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ISSUE: November 1, 2009

Editor's Note

Our new editor, Adam Pitluk, gets around. He's lived in eight states in 32 years, all the while making friends and acquaintances. Read about the goings-on of your fellow travelers, all of whom Adam addresses directly twice a month.

Articles

Bad Date - 11-1-2009

»I had a date in the winter of 1991 that is forever branded into my memory. It was one of those evenings that began with us both having the best intentions, and it ended with us never speaking again. In just one evening, too much weirdness transpired. And if I live out the rest of my days and neither see nor speak to Chloe again, I’ll be no worse for wear. Strangely, despite the 18 years that have elapsed since the four-hour date — and notwithstanding the fact that I have absolutely no idea where she is, what she does, or even what she looks like — I feel like I can say with 99 percent certainty that she shares this sentiment.

Our Brave Warriors - 10-15-2009

»The 2005 Super Bowl, between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, was a hard-fought, smashmouth battle of two perennial powerhouses. After the high drama subsided, the Patriots emerged victorious and in so doing, became only the second team (after the Dallas Cowboys) to win three Super Bowls in four years. Yet despite the frenetic pace and Philly’s herculean comeback that almost was, the actual game, in my opinion, was overshadowed by a one-minute commercial spot paid for by Anheuser-Busch.

From the Zuckerman File - 10-1-2009

»One question I get quite often is, “How hard is it to come up with your column ideas?” This is usually followed by, “Are you always happy with what you publish?” Both are very good, straightforward questions. And like any storyteller worth his salt , I’ll answer with a long, meandering illustration. Writers are quirky beings. Each one brings his or her personal style to the keyboard, and each one has various idiosyncratic routines.

What’s So Small About It? - 9-15-2009

»Forget about the song. Forget about the boat and the ride and all those cute little wooden munchkins dancing a jig. Forget about the time you ran into your college roommate’s ex-girlfriend while waiting in line to hear the song, ride the boat, and see the jig-dancing munchkins. Forget the words that came out of your mouth when you did, as you pointed out the irony of running into someone at a faraway theme park while waiting in line for a ride that points out that there is no irony in running into someone at a faraway theme park. Because the truth is, this world ain’t small.

Louisiana Purchase - 9-1-2009

»I’ve got this hobby. It’s a difficult one, considering I have but two weeks of vacation time a year. My wife endures my pastime because she loves the goofy souvenirs I bring home. The aforementioned hobby is travel. Not travel in the sense that I have to go find the best beaches in North America, though. I like to travel for travel’s sake, and I like to dovetail my excursions with new American Airlines routes. The way I see it is: Airline folks know travel well, and airline folks who pick the new destinations must know something I don’t. Socrates told us, “True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing.” I’m wise enough to know that anyone who maps new routes for a living knows better than I do. Know what I mean?

You Fit in Where You Get In - 8-15-2009

»It was always a foregone conclusion in my house. I mean, it was just understood. We never really even talked about it. As my high school career wound down, the college years lying on the horizon, the next phase in my rigorous pursuit of academic excellence was to take place on the shores of Lake Michigan in Evanston, Illinois.

Love All, Serve All - 8-1-2009

»Do you have a job that makes you truly happy? A job for which you wake up each morning and the excitement of tearing into your work makes your morning commute (or the evening-rush-hour commute, if you work nights) to the office all the more unbearable? A job that is a collective of interesting people with interesting stories and interesting viewpoints? Simply stated: Do you have a dream job?

Sport of Kings? - 7-15-2009

»You see the thing is, I knew what I was doing was wrong. I knew it, and I did it anyway. There was nothing about my background that said I was cut out for this. Unless you count the time I read Misty in third grade. Or the time I went on a horseback-riding overnight at North Star Camp back in 1987. Nope, the equestrian culture and I have nothing in common. No links. No threads. Heck, I wouldn’t even pet the things when my family visited Grant’s Farm back in the day.

State of Mind - 7-1-2009

»Once upon a time, when cell phones were merely toys for the nouveau riche and Apple was just a fledgling computer company, a young man walked the streets of New York City as if each step was scripted. Every morning, he’d leave his tiny rented room and take the 1 train from the 96th Street station down to 23rd Street. In his hand was a copy of the New York Daily News.

Detour Ahead - 6-15-2009

»In the past year, I’ve had the great fortune of traveling to Hawaii, France, and the Caribbean. And while I can spin a good yarn (complete with slightly fuzzy cell-phone pictures) based on any of those adventures, my favorite destination of the last 12 months is a place I hadn’t planned to visit at all. Call it serendipity. Call it being in the wrong place at the right time. All I know is that Belize was fabulous, if only for three hours.

Hope Floats - 6-1-2009

»Every 500 years or so, Mother Nature sends us a reminder of just how powerful she is. The prompt is particularly ferocious for those people whose homes and businesses are built around areas that are among the most tranquil and pristine 320 days out of the year. But as the legend goes, every 500 years or so, Mother Nature opens the floodgates and the ramparts come crumbling down.

Who Wants a Free Ticket? - 5-15-2009

»Last October, I introduced you to Rocky Loessin as he stood on top of a mountain in Chugach State Park. He was enjoying a jaunt from Columbus, Ohio, to the wilds of Alaska, yet he was regretful about the fact that he’d missed the deadline for our annual American Way Road Warrior contest and a chance to win the AAdvantage miles needed to fly to Anchorage.

Friends in the Stratosphere - 5-1-2009

»I’ve noticed that over time, your circle of friends changes. Many of my best buddies from childhood -- guys and gals I grew up with and whom I never thought I could live without -- have moved on to other phases of their lives. So have I, for that matter. Whereas we were inseparable erewhile, we are now strangers.

Green Grow the Rushes - 4-15-2009

»Standing in the center of a sprawling lawn in Oelwein, Iowa -- flanked by a white Victorian gazebo and blooming flower beds -- oak, elm, and crab-apple trees are rustled by a light breeze. They’ve stood here for centuries, naturally irrigated by the scores of rivers and tributaries that meander through the heartland as they make their way to their emptying point: the aptly named Father of Waters, to the east. The area has changed over time -- from here all the way to the rolling waters of the Mississippi River in Dubuque, a hamlet of equal beauty and Twainian charm. But here, change has not come at the breakneck pace it has to a lot of the country.

Lone Star Long Haul - 4-1-2009

»[image-static:hs-adam-pitluk.jpg,Picture of Adam Pitluk]Kimberly and I were making the high-speed burn down Interstate 35 in a caravan reminiscent of the pioneers of yore. I was in the lead, driving my 1993 Jeep Cherokee, and every inch of space both in the cabin and on the roof was occupied with all my worldly possessions. Kimberly followed in her 1991 Chevy Cavalier, which also was packed to the hilt with all her stuff (and some of mine that I couldn’t strap down). It was 2000, and cell phones weren’t the extension of the hand that they are today. Kimberly and I communicated with each other through walkie-talkies we’d purchased at Target only hours earlier for this, our move together away from her hometown of St. Louis.

History in the Making - 3-15-2009

»I love a good dynasty. There’s something romantic about a long, extended, lingering stay at the top. A dynasty represents the voice of a certain time and place. Similarly, a time and place can be easily cited in the annals of history vis-à-vis a particular dynasty. Let’s take a look back through time to put some emphasis behind this point.

A Beautiful Life - 3-1-2009

»Grace Kenitz is a spirited, vivacious young girl. She has a casual demeanor, softly accented by her pretty features. She loves the sorts of activities that most children her age engage in -- the little things like dancing to the radio, playing tag, and splashing in a rain puddle.

Ed Note - I Love This Game! - 2-15-2009

»The Cleveland Cavaliers were among the darlings of the National Basketball Association. They were young. Fast. Talented. And they were the city’s hope for finally winning it all in a professional sport.

Opposites Attract - 2-1-2009

»The memory is a fascinating instrument -- especially when coupled with the elements of time and space.

Tulsa to Tampa - 1-15-2009

»Have you ever played this game: Pick any three bands that if you had your way, you could see in concert in present day. It’s the old reliable that my buddies and I like to engage in when we get together.

The Winds of Change - 1-1-2009

»Change is in the air. Pick any section of any sector of, well, anything, and you’re bound to notice that the storied way of doing things is yesterday’s news.

Just in Case: I Apologize - 12-15-2008

»I’ve had some interesting jobs over the years. The work wasn’t weird or remarkable like what you see on the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs. Well, some of it was.

Surprise Party -- Sort Of - 12-1-2008

»Sort Of, I'm not good with surprises. Maybe it's because astrologically, I am a border child (I'm a Virgo, but as my birthday is at the end of August, I’m right on the Leo line).

A Thanksgiving Feast - 11-15-2008

»From time to time, I’ll read a passage in a book or a magazine that sticks with me. Always the voracious reader — ever since overcoming dyslexia as a youth — I have a profound fascination with the written word, with the innate power words have when strung together in just the right way.


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