Dad, Mom...Meet Joe

It happens today. A two hour drive to my childhood home. Joe and my parents get to meet for the first time. He does want to make a good first impression, but he's not very nervous. I'm glad, as there's no reason to be. My parents are very low key, and even though this will be the first time they've been introduced to their son's same-gendered mate, they will just be the good natured folk that they are. I'm fortunate that way, as Joe apparently severed ties with his own parental coupling for five years, out of disagreement over lifestyle. Okay... the disagreement was 100% with his mother, but you know how those things can go.

Joe asked if he could make a carrot cake to take with, which is fine. Actually, I'd rather he make one to keep at home for once...

R.I.P. - m.m.Cohn

One of Little Rock's retailing icons is about to die. Possibly one of the last department store chains in the country to have kept it's original name since being founded in the 1870's, M.M.Cohn will be closed -along with it's parent company, Dunlap Stores of Ft. Worth at the end of 2007.

M.M. Cohn's was to Little Rock, as Neiman's is to Dallas, Sak's to New York... Nordstrom's to Seattle, etc. You always knew that you would always find 'the best' there, whether it was a tie, a bathtowel or a full-length fox. You can read a little about the store's history here. I remember, as a child, my family shopping at this downtown store (pictured above). I remember the elevator operator. Seems like I remember a lunch counter. I remember being in awe of the Christmas windows. I remember so much... I even remember it's neighbors: Pfiefer's and Blass Department Stores (later merged and renamed Dillard's). In all three, the entreprenurial spirit of these families who helped build Little Rock will live on only through memory of those who experienced it.

It is a pity that such a local legend has been allowed to die such a long painful death. Purchased from the original family in 1989 by the Dunlap Co., M.M. Cohn immediately began it's downward spiral. Terrible, since it was once not only the premiere retailer of Little Rock/North Little Rock, but also of Memphis, Oklahoma City & Tulsa. I was sad to also see a Memphis icon, Goldsmith's, fall victim to the nationwide Macy's rename, Marshall Field's in Chicago too, but it hurts more to see our little piece of history closing altogether.

It was our 'own little Neiman's'... now it's gone.

They're Back....!!!

Funny how this vid seemed so 'cutting edge' when it was released.

Eight Little Things

A fun little game I read about some months ago in the Technorati website has made its way to me via Mike, over in D.C. & also from Kyle in L.A. The object is to list eight unknown things about yourself or your past, and tag eight other blogs that you frequent and then urge them to do the same. Expands one's readership, I suppose... Anyway, here goes:

1. Way back in the previous millenium, during college orientation, I took the Meyers-Briggs personality indicator. My result? INFJ (Finally, something to explain why I was always so freaking sensitive...).

2. When I was 15(1984), I tried riding atop my cousin Darrin's Camaro in the Electric Cowboy (read arcade) parking lot. Unfortunately, this was also the same evening I had first decided to experiment with drinking several beers. I crashed head first onto the parking lot, and ever since, I can touch someone and see their future.

3. Last week, I got to see first-hand, several Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Oak Park, IL that I often drew as a child. It was a profoundly serendipitous moment for me...

4. I have trouble finding appropriatly sized shoes, as I wear a size 15EEEE.

5. I live in a Victorian home built in 1892... and by writing this post, I am procrastinating my day's task of painting one of it's bedrooms.

6. I didn't get my first cavity until I was 20.

7. I secretly wish more people would leave comments on my blog. Well not so much a secret anymore, huh?

8. I often ponder how I would look if I was bald.

Now... for my tags!

My best blogging friend, Tony. And even a good friend in real life, too.

Kyle. A deftly talented writer in L.A. He and I are also alums of the same high school, though we've never met.

Passionate Lynette. I first found her by way of the Joe.My.God. commenteers, and now we read each other often.

John, over at Becoming A Doctor. His journey should be inspirational to just about anyone.

Mark. I easily place myself in his stories, and I can never get enough, no matter how haunting they are.

Homer. Genius-level archaeologist. Loves to take pictures of food and friends.

Belinda, over at Ninja_Poodles. Guest writer for the Arkansas Times. Very funny.

And always a fresh perspective on AR politics can be found at Matilda's_Advice_&_Rants.