2008 Road Trip - Entry 4

FRIDAY, JULY 25: I spent the morning having my fears confirmed at the Apple Store in Troy; my laptop's wireless card is either loose or in need of replacement, as I am unable to maintain receiving wireless signals. I'll be bringing in the laptop after returning home.

The limited wireless issue, combined with being extremely busy during Week 2 of my road trip, las limited my ability to enter updates. I'm a week behind, so I will try to present what's been going on, but I am sure it will not be as complete as it could be, since I am drawing on memories. Regardless ... here we go ...

After leaving the Apple Store, I treated myself to a much-needed pedicure at Somerset. My pedicurist was a 40-year-old former Iraqi who has been in the US for some 25+ years. We had a riveting discussion about the US presence in the Middle East, and were on the same page on many of our thoughts. It was a very enriching time together.

Friday evening, Jeff Falcon and I went to Comerica to watch the Tigers take on the White Sox in a pivotal division game. Sadly, the Tigers lost when the human heart attack, Todd Jones, served up a game-losing shot in the top of the ninth. The night started out great, with Jeff and I planted on the rooftop of Cheli's Chili Bar, a wonderful view of Comerica and the area after being winded by a five-story stair climb. We spent the game floating around the stadium several times; I enjoyed a Stroh beer for the first time in ages.

SATURDAY, JULY 26: At 5:30 p.m., Missy Gannon and I got together at the Starbucks at Square Lake and Woodward, and for the next four hours talked ad nauseam about our a plethora of topics ranging more than 30 years. Missy and I go back to 7th grade at East Hills, followed by Lahser HS and Central Michigan University. It was my second wonderful reunion of the week with someone I've known for many years. In discussing Mock Rock at the Wayside Central, other mutual friends and acquaintances, our views of the teaching professions, the rigors of dating, and numerous other areas, we got to spend quality time together. We just have to make sure our next get-together doesn't take 20 years :)

Starbucks with Missy was followed by Party with Jon & Julie Gold. Again, I was able to see and catch up with friends I haven't seen in several years: Jon and Julie, Jeremy and Beth Kahn, Rob and Jodi Mills, Kimberly Ford, Lisa and Jeff Chottner, and David Applebaum, among others. (Mark and Kelly Mosesso were leaving just as I arrived; Charles and Elisabeth had to take off shortly thereafter; Miriam and Brian left before I arrived). Analysis: plenty of food and beverages; I still don't know mah jong; and South Park is still funny as all hell.

SUNDAY, JULY 27: Sunday was Charles and Elisabeth's anniversary, and the family got together for brunch at Tam O'Shanter. It was a much smaller, more intimate version of the previous Sunday - all 10 of us (well, 11 including Mellow), celebrating another milestone.

Sunday was also the last day of my trip in Detroit; I spent the afternoon and early evening en route to Cleveland and the home of Naomi and Matt Kall.

MONDAY, JULY 28: The morning was spent at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum with Suzanne Watson, my fellow PBC debate coach who calls Cleveland her hometown (and was in town as well). It was a groovy time together, checking out the special exhibits (The Doors; The Making of The Beatles' Help; Baseball Rocks!), the amazing wardrobes of performers on display (Madonna, ZZ Top, Elvis, the 2008 inductees), and the multitude of inductee signatures (now moved to the 3rd floor). I've been to the RRHF several times, and am always amazed by what I experience there. Good times with good company equal a great experience.

After experiencing exhibits like Baseball Rocks!, I got to experience Baseball at the Jake - um, I mean, at Progressive Field (formerly known as Jacobs Field), as the Indians took on the Tigers. Matt, Naomi, Hannah (their daughter) and I spent time in the bleachers watching Detroit get shut out by Paul Byrd, 5-0.

A couple interesting observation:
(1) This was the first time I ever saw a string quartet perform the National Anthem at a sporting event.
(2) It's very difficult to see the jumbo scoreboard from the bleachers.
(3) It's also difficult to see action on the warning track, because of the way the bleachers are designed.
(4) The Jake has far fewer distracting, annoying things going on between innings than Comerica does - and this is very refreshing.
(5) Hannah loves baseball, thanks in part to the Hot Dog Race.
(6) There is a drummer in the bleachers, who pounds the drum whenever an Indian is in scoring position. (This happened way too often, IMHO.)
(7) Quoting the movie Major League is a requirement.
(8) The Jake has a really cool area called Heritage Park, sort of an Indians All-Time Greats/Hall of Fame area, with plaques for players and tributes to Larry Doby (the first black American League player) and Ray Chapman (the only major leaguer to die due to an in-game injury).

The Jake is a really nice park, and several times I was asked how I liked Comerica versus Tiger Stadium. What a loaded question! I admit there are some aspects of Comerica I enjoy - the statues, lighting, space, no visually impaired seats - but Tiger Stadium was my childhood, my introduction to baseball, the 1984 World Series (Game 4!), the retirement of Hal Newhouser's number (which I was between home plate and the pitcher's mound for) ... how can I compare?

2008 Road Trip - Entry 3

WEDNESDAY, JULY 23: Even though a Holocaust Memorial Center has been in metro Detroit for a while, I never managed to visit it, despite all my trips to the area the past nine years. One of my goals this time was to finally make it to the memorial. Mission accomplished!

An added bonus was that Rowe Ann Ruch, who I went to both Hebrew School and high school with, has been a volunteer at the facility for four years. She knew I was coming, as we had talked a few days earlier; at first, she didn't recognize me, though. Once we got past that potentially awkward moment (which was anything but awkward), it was a flood of memories and catching up. She introduced me to coworkers, including Miriam Foxman, who has know my family for years, and her boyfriend Dennis (who doesn't work there, officially, but was there, helping out).

Sadly, no cameras are allowed in the Holocaust Memorial Center, because the presentation is amazing ... spectacular ... beyond words, really. The Detroit-area center is the first ever established in the U.S., and combines older and newer exhibits, video, and computer technology, to bring the history of Judaism - and, specifically, the Holocaust - to life.

The first section is an introduction to the center via a comprehensive timeline, which tracks major Jewish events in a parallel track with other world events over 4,000 years. The next section details European Jewish history, with artifacts and commentaries about Jewish culture (religious beliefs, family and community lifestyle, education), and includes murals depicting life in Europe. One full wall of the room explores a history of anti-Semitism throughout Europe, and is a vivid red, symbolizing the blood of those killed in pogroms and other acts of violence.

Section three outlines the rise of the Third Reich and the Nazi Party in Germany. It includes background on the post-World War I financial issues Germany had imposed upon it that led to the rise of Hitler, and how - after his assumption of power - Jews were systematically stripped of all human rights. It then slides into details on the "Final Solution," the Nazi's attempt to annihilate the Jews of Europe (and, eventually, the rest of the world) through deportation and the creation of death camps. From here we crossed The Abyss, where multiple videos showing the torture and degradation of Jews in death camps, as well as their liberation by Allied soldiers.

Next is the Post-WWII section, where visitors can review various war aftermaths, including the arrests, trials and sentencing of Nazis at Nuremburg, and the fight to emigrate to the area now known as Israel (which was still under British rule at the time).

Finally, there is an International Institute of the Righteous, where thousands of non-Jews are recognized for their role in saving Jews, knowing they were putting their lives on the line as well.

After the walk-through, Rowe and I talked more about both the Holocaust Center and what we've been up to the past 25-plus years. (Yeah, it's been that long!) All in all, the morning/afternoon was insightful in multiple ways.

Wednesday was also the day my mother went to do "yartzeit" for her father. Each year on the Jewish anniversary of the death of a loved one, a proper commemoration should take place. Mom and Oscar went to synagogue, and the whole family - all 11 of us (including Mellow) - went to dinner at the Honey Tree, a family favorite at Northwestern Highway and Orchard Lake Road.

THURSDAY, JULY 24: Today was my day for a yartzite of sorts, as I - with Charles and Lionel - went to Hebrew Memorial Gardens to visit our deceased loved ones - dad, Grandpa Joseph, Grandma Sally, Bubbe Rose, Zayde Max, Uncle Abe, and others. Every year I come up here, I make sure to visit them; last year was the first summer I didn't travel to Michigan since moving to Florida in 1999, so I had some additional catching up to do.

This year is a little different than past years, though, because it's a milestone year. August 12 will be the 20th anniversary of my father Leonard's passing, and I am a bit more melancholy than usual, even though the actual anniversary is still a few weeks away.

Last year, I poured my heart out in a different blog, so I'm not going to rehash all of those comments. Suffice to say, August 12 is a bittersweet day on the calendar. My father's loss definitely left a void in our lives, collectively and individually. We've had our successes and our failures – some of which I remember, some of which escape my mind, some of which I don't consider, some of which I never knew about in the first place.

However, when August 12 rolls around, I think of my father's parents, and in particular the Candy Geer poem/book they gave me when I was eight days old … and the conclusion to that poem, "Six White Horses":

He's in the ground, he cannot be,
he should be right here holding me.
But Mommy says I must be good,
so I'll stand as Daddy would.

We visited all of the gravesites - and I am soooo proud of Lionel, who joined Charles and myself in placing various rocks and stones on the markers, in the long-held custom of Jews. (No one's entirely certain of the origin of the tradition, but most people believe that the tradition is borne out of the desire to mark your visit somehow - to let the world know, "Someone was here. This person is not forgotten.") Lionel, Joshua and Samuel are three very special boys, and if there were a reason I'd uproot and move back to Michigan, it would be to spend more time with them and see them grow up. I'm grateful for the time I've been able to spend with my nephews so far on this visit.

After visiting everyone, we went to lunch at a small diner near Charles' Berkley home, and followed that up with a diagnostic (of sorts) of my MacBook. I'm having problems with maintaining a connection with wireless routers. After some testing, we decided it would probably be better to visit the local Apple Store in Troy, as tech support was not able to help. Unfortunately, they were booked solid, so I set up an appointment for Friday morning.

I enjoyed dinner with Miriam, Brian, Joshua and Samuel, and we topped off the meal with a trip to Dairy Queen. Yay DQ! I love the Reese's PB Cup Blizzard, but opted for the Girl Scout Thin Mint version this time - an excellent choice! After returning to the Halprin household, I had the chance to read Joshua two bedtime stories for the second consecutive night - "Blue Train Green Train" (about Thomas the Engine), and a story from a collection about Frog and Toad Together.

More to come after Friday's visit to Apple - and later to Comerica Park - andy my (hopeful) lunch with Missy Gannon!

2008 Road Trip - Entry 2

SATURDAY, JULY 19: The plan was to leave Springfield by 1 p.m. so I could be in Detroit by 5 p.m. or so. Unlike Day 1 of the trip, which was delayed by around 75 minutes, this leave-time actually worked. But before leaving Casa del Grindrod, Chris gave me a tour of his hometown, which included telling me how Springfield's two high schools are being merged into one - and all the political and emotional turmoil this has caused in the town - and stopping for a damn good Buckeye Blitz frozen beverage at a local coffee shop.

The first part of the drive north was through some of the "back country," where I had the chance to see several Amish individuals plying their trade (including the horse-and-carriage deal) and getting absolutely no cellular service. I also passed a small drive-in theatre and some of the most beautiful houses (which likely date back to the early 1900s). Around Findlay I joined up with I-75; after passing through Monroe, I connected with I-275 and missed the fun and joy of dealing with major construction by the Ambassador Bridge.

After arriving at my sister Miriam and Brian Halprin's house in Bloomfield Township, I changed and went to my mom's condo in West Bloomfield, where a casual dinner was scheduled involving immediate family and cousins that had come in from out of town - specifically San Francisco and Duluth. I went with Brian (Miriam had taken sons Joshua and Samuel separately). Mom ordered plenty of barbecue chicken and lemon chicken, salad, and (much) more. In general, a great time was had by all.

SUNDAY, JULY 20: The brunch for my stepfather Oscar's 90th birthday was slated for 11:30 a.m. at the Tam O'Shanter. It was huge - my guess is more than 200 people were there, including family and friends from both sides and from across the U.S. My brother Charles had asked me two weeks prior if I could handle the videotaping responsibilities, since his wife, Elisabeth, was out of town on business and he had to watch over his son, Lionel. No problem. I ran the video during much of the greeting line that made its way to talk with Oscar, as well as to circle around the room multiple times. I had the chance to see and talk with many familiar faces who I have not seen in years - definitely a wonderful reunion (of sorts).

Several wonderful speeches were made, and brunch was great. Mom did an absolutely amazing job of coordinating and putting together the tribute. She and I had talked about it months earlier when she and Oscar were in Boca, and she was initially torn on whether to have the birthday party in Florida closer to Oscar's actual April birthday or in Michigan after they had returned. I think she made the right move, for multiple reasons, and the proof was in the party itself.

After lunch, Miriam, Brian, Joshua, Samuel, and cousin Felicia came back to the Halprin household for a few hours, then strode back to mom's place for dinner ... and amazingly, the food was the same as the night before! (OK, so Saturday night dinner ended up being more food than needed. No biggie.)

After coming home, I ended up working for a few hours on a story for the Town-Crier that I had started on before leaving Florida, and emailed it to the paper.

MONDAY, JULY 21: It's never a good sign when one has to bring in their vehicle for service while on vacation. (Technically, it's never a good sign when one has to bring their vehicle in for service any time.) This was one of those moments; when at the Grindrod's, I had noticed a loud squeaking sound from under the hood when running the air conditioning, so I thought it best to have the situation reviewed. It turns out the A/C belt was loose, so the workers at Midas tightened up the belt, checked out the other belts, and changed the spark plugs (per my request). Better safe than sorry.

While my car was in the shop, I called Jodi Mills, who happened to be home (yay!). She picked me up at Olga's Kitchen, where I had ventured to get some lunch, with her two children in tow. We headed off to Trader Joe's for some shopping, then hung out at her new house for a while before I went to pick up my vehicle.

After stopping at Miriam's to change, I drive about an hour north to Linden, Michigan, and the new home of Jeff Falcon ... and his fiance, Kim ... and her son, Kyle. While they have been engaged for about seven months, they are holding off on setting a date until both sell their other houses. (Yes, Kim owns a house separately, as does Jeff, and they are waiting to resolve those "additional houses" issue before finalizing plans.) This was my first time meeting Kim and Kyle, and over dinner I got to know them a bit better. Kyle is an adventurous youth who is in the Cub Scouts and is an avid Star Wars fan, and even though he thinks The Phantom Menace is the best Star Wars movie, he's a pretty cool kid. Kim works for IBM out of a home office.

After enjoying dinner (barbecue chicken!) and dessert (rhubarb crisp!), Jeff and I took a tour of the backyard, where he's growing a garden ... something I never envisioned him doing. Jeff is truly happy and content, and I am so happy he has met someone who he can share his life with. Ironically, while he was showing off his new Detroit Red Wings basement, I received a phone call from Alexandra Sencer, officially filling me in on her engagement to Mike, with a September 2009 wedding. I'm equally happy for her :)

Before leaving, Jeff and I talked about seeing the Detroit Tigers on Friday. I said I'd call Mark Mosesso and a few other friends to see if they were available and interested.

TUESDAY, JULY 22: Troy, Michigan, is the home of Hockeytown Authentics, a store chock-full of Red Wings and Tigers paraphernalia. What better place to visit on the heels of a fourth Stanley Cup in 11 years? What better way to stock up even more stuff that I have no room for in my condo? Well, I shopped wisely - I only bought a 2007-08 Red Wings season DVD, Tigers button-up shirt, a red Wings car window flag, and an end-of-year program, which notes that the recently-retired Dallas Drake was originally drafted by Detroit in 1898. (No wonder he finally retired!) When I was telling Miriam what I bought, and mentioned the flag, her reaction was, "Like you need any more Red Wings stuff on your car!"

After leaving the store, I drive to the intersection of Square Lake and Telegraph roads, where I grew up, just to see how the place has changed. Man has it ever changed! Most of the businesses in the area have either been remodeled completely or torn down and rebuilt. The Burger King Miriam used to work at is gone (no big loss). The Showcase Cinemas are history (although I knew about this a while ago, it was a shock to see). My old Chi-Chi's restaurant stomping grounds no longer exist. An LA Fitness is next to Carl's Golfland. One-third of the mall formerly known as Miracle Mile (now Bloomfield Town Square) is history, and a Costco is going up where the rubble now stands. I also drove past my old house on Marcy Court; it's been revamped completely as well (new siding, shingles, paint color, the works).

The real excitement came around 3 p.m. I was driving south on Telegraph just north of Maple Road, when a man driving a Mercury Mountaineer rapidly (and unsafely) approached me as I came upon a traffic snarl (Bloomfield Township road crews had shut down the far-right lane, as they were doing some maintenance work). After stopping completely, Mr. Mountaineer decides to swerve two lanes to his right (just behind the work crew), then swerve back to his left one lane, nearly hitting several cars in the process. A few seconds later, I'm directly to his left, and Mr. Mountaineer is now out of his vehicle and yelling at the guy behind him (who he had cut off) something to the effect of, "You want a piece of me? I'll f*ck you up!" The aggressive one takes his glasses off and places them on the hood of the van driven by the man he is yelling at. Next thing I know, the second man has gotten out of his van and the two are exchanging fisticuffs. I quickly pull off to the side of the road (in front of the work crew) and dial 911, something several individuals also did. About 30 seconds later, the two get in their respective vehicles and drive away. About 10 minutes later Bloomfield Township police arrive, but they won't file a report since neither of the individuals involved are around.

Tomorrow's a big day - a trip to the Holocaust Museum, meeting up with a former Hebrew School and high school friend I haven't seen in years, and dinner with the 'rents!

2008 Road Trip - Entry 1

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16: I originally planned to leave Lake Worth by 10 a.m. Fate, cleverly disguised as a previous-night Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers concert, pushed this back an hour; suffice to say, the extra hour of sleep made all the difference.

This will be my 20th trip between Florida and Detroit in nine years, starting with my initial drive south in June 1999 for the combination Karen & Emad renewal of vows celebration and "Florida Teach-In" mega job fair in St. Petersburg, and the 10th time the travel has taken place in my 1997 Toyota RAV-4. The odometer reads 177,186 as I leave my condo, with iPod connected to the stereo system and TomTom GPS unit programmed for the trip.

For the most part, the first day was uneventful. Oh, there was plenty of rain (What? Rain in Florida during June? Inconceivable!), but most of the ride was spent on I-95 and I-26. Destination: Columbia, South Carolina, where I have a dinner date with a former debate student, Brittany Cos, and her sister Paige. Brittany and I talked several times during the day to coordinate things, and ended up going to a really nice Japanese steakhouse resting in a row of shopping malls. Dinner was great, despite our waiter bringing Paige spicy hot chicken fingers instead of the requested not-too-spicy version. To his credit, he did remove it from the bill without being prodded. It was a great reunion; I hadn't seen Brittany since the FSU tournament in September of last year, or Paige - who is 13 now! - since March 2006. The Cos family moved an hour from Columbia after Brittany graduated, so we were literally next door to her new home.

After dinner, Brittany got to show off her new car (affectionally named "Nemo"). We said goodbye, with the Cos sisters heading home and me heading for a hotel. Did I mention I didn't book a room? Oh. Well, I didn't book a room. No biggie; it's a weekday in the middle of the Bible belt. I decide to follow the lead of my GPS unit and look for the first hotel on Stage 2, the trip from South Carolina to Springfield, Ohio.

My original idea was to head north on I-77, through the Carolinas and Virginias, then cut northwest to Springfield, home of the Grindrods. However, my TomTom had a different idea, which was to take I-26 west to I-75 and cut north through Tennessee and Kentucky. PROBLEM NUMBER 1: Much to my surprise, the first hour of this portion is amazingly void of hotels! I finally found a Comfort Inn in Clinton, SC. PROBLEM NUMBER 2: Despite billing itself as having wireless Internet, the only place this actually existed was in the hotel lobby, thus depriving me the opportunity to download my daily dose of spam e-mail. OK, maybe this wasn't as big a problem after all!

THURSDAY, JULY 17: My RAV-4 got to experience something rare - climbing up and down hills. I am always amazed by the mountain ranges that make up parts of this trip, like the Appalachians. The view is breathtaking. One of these times, I might even add a few days to this trip and pull off to the side of the Interstate (or, better yet, off the Interstate altogether) to take some photos. Not this time, though.

I'm excited to see Chris & Ketra Grindrod, whose new condo I will be staying at for two nights. The last time we got together was in August 2006, when I was driving home from my last Detroit visit, and we did lunch at a Buca di Beppo near Columbus, Ohio - a get-together commemorated by a photo of me with the Pope. I mean, a photo taken of me standing next to a photo of the Pope. Whatever, it was a cool time.

By afternoon, my eyes are starting to bother me, even though I'm wearing prescription sunglasses, and I have to stop more frequently than the previous day in order to take brief rests. The strategy pays off, and I arrive safe and sound in Springfield as dusk approaches. The Grindrod residence is a very nice two-story structure, with a spacious family/living room and a nicely-designed office for Chris to work on his radio productions. Along with his computer, he has a reel-to-reel deck, microphone, and other equipment vital to the job. After dinner, we put together some abstract pseudo-rap videos (which, God willing, will never find their way to YouTube!) and caught up on things.

FRIDAY, JULY 18: Bagels for breakfast! This was followed by a trip to the nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Despite living half an hour away, this will be Chris and Ketra's first visit to WP; I vaguely remember touring the base some 30 years ago while in the Boy Scouts. What's really nice is that we will have our own personal tour guide in Ron, a former Air Force pilot who is friends with Ketra's family and is in town from Texas for the week. Ron's expertise in discussing everything from the Wright Brothers' initial flight to the history behind various MiG fighter jets was wonderful, and added depth to what was already a great visual experience. I took more than 60 photos during our tour.

After leaving WPAFB, we headed to dinner at a new restaurant called The Pub, an authentic British pub with nearly 30 brews on tap (none of which are Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.). One of the really neat things about The Pub is that they let you taste-test its brews; after reviewing the extensive list, I asked to test the Monty Python's Holy Grail Ale, which I subsequently ordered in a 16-ounce "Holy Grail" collector's mug! (And yes, that's the other reason I ordered said beverage.) For dinner, both Ketra and Chris went with a Shepherd's Pie, while I went with a more traditional Fish & Chips.

Following dinner, we stopped at Graeter's Ice Cream for some Buckeye Blast: Peanut Butter-Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Cookie Dough and Chocolate Fudge Chunks. Wow! A brief stop at Best Buy, and we're back at Grindrod Central for the night. Chris downloaded songs to put together a hockey-theme music block, while I burned what seemed to be every George Winston song not previously in my collection onto my hard drive.

OK, it's getting late, and there's so much more to write. I'll pay catch-up on the weekend, and then some, tomorrow!

From "Bad Hair" To "Had Hair"

The information filtered to the Wellington High School students and staff a few months ago: a massive team effort to raise money in the fight against pediatric cancer. And all we needed to do - besides raising money, that is - was get our hair shaved off.

Say what?

It's called St. Baldrick's Day - an event where participants shave their scalps to show solidarity with children who have cancer and typically lose their hair during cancer treatment for children's cancer research. Funds raised by the St. Baldrick's Foundation will be used to fund childhood cancer research - to help speed the day when every child with cancer will be guaranteed a healthy future. Worldwide, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year. While advances have saved many children, childhood cancer still claims the lives of more children in the US than any other disease - more than diabetes, asthma, congenital anomalies, cystic fibrosis and AIDS - combined!

And so I jumped in, one of about 10 teachers, and around 20 students, who dared to go bald.

I actually did this once before, back in the late 1990s, when I was working for WBFH-FM, the Bloomfield Hills School District's radio station, as part of a fundraiser for the March of Dimes.

Now, I know, you're thinking: "Gaba doesn't really have that much hair ... why on earth should I donate?" Well, it's really simple ... I grew my hair out over a four-month period. By late March, I had envisioned a mullet. Or, for you Fletch fans, the super-huge 1970s Michael Jacksonesque 'fro. Yeah. Really. I even bought the industrial size tub of hair gel to try and make my hair somewhat manageable as we approached the big day.

As you can tell ... I looked more like Don King.

So I emailed out a ton of family and friends in early January, and received a ton of responses. They included:

It's nice to know there's a (bald) face behind the email. BTW, are you keeping the beard?

The four of us pledge to donate $10 for every inch of the "longest" lock cut; so if you grow three inches, that's $30. Five inches = $50. And, as we are in cold, cold Michigan, where people grow hair for insulation, we request you post a series of pictures showing hair growth, the shaving, and final product (if possible)!

I think it is very kind and generous of you to do this. I myself participated in the LiveStrong Challenge in August, and I can say that it is very gratifying to be able to raise money for cancer research and support services. I don't know if you know that I had cancer in 2006. It was a terrible time for our family and friends and also I lost a very dear friend to leukemia in August, so I am a very big supporter to any kind of cancer fundraiser. So good luck and I hope that you can double your sponsorship goal.

By the time of the big shave this morning, I had raised just over $1,000.

I, along with all the participants - and a number of students who were there, in the school gym, having paid for the honor by purchasing either a t-shirt or wristband (or both) - were ready for the experience. There were a number of speakers - including survivors of childhood cancer and parents of survivors. There were administrators and the local media. And there were volunteers from area hair salons. Originally, students were going to be the shavers, but for some reason - liability? - that was changed at the last minute.

The didn't have enough chairs for all the faculty or students to be done in one shot, so the fun and festivities started with the faculty. I stood by while all the other staff members received their haircuts. Then, about 15 minutes later, I was shown my chair, and two blonde hairdressers began sculpting ... I mean, scalping ... me.

Well, after they trimmed the goatee.

I must admit, the goatee was not part of the original plan. But they asked me while I was sitting there, and I spontaneously decided, if we're going to do this, we need to go all the way.

Then we decided, just for shits and giggles, do trim the mop of scariness into a mohawk, for glory and photography's sake.

One of my debate parents asked me, during the pledge request phase, what motivated me to do the St. Baldrick's event. I had a multiple-prong response: (1) my father died of brain cancer in 1988; that was the biggest reason for my participation; (2) a former student of mine from the International Academy in Michigan was diagnosed with leukemia his senior year, and he was probably the most amazing child I have ever met - originally from German, spoke multiple languages fluently (English, German, Spanish, French, Latin, and Old German - which I discovered when we were discussing Beowulf), IQ through the roof; (3) one of my best friends from college is a testicular cancer survivor; he and I have had many long talks about my father and him; and (4) it sounded like a good thing to get involved with.

I have no regrets. Not a one.

During the mohawk process, my principal, Cheryl Alligood, took a look at me and proclaimed, "Oh, I have got to get a photo of this!" The hairdressers paused for a moment to let us have our Kodak moment together. Then she laughed.

After I was done, it was the students' turn. The student who raised the most was the last to go ... and was also the only female (staff or student) to get shaved. She was both excited and extremely nervous. But the crowd - students, faculty, all those who had already been shaved bald - cheered her and gave her encouraging words. Then, when it was done, she was carried off the stage to a standing ovation.

Damn cool.

This was Wellington's first time doing this. When all was said and done, we raised over $20,000 for the fight. Hopefully next year, it will be more.

Afterward, I went back to my classroom, where a substitute had been filling in for me. And ... the strangest thing began to happen. Students who were at lunch ... or in different classes ... or who had been in my class earlier, when I was busy with the cause ... started "dropping by" the classroom to "say hello" to me and "see if I was OK."

Yeah ... I was definitely OK.

I got photos almost immediately after the experience, and posted them on Facebook. And the St. Baldrick's website. And sent the via email to those who were unable to access either site. And the responses ... well, here's a sampling:

My goodness! It's Yul Brenner!! Actually, it's quite distinguished.

You look pretty darned handsome, there!! Maybe the beginning of a total makeover!!!

Looks like a fun day. Nice fro-hawk.

Dude, you have less hair than I do!!! AGAIN!!!!

I liked the Mohawk ... I think that would be a permanent good look for a debate coach.

So, now the regrowth starts. Lord knows, my supply of shampoo will be extended a bit longer this time around. And I don't anticipate hitting the salon any time soon. Unless there's some sort of dramatic "Chia-head" science project out there on the market I am not fully aware of at this time.

Or next year, maybe it will be a full year's growth that gets shaved.

For more information, visit the St. Baldrick website.