Jon
My fuzzy recollections lead me to believe that I first met Jon sometime in 7th grade, but that our first meeting was at Temple Sinai in confirmation class rather than in elementary school because we went to different schools. Since then, we've been close friends, including a stint as roommates, when Alan Silva and Maria Muldaur were our leading lights. When Jon moved to Tokyo back in 1981, we used to trade who originated the phone calls, then there was e-mail to reduce communication costs, then Skype, and now FaceTime. (Never forget, a nod is as good as a wink)
I headed to Milwaukee to spend time with Jon during his annual trip home. Since his twin sister Pam was casting about in northern Wisconsin, we decided to meet at the Milwaukee Art Museum on a lovely summer day. We spent little time in the galleries, but walked the grounds and then to Harbor House for a 3-hour lunch (no martinis). I then headed back up to Pam's house in Cedarburg, where Jon and I spent a couple of hours on the elevated patio watching the river flow and tossing toys to Pam's rambunctious Blacks Labs.
During the 8-hour visit, we caught up on each other's spouses, Jon and MA's kids, retirement plans, reminisced about current and old friends, and even talked a little Trump. We also noted all the new construction in Milwaukee.
I am pissed at myself. I went intending to get some portraits of Jon, but I simply forget about that as we both photographed the Santiago Calatrava structure that is the latest addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum and spent a leisurely day enjoying each other's company, as we have done for 50 years. Old friends are the best friends.
The Fan
Finding Religion in the Milwaukee Art Museum (Please Stop Chimping and Look Out the Window)
The Female Form
The Wings Photographed From Below
Milwaukee Art Museum: The Lobby in the New Wing
Santiago Calatrava Valls in Milwaukee
Contemplating the Infinite
The U.S. Bank Center, Formerly the First Wisconsin Center, Where I Worked Long Ago
Chuck Closes' Nancy (Graves), and Two Priests
