With no big plans this Sunday afternoon, we decided to drive up north to Portage Park to check out the 3rd annual Portage Park comic book and collectable show. Aidan’s been getting more and more interested in superhero comics lately–Wolverine in particular, so when Chris stumbled upon news of the show, we figured why not and took a drive. Aidan was psyched!
The Historic Portage Park TheaterWe got there in a flash–a little less than an hour of relatively easy driving–and found parking right in front.
Aidan was so excited about the show, he wore his homemade “Super Aidan” suit complete with cape and mask, which was a big hit. When we entered the old Portage Park Theater where the show was being held, we were immediately greeted by a nice gentleman who told Aidan he could choose any five comics he wanted from his table for free. Of course, Aidan wasted no time and quickly stocked up on his favorite X-Men books. We were off to a good start.
Aidan made his way around the tables–each cooler than the next. Picked up a few more comics, an X-Men pin, and then set his sights on one particular action figure. The seller wanted five bucks for it. Hmm. A little steep, thought Aidan–his hard-earned five dollar bill burning a hole in his pocket. With a little preparation (and a little help from trusty sidekick dad), Aidan decided to haggle with the gentleman to see if he could talk him down. “Will you take three for it?” Our pony-tailed, long-bearded, comic book and vintage toy aficionado thought for an awkwardly-long moment. Finally, he said, “I can let you have it for four.” Sold! So, Aidan scored his first action figure and learned something about market-place economics and trade in the process.
After all this excitement, we needed to recoup our super strength, so we found our way to the back of the old theater building where they were showing old reels of The Amazing Spiderman. Chillin’ in the dark, we took in a few episodes of ol’ Spidey–and enjoyed seeing a range of other costumed armature super-heroes come and go. Super Aidan gave each a knowing nod as they passed. It’s not easy being a super-hero, but at least one can, on occasion, find a moment of peace in an old 1920′s movie house among kindred spirits, boxes of tattered comics, and a few vintage toys.
Tags: comics · family fun · photos · subculture
Chris scored a coupon to the Chicago Auto Show, and since none of us had really been before, we thought we’d check it out. None of us are really “car people,” so our appreciation for the show was probably more about aesthetics and cultural observation than about automotive design and technology (although it was neat to learn about that too). In the end, it’s fun to look at pretty shiny things with wheels.
Aidan really enjoyed the show. The Jeep display was a big hit. Of course, they had their driving track setup. It’s cool to see them putting the vehicles through their paces, driving over fields of boulders and pylons and up, down, and across insanely steep grades. We picked up some literature, of course, as we do enjoy our Jeep and taking it to places the typical car couldn’t go. (I sound like a commercial, I know.)
We checked out what the show offered as far as electric vehicles, too, which was fun and informative. It would be so nice to see these vehicles come down in price and become the new norm of automotive transportation in this country. They make so much sense.
So, we strolled through McCormick Place (which in itself is really cool), took in all the shiny new cars, and took a ton of pictures because, let’s face it, it’s fun to photograph shiny new cars. I’m not sure if we’ll be annual attendees of the show, but it was fun to check out on a slow Friday afternoon with a coupon in hand.
Tags: chicago · family fun · photos
Talking recently with my friend Michelle, the topic of corporate/consumer responsibility and social justice came up, and before long we turned to Walmart as a case in point. (I know, right?)
Michelle’s question/statement to me went something like this:
Many do not necessarily have a need to shop at a place with such low prices like Walmart, but some do. Walmart may help them provide for their families. With the economy the way it is and job security a scarcity, Walmart allows many families to make
it here in the US. Walmart also supports many organic farms, has green LEED certified buildings or has green features that save energy in many of their buildings, and the foundation gives millions to support women-owned businesses, farms and factories, job training and education, hunger relief, military, education, disaster relief, and gender diversity. But there is a cost for Walmart’s low prices. Manufacturing plants around the world that supply to Walmart pay workers unfair wages, demand extremely long work days with few to no breaks, often provide no weekend breaks, employ children at a very young age, have shown documented cases of employee abuse and rape, and have disgusting working conditions. So how do we deal with having stores like Walmart that seem to support people in need, but also foster abuse in so many others? Is there a way to balance out the social justice issues of a place like Walmart?
This is an interesting question and of course one that throws a monkey wrench in some people’s tendency (and perhaps desire) to see the world in dualistic terms. The notion of Walmart as socially just or just plain evil, itself, suggests a kind of faulty dualism. Of course, we know this is a false choice; it’s not that easy, and this is damn disconcerting.
I don’t and won’t shop at Walmart. I recognize their angels and devils, but being in a position to opt out of Walmart, I will every time, even if it means paying significantly more. Of course, as Michelle is quick to argue, Walmart may provide economical alternatives to those who otherwise could not afford certain goods. (Although, this idea of a “good deal” may also be false and more about marketing and perception than anything else.) For me (privileged enough to opt out of Walmart), I think this “affordability” they provide makes them that much more evil. There are costs to the goods they hawk–even if these costs are externalized and carried on the bruised backs of sweatshop laborers. The reality, too, is that they do not provide an alternative option; rather, they aggressively work to remove buying options by monopolizing small town economies all across this country.
Ahh, but there we were at that moment, in the shadow of Walmart, with our own devil and angel.
Ok, I lied earlier. Of course I’ve been in a Walmart and have given them my money at least once or twice in the past. Last fall my family and I were camping outside a very small Wisconsin town. The weather was unseasonably cold, and so we went in search of a blanket to buy. We drove up and down every little street that made up that town looking for a shop or shanty to pedal us a blanket and, to our disappointment, every road led back to Walmart. So we, with heads hung low, shuffled through florescent-lit aisles of a Walmart warehouse in the middle of corn field, bought our blanket, and left swearing to take the amount of money we gave to Walmart that day and donate to a social justice organization.
Ahh, but there we were at that moment, in the shadow of Walmart, with our own devil and angel. We cannot right these injustices by making reparations. It’s impossible to undo damage done–to ruin one person’s life, buy a gift for another, and then call it even. It doesn’t work that way.
The real challenge, as I see it, is working through the difficulty and the thinking and the making of hard choices–the idea of how to know what to do when every choice seems like a bad one. It’s overwhelming having to think about it all. Thinking about it all, though, is critical consciousness, isn’t it? This is what I, as an educator, hope to cultivate in my students and, as a parent, in my son–the willingness and desire to ask critical questions, to pursue informed decisions, to do the work, and to live deliberately–but never off the broken backs and blood of other human beings. I’m just sayin’.
Tags: consumerism · social responsibility · social-justice · sustainability
The Historic Portage Park TheaterWe got there in a flash–a little less than an hour of relatively easy driving–and found parking right in front.
