Answers to Time-Honored Journalistic Questions

This was the notice on the bookstore door, reminding people that our kick-off 20th anniversary year event was being held at Brew North coffee house. So that answers the Who? and Where? questions, I hope. The When? was yesterday, Thursday afternoon, April 18.

It was great! The whole high school came!

How? Loreen Niewenhuis is a terrific presenter -- personable, engaging, down-to-earth, and often funny. The students and others in the audience clearly appreciated both her sense of adventure and the scientific research she does before and during her long lakeshore walks. Loreen alternated reading from her book (she has a lovely reading voice, soft yet perfectly audible and well articulated) and taking questions from the audience. The variety gave a comfortable informality to a very professional presentation.

I've said Loreen is engaging. The students were engaged. They were attentive. They asked excellent questions. I was so happy to connect local students -- at last -- with one of the many top-notch visiting authors who have come to Dog Ears Books over the years. I hope this will be only the first of many such engagements. Why? Does anyone need to ask why? I hope not!

Following the presentation came the usual milling around, more informal chat with the author, a bit of bookselling, and gift Dog Ears Books pens for all in attendance -- except that we ran out of pens, so a couple students will have to pick theirs up at the bookstore. "No problem," they assured me. 

Loreen hung out at the bookstore afterwards until close to 5 o'clock, when we went next door for a bite at the Garage Bar & Grill, where David joined us, all of us well satisfied with our day. 

Many, many, many thanks to English teacher Jenny Walter for helping to put this event together, and many, many, many thanks to Erik and Deirdre Owen for volunteering their space at Brew North, as well as to Dominic Iseli-Smith for helping set up ahead of time. This was a true community effort and success. 

And now it's time for me to turn my attention and energy to painting my new bookstore wall.

Wherever They’re Going, They’re On Their Way

Northport Class of 2012

The class motto of Northport’s 2012 graduating seniors was “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way,” a quote from American poet Carl Sandburg, and a more refreshing group of well-spoken young people would be hard to imagine. They were serious and funny by turn, but their every word was honest. “We didn’t always love each other every minute,” they admitted, referring to historic feuds and fights along the path from kindergarten to graduation, “but here we are.” Still together. Setting off into the world.

Salutatorian John Petoskey

Valedictorian Nina Muller

Commencement speaker Steve Wetherbee

Is graduation anywhere else like this? A commencement address that includes a banjo? A little “flower girl” (Olivia Craker) giving out, from a basket on her arm, flowers (white orchids) to all the seniors on the stage? Seniors producing flowers (white lilies) from under their chairs to take down into the audience and present to parents and guardians? After diplomas have been handed out, the slide show (that's what the big screen in the top photo was all about), with pictures of each graduate, from baby photos to senior portraits?

Every year I, like many others in the audience, have more grey in my hair and am further in time from my own graduation. This year’s class was not yet born the first summer of my bookstore in Northport. The connection I had to the school during the years I tutored there has weakened, more a feeling in my heart now than an item on my daily agenda. And yet, Northport graduation never loses its magic for me. I wonder if these young people know how many people are made happy just by the sight of them on the sidewalk? They are our future.

So congratulations to the Class of 2012:

Megan Elaine Henderson

Austin Glen Miller

Anina Lee Punahele Naegeli Müller

John Minodeé Petoskey

Forrest Alexander Rogers

Chelsea Renee Wack

Francis Mitchell Wanageshik

Best wishes to you all as you go out into the world. May you work hard, do well and do good, and may all your dreams come true.