On The Fly

“Now, there’s a big league play I’m positive you will never see again,” laughs a rabid Angeles fan pointing to first base. U nder a crystal clear, sun-drenched, aqua-blue sky, i t's the top of the forth inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. Angel fans enjoying an outstanding day of baseball. Temperatures reached the high 80s at game time. This afternoon time stood still as patrons basked in the glory of the first inning. The bottom of the first saw 13 Angels hitters come to the plate. The hits just kept coming, Pujols smacks one to center field, Mark Trumbo drives one to right field, and Kendrick lines one up the middle. With the based loaded, Mike Trout steps to plate, his fifth pitch - a 79 mph curveball - from the hand of Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello. Trout launches one high and deep to center field,  “touch-em’ all,”  his first career grand slam! Nine runs would cross the plate before that first inning would mercifully end for the Detroit Tigers. Josh Hamilton fil...

G. Robert Crowningshield For over 60 years students of Gemology have struggled with spectrums; bewildered by birefringence, and simply plagued by pleochrosim. The following sonnet is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face, a glow to your heart, and a simple reminder that students of life and gemology  re-discover natures gifts all over again, every day. The following is reprinted with very minor edits from The Loupe, vol. V, No.2, Mar-Apr, 1953 p. 3. Courtesy of the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library Dedicated to G. Robert Crowningshield, Bert Krashes, & Bill Jean ODE to Gemology By a GIA On-Campus Student  Dispersion, fire, aventurescence, Orient, sheen, or iridescence— Refractive index—high or low— The luster should indicate that, you know. Polarization—double or single— What to do now! They intermingle! Pleochroic colors you really should see; Was that only two, or actually three? Birefringence should help you a lot— ...

Museo Galileo We were still working our lead in Florence in pursuit of that elusive Ceylon Sapphire taken from the Paris boutique. However, Peridot wanted some time away from the case. He always reminded me that the science of deduction includes time to allow the subconscious to process the facts. It was no accident we would visit the famous telescope; Peridot's agenda for our trip was becoming quite clear. Florence was a treasure trove of history just waiting to be explored. "This telescope, my boy, is over 400 years old," said my friend Hercule Peridot. We stood over an enclosed glass encasement at the Museo Galileo in Florence, Italy. "It is the very instrument that Galileo Galilee used to discover the moons of Jupiter. Thus changing the accepted view of the cosmos.” The telescope was about three feet long and consisted of a central tube with separate housings at either end for the objective and the eyepiece. The tube was formed by joining strips...

My fondest baseball memories were not spring training or a visit to a major league ballpark; it was not meeting a famous ballplayer (although you could not pry my treasured official Mickey Mantle bat at that time, from my fingers). For me, it was learning to catch lighting ; and field line drives with my Dad. As a youngster, my attention was not on major league baseball (see, A Budding Cubs Fan ). The game, at that level, was always backgrounded noise from an old transistor radio tuned to 720  WGN Chicago. In Cuba, Illinois fans chewed on one another over the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. For our family, baseball was always something we participated in, not something we paid to watch. My father (everyone calls him Doc) was an exceptional underhand fastpitch softball hurler for Cuba Merchants, a little-known team in Central Illinois. Back then, every small town had a team, and the local ball-field was where families gathered on the weekends. After he enlisted in ...

What is writing? I catch myself asking that question almost every day now. What prompted this was listening to one of my favorite Podcasts, The Thomas Jefferson Hour . The creator, Clay Jenkinson was interviewed (some would say cross-examined) by his recent guest host, an attorney, about his life in Bismarck North Dakota. They discuss “Writing” with a capital W and a sense of place. This got me thinking.  Am I a writer? If the definition is, One who is paid to produce works that derive income or royalties , the answer is a resounding no. However, if it's someone who every morning parks his hind-side at a desk and taps away at a keyboard attempting to clarify his thinking, improve written communication skills, synthesize experiences and knowledge, I emphatically say in a sonorous voice, Yes . I leave it up to you, the reader to make your own assessment. Sense of place? My attempt to share a “sense of place” is my fictional creation Hercule Peridot . Indeed, th...

Admittedly, it's a little geeky (A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but feels socially inept), wandering around Tucson, Arizona, pawing gingerly through boxes of terminated quartz crystals, looking for that remarkable specimen . . . or was it Tiger Iron? Indeed, when Gemologists converge on Tucson, the socially inept are unreservedly transformed! Lori Tucson 2013 In February 2013, gemstone and mineral aficionados converged once again in Tucson, Arizona, to play in the desert. Cold mornings, warm afternoons, the glow of sunrise on the mountains, magnificent golden, green, and orange hues, the fresh smell of the dry desert air, and, of course, the majestic Carnegiea gigantea (Saguaro) Cactus. In years past, during economic prosperity, finding a room in Tucson during this show would not have been possible. Fortunately, we found a comfortable room. Granted, it was seven miles from downtown. Yes, we waited until the very last minu...

“Push the tempo, push the tempo, push the tempo” - pounded the rhythmic dance beat 35 minutes into the class. My heart was pounding, my legs ached, continue or quit . . . How do you describe the exhilarating feeling of strength from a workout that pushes you beyond the limits of what you’ve convinced yourself you cannot do? “We’re climbing a hill, add resistance, out of the saddle, Attack, Attack, Attack!” belted the trainer! This little woman is a powerhouse! Whoa - how is this possible, to maintain such a high cadence and still retain the ability to talk? I am impressed ! “Stay in the moment, everything is about right now - focus. As a team we can do this, stay on pace.” The muscles in my legs burned. This was far beyond routine cycling, an explosion of speed and power. Try it - go ahead, challenge yourself, I dare you, Spinning Class . “Back in the saddle, slow down, feel the road, recover.” Once this session starts you’re committed to an hour of what most would consider pu...

Half-Dome Yosemite National Park Let’s fess up. Being on stage and expounding your pearls of wisdom is one of the many reasons many pursue the profession of teaching. However, please turn this thought over and over in your mind. “Be the guide on the side, not the sage on the stage.” Let it slow cook like a chicken on a rotisserie. This tip from Sharon Bowman, M.A. may be a little hard to swallow. You might be saying, “Wait a minute, that’s the very reason I come to work every day. It’s my ego boost. It’s my calling.” For one moment, let’s challenge that philosophy. Successful educators serve as the manager, trainer, leader, coach, the applause comes from within. You're the vehicle to help students expand their knowledge and skill. This can — and will — have a dramatic impact in their lives, if they remember and apply it. Your job is to direct their journey, maintain focus, make it a positive and successful experience. Instill the desire to want to learn more. ...