“Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” “Question 67 And 68” “Colour My World” “25 Or 6 To 4” “Saturday In The Park.”
Those song titles are a just a few of the dozens and dozens of songs in the catalog of the rock band Chicago, originally called The Chicago Transit Authority.
So many Chicago songs were the soundtrack to my childhood. I loved growing up to the sounds of Chicago as did many of my peers. My childhood buddy, Rob Seeley, who grew up a few doors down the street from me, was a huge fan and I’m sure a lot of his musical taste undoubtedly rubbed off on me.
I had the chance to listen to Chicago one more time this past Wednesday at the Bloomsburg Fair. What a great night. The weather was unseasonably warm, summerlike, and that made being at this concert even more pleasurable under the stars.
The music was rock steady and consistent as always. The band is celebrating its 50th year in show business and three of the nine current members have been with the band from day one. The eldest members are now in their 70s but you couldn’t tell by their showmanship and energy.
Robert Lamm, keyboardist, singer and one of the leaders of the band, will turn 73 years old shortly and he looks younger than I do. He is still in good voice and promises to keep Chicago going for many more years. I hope so.
My friend Ray Zavada and his wife Corinne were in attendance as were his sister Colleen Mattey, Frank and Lisa Yurek, Sheree Stack, Pat and Rosalie Messina, Jim and Ann Marie Lucarella Sernak as well as Harris and Janice Cutler, to name just a few. Greater Pittston was well represented.
The band is forever evolving and new members are being introduced. Chicago is really a franchise and as Ray and I joked, they possibly could still be playing for decades to come. You just never know – maybe Robert Lamm’s grandson will lead the band one day.
The Bloomsburg Fair, celebrating its 162nd year, is quite the venue. If you like food, then you’re in the right place. I’ve never attended the fair just to walk about the grounds. The last time I was there was maybe 20 years ago to see REO Speedwagon.
There’s plenty of agriculture and, if you were standing down wind, you knew that to be true. There are carnival rides, food, vendors selling wears, food, entertainment and food.
Maybe one day I’ll go early in a day to see what the entire attraction is about.
Paint Pittston Pink
I’d like to wish Barbara Sciandra and her co-founder Qiana Lehman of Paint Pittston Pink good luck as they get into the heart of their fundraising efforts.
If you’ve ever spent anytime in Barbara’s company, you know she’s a special person. Oh sure, she’s a great mom and wife and I’m sure she’s a great pharmacist, but what comes out in her personality is her drive to succeed in her efforts to find a cure for breast cancer that afflicted her.
She’s a woman on a mission and isn’t going to rest until she feels her job is done.
As the saying goes, “things happen for a reason.” Nobody ever wants cancer but, once you’re told you have cancer, your life changes forever. Barbara took those words and that reason and turned it into something positive and good.
Barbara and Qiana have single-handedly captured the City of Pittston and Greater Pittston and made the month of October something really special. Yes, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but in Pittston it’s far more than that.
We come together as a community and support an effort full force and head on. The sufferers and deceased are remembered but, moreover, the Paint Pittston Pink cause also celebrates the survivors and turns a negative into a positive.
Money raised goes to the University of Pennsylvania where a world-class medical team is on the forefront of finding a vaccine preventing recurrence.
A few Paint Pittston Pink events have begun, but there’s plenty yet to come starting with PPP Purse Bingo (Oct. 1); Paint PAZZO Pink (Oct. 2); PPP Karuna Reiki-Infused Yoga at Sapphire Salon (Oct. 5; Paint The Red Mill Pink – Celebrity Bartending Night (Oct. 6); Color Me Pink 5K and Gentleman’s Dash (Oct. 7).
Check out their Facebook page for all the events or go to pittstoncity.org and look under events to find activities.
Hugh Hefner
My friend Kitty Bruce lost a good friend when Hugh Hefner died thisweek. Hefner was very close with Kitty’s dad, the late brilliant and legendary comic, Lenny Bruce. Whether he was good or bad for society, there was only one Hugh Hefner for Kitty.
Quote of the week
“Friendship at first sight, like love at first sight, is said be the only truth.” – Herman Melville, American novelist.
Thought of the week
“Volunteer – not so you can build your resume, but so you can build yourself.” – George W. Bush, 43rd US president. Quote dedicated to Barbara Sciandra.
Bumper sticker
“Chance favors the prepared mind.” – Louis Pasteur, French chemist.
