Life experiences – Page 29

Throwback Thursday, Neal’s Post from the Past

Neal’s Post from the Past: “Touring Savannah’s City Hall, Y’all”

Posted on September 1, 2022September 1, 2022 by Neal Saye

A blog post from back in 2014. Please excuse the grainy photos.

Every First Tuesday Savannah’s City Hall opens its doors for free tours. I know, I know, touring City Hall doesn’t sound like the most exciting entertainment venue around. But hold on just a second. After a hefty helping of Gabriella’s Zesty Chicken (on mashed potatoes) at Zunzi’s, I wobbled down Bull Street, remembering just in time to look up before I reached the river, and saw this …

… Savannah’s incredibly beautiful City Hall.

Completed in 1905 …

… City Hall features two figures who adorn the front, just below the clock and gold dome. And those two pretty ladies represent Commerce and Art. If you know anything about Savannah, you will find those figures so, so timely. Because what was true in 1905 is certainly true today: Savannah is both a big business city (Savannah Port and Gulfstream, for example) as well as a cultured, artistic town (SCAD, Savannah Music Festival, festivals galore).

Come along.

The original clockwork is now in the lobby:

Looking up to the interior stained glass dome:

Here I am with the really interesting tour guide (and SCAD grad), Luciana Spracher. She knew her stuff!

Did you know Savannah has a flag?

View from a back window of city hall:

I pretended to know the mayor. But you can only stand in front of her office for so long before people start to wonder what you’re doing.

TANGENT: A couple of months ago, I attended an event at the Savannah Civic Center with our mayor, Edna Jackson.

Okay, okay, maybe I wasn’t exactly with the mayor, but you can’t tell that from the above photo with her and Savannah State’s President, Dr. Cheryl Davenport Dozier.

*******

Luciana led us into the Savannah City Council chambers. For some reason I just got so excited.

Here I am sitting at the mayor’s desk. (Does she know people do this?)

What a fun (and educational) tour! Thanks, Luciana.

I Love Savannah!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 8/26/22

Posted on August 26, 2022August 26, 2022 by Neal Saye

1. Realizing that some broken things CAN be fixed.

My special wooden “N” (for Neal) that I somehow dropped and splintered.

But now it’s back on the top of my Desires Board, next to Mr. Happy and down just a bit from my Yes Stick. (Okay, I can see your furrowed brow. During the pandemic, HR and I traveled to a bunch of Georgia State parks, where we went on many a hike. I would often see a Y-shaped stick or tree branch on the trail and tell Robert it was a Yes Stick, to pause and think of something to say “Yes!” to. On one marvel-ous hike at Tugaloo State Park, HR saw this Y Stick, brought it home and shellacked it for us. Yes! TMI?)

2. The incredible ability to walk (which I usually just take for granted). To be able to put one foot in front of the other … and go forward! Try it!

3. Finally finishing with Robert this week the eye-, mind- and heart-opening A New Origin Story: The 1619 Project.

A difficult but so important read about the role that slavery and racism played in our nation’s founding—and continues to play in the U.S. today.

I wish its meticulously documented truths could be taught in every high school.

5. Butterflies

Callaway Resort and Gardens, Pine Mountain, GA

4. Soap. (For sensitive skin)

I wish you a joyfully clean weekend ahead.

Issues with Race

Please Don’t

Posted on August 24, 2022August 24, 2022 by Neal Saye

It should be a sign EVERYWHERE.

The View from Behind

The View from Behind #4: “Proud?”

Posted on August 22, 2022August 22, 2022 by Neal Saye

For some reason, I have always appreciated “the view from behind.” As a child, on the first day of each school year, I was a nervous wreck waiting for the teacher to announce our seating arrangement. Front of the class? 😢 Too much exposure! Far too much responsibility to “be.” A nice, comfy seat toward the back? 😁 Perfect. I get to observe, to “see.” To breathe calmly.

In this blog category, “The View from Behind,” I invite you to join me, somewhere in the back.

I have not always been proud. As a matter of fact, it took most of a lifetime to come to terms with being gay. That designation, that reality, somehow took a hidden back seat.

But in my … EARLY senior years, I am attempting to embrace the gay joy of being gay.

Shhh … Silent Sunday

Shhh … Silent Sunday 8/21/22

Posted on August 21, 2022August 21, 2022 by Neal Saye

Family

It Starts with “L”

Posted on August 19, 2022August 19, 2022 by Neal Saye

So if you have followed my blog for a while now, you know that I am married to a man, Robert, and that we are very close to my ex-wife Donna.

We actually took her out for lunch today. (Five Guys, Burgers and Fries— in case you are wondering. I’m a big spender.)

I was recently looking through my storage bins of “old stuff” and came across this …

A little gift from Donna years (no decades!) ago.

The incredible truth?

IT’S STILL TRUE!

Five Friday Happy Bringers

Five Friday Happy Bringers 8/19/22

Posted on August 19, 2022August 19, 2022 by Neal Saye

1. My homemade pickled jalapeños … on everything.

This time a turkey, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and onion pita.

2. Truth …

3. Discovering Senior Citizens Inc. here in Savannah and attending a fascinating lecture, “The Rosenwald Schools: Challenge and Triumph.”

I bought the book!

4. Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes.

5. My chair in our study! It has a personality of its own. It’s alive. It (he? she? they?) is a place of refuge for me. It’s where I read. And mediate. It’s where I sit in peace.

And where I often sit in not-so-peace when my anxiety, Truffles, comes a’knockin. (My anxiety protocol sheet is at the ready nearby in the magazine rack.)