REAL NEBRASKA GIRL...

...this year's Flower Girl, Sydney Noonan

Like last year's Flower Girl, Molly Johnson http://tomtidball.blogspot.com/2013/05/good-golly-miss-molly.html Sydney has also been a student of mine, maybe a trend but not a requirement...

 Sydney is a real Nebraska girl alright! She's a matter of fact, straight shooter with robust Midwestern qualities finding expression in her way and her beauty...that includes adept football awareness, of course. Real Huskerheads will recognize the obvious influence in her name.

Sydney has a keen eye for beauty. She reads light well and has a genuine love and understanding for what goes into a great photograph.

Stick with it, Sydney...
and your camera will certainly take you on a big adventure.
And you go, real Nebraska girl...
Roots are important!
:^) Tom

IT'S PARTY TIME!!!

Exactly one year ago, we serendipitously found ourselves in the laid back seaside town of Lisbon, Portugal. During the day, it seemed pretty much business as usual...

Little did we know, it was the eve of June 13th!... the biggest of the Festas dos Santos Populares (Popular Saints Parties). This one annually commemorates Santo Antonio (Saint Anthony), the keeper of lost things, also known in Portugal and Brazil as the Marriage Saint.
I discovered that Fernando Martins de Bulhoes, later to become Saint Anthony, was a native son, born in Lisbon in 1195 to a wealthy family. In his day, he became highly praised for his sermons and teachings of the Gospel all throughout the Mediterranean.






This day, as the sun went down the city's entire population hit the streets!

Young and old
Food and drink
Music and dancing
Fireworks and friends...

All night long!

With all due respect for the Saints...

Party on, you Lisboans!!!

Tom  :^)

SHOWTIME!!!

I recently did a little shoot for the Lied Center for Performing Arts in Lincoln, Nebraska. I told directors Bill Stephan and Ann Chang that their dance moves weren't being properly appreciated in the empty hall. They said, we just can't help it! We're so excited about this upcoming 25th year anniversary season!

Ok then, party on Bill and Ann...
Have a great season,
and break a leg while you're at it,
Tom

ON A ROLL!!!

It's so great to know people who are doing their passion, really adept at it and are fun to be around as an added bonus. 
I'm into horizontal acceleration lately, with a little help from my friends...

Meet Great Plains Noah Nielsen...

 Noah's a biker and the owner of Great Plains Cycle Supply on N. 27th St. near Cornhusker Hwy. He just finished bringing my 1968 Honda 350 back to life, putting his magic touch to good use. It's running like a dream now, just like the good ol' days. Isn't she a beauty?

And here's Polkadot Paul Knopp...

Paul is a connoisseur of quality and a one man band at his shop on South St. right next to the Dairy Queen. He sat me down and educated me as we ordered each component, part by part...then masterfully built me this brand spanking new bicycle from scratch...by far the coolest, smoothest and fastest ride ever for me. I feel like a kid again! 

So, strap it on...
Saddle up...
And let's ride!     
               :^)  Tom

THEY WENT AND DID IT!!!

 A couple of great friends became one yesterday. Tyler Thomas and Mandy Haase got married!... a real joyful event all around! Everyone whooped it up big time, then went jolly on their way! I remembered to take my trusty little pocket camera along for the ride and collected a few fun pics of the event...

Blessings for life, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas!
You make a great pair!
Tom

A SEAT WITH A VIEW...

down the 3rd base line, about twenty rows up...

Take me out to the ballgame...
KC Royals vs Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
It's still early, but the Royals have some work to do to meet everyone's high expectations this year.
They got schooled in this home stand...

 But, what a treat to watch Justin Verlander's mastery on the mound and Miguel Cabrera's presence at the plate. Considering the precision and control required to be consistently successful in this difficult game, they've certainly got it goin' on...

So, save me a seat & I'll see you there...

I don't care if we never get back...    :^)  Tom

SIMPLY THE BEST...

Happy Mother's Day, Sriyani...

Once again...to the best mom and love of my life.
                                                              One of a kind, 
                                                                               Tom

RETRO FAMILIA...

Last night we went to hear Ramsey Lewis and John Pizzarelli play an evening full of Nat King Cole tunes...goes without saying, they were great!

50's music carried me back to another time and place...when I happened to be walking in Barcelona past the home of Antoni Gaudi, where he stayed when he was working on Sagra Familia. I noticed this Retro British Gal coming my way. She was really pleasant and accommodated me with this little snap shot...

Cool Beans!
BTW, she was also sporting a polka dot dress and saddle shoes...
Perfect! You gotta love it!
                                             :^)   Tom

GOOD TIME TO REMEMBER...

                                  THE PASSOVER LAMB

                                     THE LAST TRUMPET

Gotta be there... 

                                     Fit for the  King,   Tom                                        

WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE...

...to win your smile?

...??? Huh?
                                               O K tnx :^)

OK, YOU HUSKERS!

It's time to come home...

Springtime in Nebraska...

It's growing season,               :^)  Tom

                                              

LOVER'S LANE...

Could be any lane...depends on how you walk it...

This one's just down the street from the Duomo in Milano. Turn left at the Brera.

You can't miss it.

:^) Tom

TRIBUTE TO DANA...

It's a real sad day for me today. I got up to the news of my old friend Dana Stephenson's passing a few days ago. This is personal, I know and most people who visit my blog have probably never heard of Dana. But, considering the sobering nature of this fleeting life, I'd like to share a memory...

Dana was a stud...should have been a warrior. Everybody loved and admired him as a handsome man, gifted athlete and notably talented person. Dana was special. He oozed life and excitement in the good old days and was so much fun to be around. He was one of my favorite mates. When we took the field, there was no slow gear...only hair on fire, always pushing the limits! He played hard and knew how to compete. That's what I loved about him. That was when all was fine in the world. Trouble is, Dana didn't fit, got targeted and was brought down, hard...'made an example of', and until close to the end struggled getting his feet back under himself, the discipline part of his mojo back.

From Leavenworth, he wrote and told me his prison leading batting average number, and about how when things are going your way, you seem to have a freight train full of friends, but when hard times hit, you can fit your real friends in the backseat of a Volkswagon (bug)... 

When I was a kid, we had a little framed picture of a dog with this saying on the wall... 

'A friend is not a feller who is taken in by sham, 

A friend is one who knows our faults and doesn't give a damn.'

                                                          Hard life,

                                                          Soft core,

                                                          Thanks, Dana...

                                                          To be continued,

                                                                            Tom

TRUE ART...

Sriyani and I spent most of one day last week roaming the hallowed halls of the Louve in Paris. The famous gallery is massive in size, overwhelming actually, with mind blowing pieces of art all around, some ancient and from places and times we've barely heard of...

For me, the most beautiful expression of art I saw that day was a living man's leading role in the adventure he was sharing with his children. They were obviously dressed for the occasion, actively flowing and twirling and dancing and laughing their way through the gallery labyrinth. 

Their joy being together was remarkable...

After Dad agreed to let me photograph him with his son, I got my shot, we all thanked each other, then they turned and continued on their bouncy way...

Big sister didn't budge, just stood there looking up at me...

Do you want me to take your picture, too?

Oui...

Ok...Pose...Click...Smile...Giggle...Run away

Innocent as doves... 

The greatest art is heart to heart,
A worthy quest along the way.
It's a beautiful thing,
And, the beat don't stop for nothing...
Tom

FLY BY SHOOTING...

...a whirlwind trip to the 'old country' to welcome little Massimo into this world. 'Roots are important'...a line spoken by the Saint in the recent Italian movie, The Great Beauty. Watch it and we'll talk. In the meantime, I'll be beating the cobblestones and shooting from the hip...on the fly

Man wondering in Charles de Gaulle














Man wandering in Charles de Gaulle

You snooze, you lose & sometimes miss your flight...

Romanian gypsy sisters

friends in Gallarate, ItalyHats

Hands

new friend from Senegal selling his goodies on the street in Gallarate

Just Chillin...

Pessimist and Optimist in Galleria, Milano

                                            Milano, Italy...body guards

keep your balance...                                     ...at the Duomo, Milano

flower lady at Lil'Eden shop on the corner, Crenna

trusty assistant...

Homeboy agrees, roots are important :^)