behind Public Art Workz (P.A.W.Z). He works closely with Blight Busters and his murals can be found around the city. But he’s also educating kids and creating a community. His fanciful and creative ideas delighted the audience. Wouldn’t you rather wait for a bus on a Mood Swing? It’s a porch swing with solar panels on top to power cell phone recharging stations.
Poetry Slam champion and award winning singer/songwriter D Blair brought the house to its feet in a standing ovation. His poem ‘Detroit (While I Was Away)’ was awe-inspiring.
How can I utilize this?
I want to change Detroit and make a positive impact. I want to change people’s perceptions. But. I make excuses. I need more time. I need more money. I need talented people, with knowledge that I don’t possess, to help me.
But I can find the time. Money, do I really need that? And people. Well, there were 200 attendees at TEDxDetroit. I’ve been connecting with some of them online for months and I finally met some of them in person. I also met like-minded strangers who are striving for the same goals. I have many talented people all around me.
No more excuses. I just need to step up to the plate and make it happen.
Thursday, October 22, 2009 at 1:12PM | Becks Davis
Halloween is almost upon us and there are many spooky events going on around metro Detroit. As an added bonus, we were blessed with some fantastically warm weather this week. So, get out there and enjoy the weekend before the rain and cold weather blasts into Detroit again.
Photo from orangeacid on flickr.
Weekend Roundup
1. Inaugural Harvest Beer Festival - Taking place at Eastern Market, this event will feature over 40 Michigan microbreweries and nearly 200 beers will be available to sample. October 24.
2. Hallowe'en in Greenfield Village - Go back in time to a turn-of-the-20th century style Hallowe'en. 800 hand-carved pumpkins light your way. October 23-25.
3. Erebus - Located in Pontiac, this 4-story haunted attraction is the largest walk-through haunted attraction in the world. Now through November 1st.
4. Haunted Detroit Tours - Become a real-life ghost-hunter on this 3 hour adventure through metro Detroit. Transportation and ghost-hunting tools provided. October 22.
5. Oktoberfest at the Dakota Inn Rathskeller - Transport yourself to Munich and enjoy fabulous German food and beer, traditional music, sing-a-longs, and dancing. October 23-24, 30-31.
Do you know of a great event going in on Metro Detroit this weekend? Add it to the comments and share it with us!
So, I’m going to this conference on Wednesday and I’m so excited that I have to tell you all about it. The conference is TEDxDetroit and its purpose is to share positive ideas for the world from Detroit. TEDxDetroit is an independent TED event spun off the annual TED conference.
From the TED website:
TED is a small nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design.
Why am I looking forward to it?
I’m excited to meet other optimistic people. And I’m quite sure all of these people, the presenters and the other attendees, are going to be a whole lot smarter than me. I’m talking wicked smart.
These people are innovators, entrepreneurs, and big thinkers.
I know what you’re thinking, why the heck did they let me in? I’m not sure; maybe it’s an oversight. Maybe they felt bad for me and didn’t want to exclude me. Or maybe, just maybe, all of us can help change the world for the better by doing our small part.
I’m hoping to be inspired. I’m hoping to learn. I’m hoping to become a positive influence in Detroit and make a difference.
I’ll report back and tell you about my TEDxDetroit experience. I mean, its tagline is "Ideas Worth Spreading." Providing they don’t realize their mistake and turn me away at the door.
This presentation by Dave Eggers is one of my favorite TED videos. I first came across Dave Eggers years ago when I almost bought, on many occasions, his book A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius. I think it was too staggering for me at the time.
I then bought Eggers’ book You Shall Know Our Velocity, but I haven’t read it yet. I know, I’m pathetic. I have, however, read his short story After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned. It is told through the first-person perspective of a dog and is one of my favorite short stories. Ever. Seriously, you have to read this story.
Watch the video, the idea is brilliant! I think an organization like 826 Valencia would be a perfect fit in Detroit and fulfill a great need.
If Detroit had an organization like this, what would the store sell? Pirate gear and Superhero supplies are already taken.
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:34PM | 
This is my actual pumpkin that I carved last night.
