…to support his kids’ school! And since it’s also my kids’ school, I share that same goal.

Just like last year, The Cambridge School is having a super-raffle. No macrame plant-holders or peanut-butter-coconut cream pies here; this raffle has 50 prizes, ranging from $100 all the way up to a 3-year lease on a BMW 528i. Accordingly, tickets are $25 each. To sweeten the pot, the raffle imposed a cap of 5000 tickets, so each ticket has a 1/100 chance of winning some prize, and if fewer tickets are sold, then the chances of winning are commensurately better.

The early-bird drawing has already occurred (Nov 6), and the grand prize drawing is coming up fast (Dec 5), and coming up even faster is the deadline for purchasing tickets: 4pm (Pacific), Dec 2. It is possible to print out a form, and fax it with a credit card number for instant purchase; or you still have a day or two to mail a check and have it arrive on time.

So please help out a good cause and buy a ticket or four. I wish you good luck providence!

Hace poco escuche la version de no se donde en castellano de Seussical y la odie. El elefante Humberto y el mundo de los Quien, se llamaba. ¿Humberto?…Ya desde el titulo viene mal. Y las canciones estan traducidas pesimamente. Ya se que la rima es lo primordial, pero yo me he puesto a traducir mientras leo y escucho los originales y sin salirme del ritmo estoy logrando algo más fiel al original que esta supongo version oficial en español. Ya acabe con Oh, the thinks you can think- Todos los pensamientos que puedes pensar–esa si que es dificil–. Conosco a algunos actores y actrices asi que talvez la presente en donde vivo. Ademas, es un musical donde si no aprovechas para volar la imaginacion con la escenografia y el vestuario es porque no tenes ni dos dedos de frente asi que he decidido cambiar las indicaciones escenicas originales por las propias. Se respetan dialogos y canciones, pero los movimientsos escenicos van a ser distintos. Digamos que sera un hibrido entre Seussical y Seussical Jr. – con un toque muy personal-. Ya he empezado a diseñar la escenografia -toda practicable- y sus cambios y mecanismos. Ademas del vestuario. Realmente, deseo que al ver la obra las personas aun quienes no conoscan a Seuss-en donde vivo eso serian todos- vean a los personajes y no vean gente vestida de modo raro si no que realmente vean a esos personajes de cuentos infantiles o que los reconoscan como a tales.  Ademas estoy trabajando en los afiches publicitarios–adoro encargarme del diseño- creo que seran en 2d y 3d.- Tambien habra 2d solo o 3d solo. Aun no se bien que frase o palabra de enganche poner…Solo se que me encantaría hacer de El Gato, pero si lo hago la obra sera un fracaso rotundo soy un desastre cantando-en español. segun me han dicho canto bastante bien en ingles…si justo a mi me viene la suerte de cantar bien en un idioma ajeno–.

83rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2009 has a new route! For the first time ever, the parade route will bypass Broadway and travel down 7th and 6th Avenue’s to Macy’s in Herald Square.

Stars joining the line-up include Bello, Grandma and the cast of the Big Apple Circus, Andrea Bocelli, Boys Like Girls, Alan Cumming, Billy Currington, DJ Lance Rock and the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba!, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, Gloria Gaynor, Sarah Hughes, Kermit the Frog and Tiffany Thornton, Jane Krakowski, Cyndi Lauper, Ziggy Marley with Judah Marley, Katharine McPhee, Miss America 2009 – Katie Stam, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Mitchel Musso, Keke Palmer, The Pizzarelli Quartet, Jay Sean and Carly Simon.

Enchantment returns this November as Macy’s magical procession of pomp and pageantry ushers in the holiday season at the 83rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. From the trumpeting of the time-honored phrase Let’s Have a Parade. to the first glimpse of one of Macy’s signature giant helium balloons, the march of whimsy will delight more than 3.5 million spectators lining the streets of Manhattan and more than 50 million viewers nationwide. America’s Parade steps to the beat of its own drums on Thursday, November 26th at 9:00 AM bringing with it 8,000 participants including the nation’s best marching bands, jaw-dropping performance groups, cheerleaders, clowns, giant balloons, fanciful floats and the biggest star of them all, the one-and-only Santa Claus.

From a small band of Macy’s employees gathered in 1924 to commemorate the holiday season to a tradition that has delighted millions for generations, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is truly an icon of American popular culture. Changing with the times from a Parade of floats, zoo animals, clowns and bands that marched down a more than 5- mile route to a Parade filled with giant helium balloon characters, celebrities, and more; the Macy’s Parade this year will mark yet another milestone moment. Having marched down parts of Broadway for 82 years, the 2009 procession will be the first to bypass Broadway in the history of the Parade. Over the years, the Macy’s Parade route has changed five times as it traveled through Manhattan. From the initial Harlem step-off site in the mid 1920s to its current 77th Street starting line, the Parade route has evolved with the city.

The 2009 Macy’s Parade will begin at 77th Street and Central Park West, travel down to Columbus Circle where it will turn onto Central Park South. Once the Parade reaches 7th Avenue it will turn once more and march down 7th Avenue through Times Square to 42nd Street. At the famed intersection, it will turn east to 6th Avenue and begin its final march down the Avenue of the Americas to 34th Street, where it will turn towards Macy’s famed flagship and end at 7th Avenue marking a 2.65-mile march.

“This is a milestone year for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” said Robin Hall, executive producer of Macy’s National Events. “Dramatic changes in the mid-town landscape will divert us for the first time from the fabled Broadway route we have followed since our first Parade in 1924. However, our course will remain true and the Parade will continue to entertain millions as Spider-Man returns to the sky and the first new Santa Float in almost half a century makes its debut.”

The 83rd Annual Macy’s Parade will be an unparalleled crowd-pleasing spectacle that features 1,500 cheerleaders, dancers, singers and performers; 800 clowns; 15 giant character helium balloons; 35 novelty/ornament balloons, balloonheads and balloonicles; 10 marching bands; 24 floats; and a host of celebrity performers.

Rise of the Giants
The sky above the streets of Manhattan will be alive once more filled with colorful friends as the Parade’s signature giant helium character balloons soar on Thanksgiving morning. The line-up of giants features a who’s who of children’s classic characters from comic book superheroes to the stars of television, films and American pop culture. New arrivals to the Thanksgiving Day balloonfest are everyone’s favorite neighborhood super-hero™, the web slinger himself, Spider-Man®; the ever cute and cuddly Pillsbury Doughboy®; America’s favorite clown Ronald McDonald®; and the top mouse on deck, Sailor Mickey Mouse.

Making a vaunted return to the Parade to complete the 15 giant balloon line-up are some of the nation’s most favorite characters including Abby Cadabby, Buzz Lightyear, Dora the Explorer™, Flying Ace Snoopy, Horton, Kermit the Frog™, Pikachu™, Shrek®, Smurf, SpongeBob SquarePants™ and Supercute Hello Kitty®. These giant balloons are only one portion of the buoyant procession; the Macy’s Parade also boasts 35 novelty/ornament balloons and balloonicles, which can range in size from 12 to 25 feet tall and give the line of march a tiered perspective. The Macy’s Parade features a team of Balloonatics – balloon experts who create, maintain and inflate the Parade’s balloon line up. A fun bunch, the Parade Balloonatics are known to give lessons in balloon speak to spectators every year. Two very important facts should be known when referring to the Parade’s giant helium characters. One is that although the Parade’s signature balloons seem to float in the air, they are indeed balloons – not floats. The second and most important is that Macy’s does not blow up the balloons – that would be very disappointing to millions who would not get to see them fly on Parade day…that’s why they are inflated!

Floating Scenes of Wonder
Riding down the street on Thanksgiving Day will be the Parade’s magical lineup of floats that feature landscapes of fantasy. These moving stages transport millions of spectators on unexpected journeys. The new float line-up includes a salute to the heroes in our everyday lives on the Local Heroes Helping Everyday float; a magical land where friends come to life to play and dance on the There’s A Party in My City float, and the first new Santa’s Sleigh in more than 40 years.

The dazzling stages that ride down the streets of New York City each year take months of painstaking work by the skilled artisans of the Macy’s Parade Studio. The gifted Studio team design and build each float from the ground up. Wood, foam and other materials are the skeleton that gives life to this fleet of fantasy. In addition to the three new stages, 21 floats will make a return appearance to the line up this Thanksgiving.

The returning float roster includes 123 Sesame Street, Big Apple, Bridge To The Future, Bountiful Harvest Cornucopia, The Care Bears™ Winter Fun-derland, Castle of Dreams, Cele-bear-ate Hugs Worldwide, Doodlebug, Jolly Polly Pirate Ship, M&M’s® Chocolate Candies on Broadway, Marion-Carol Showboat, Musical Innovation Bigger Than Life, Pep Squad, Shine On, The Smurfs™, Snoopy’s Doghouse, Spirit of Liberty, Tom Turkey, The True Spirit of Thanksgiving, Winter Wonderland in Central Park and Woodland Family Gathering. In addition, the famed Speed Racer Mach 5 will be making a special appearance in the line of march this year.

Drum Roll Please
Strike up the band and pump up the volume, as the Parade’s signature marching bands hit the perfect rhythm this Thanksgiving. The musical heartbeat of the Parade, the marching bands and students representing their home states in this year’s holiday spectacular are the nation’s highest caliber musical and marching talents. Ready to step to the beat are Adair County High School from Columbia, Kentucky; Frank W. Ballou Senior High School from Washington, DC; Choctawhatchee High School from Fort Walton Beach, FL; Franklin Regional High School from Murrysville, PA; Harrison High School from Kennesaw, GA; Morgantown High School from Morgantown, WV; Pickerington Central High School from Pickerington, OH; Pittsburg High School from Pittsburg, CA; Towson University from Towson, MD; and Macy’s Great American Marching Band featuring students from all fifty states.

Taking Center Stage
Adding pomp, cheer, spins, flips and dips to the holiday revelry are some of the nation’s best performance groups. From the cheerleaders to a one-of-a kind group of peddlers, the Parade features a host of unique performers. Set to wow the crowds are performers from the Big Apple Circus, Chinese American Community Center Folk Dance Troupe, Mike Miller Dance Team, NETSational Seniors & NETS Kids Dance Team, The Purple Peddlers, Varsity Spirit, Spirit of Long Island Mounted Drill Team, Stagedoor Manor, and USA Jump Rope.

Stars on 34th Street
Celebrating the start of the holiday season will be performers from stage, screen and music riding down the streets of New York City to Macy’s famed home on 34th Street. The stars joining the line-up include Bello, Grandma and the cast of the Big Apple Circus, Andrea Bocelli, Boys Like Girls, Alan Cumming, Billy Currington, DJ Lance Rock and the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba!, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, Gloria Gaynor, Sarah Hughes, Kermit the Frog and Tiffany Thornton, Jane Krakowski, Cyndi Lauper, Ziggy Marley with Judah Marley, Katharine McPhee, Miss America 2009 – Katie Stam, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Mitchel Musso, Keke Palmer, The Pizzarelli Quartet, Jay Sean and Carly Simon.

Nationwide Star
From coast to coast, Americans will gather around the television to share in the magic of the Parade via the national broadcast on NBC-TV. One of the nation’s most viewed events, NBC’s Emmy® Award winning telecast of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be hosted by TODAY’s Matt Lauer, Meredith Viera and Al Roker. The telecast will air from 9:00 AM to 12 Noon in each of the four time zones in the continental United States. Star power on Thanksgiving morning will include performances from some of the hottest Broadway shows including Billy Elliot, Bye Bye Birdie, Hair, and Shrek. In addition, the world-famous Radio City Rockettes® will return to kick in the start of the holiday season.

A Holiday Treat for Children Everywhere, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade’s finale features the biggest star of all, the one-and-only Santa Claus. As his sleigh comes into view, Macy’s will wish everyone “Happy Holidays” and a “Merry Christmas.”

Source and Photos: Macy’s

Enjoy!

If you place an order for virtual office service online via our secure order form, please note that orders completed on a Holiday will be reviewed the following business day.

Make sure to check out our specials page for November’s NYC virtual office promotion.

With regards,
The Team at VH International Business Solutions, Inc.

Please contact us with any questions:
Tel: 1.212.627.8900
Fax: 1.646.861.6610
Manhattan Virtual Office

Since 1990.

VH International Business Solutions, Inc.
Follow us on Twitter: @ManhattanOffice

Ready, set, lift off of Macy’s famed giant helium balloon characters in the 83rd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. This Thanksgiving Day the magic in the sky will once again wow millions of spectators as beloved characters return to the balloon line-up. Featuring a star-studded list of American pop culture favorites from a friendly neighborhood super-hero to a world-famous mouse, the stars of Macy’s Parade are transformed from pencil sketches to larger-than-life forms via a sprinkling of magic from the stars at Macy’s Parade Studio.

A Ballooning Tradition
Dating back to the 1927 edition of the holiday spectacle, Macy’s giant character balloons have featured a who’s who of characters from film, television, comic strips, and cartoons. From the very first inflatable of Felix the Cat to the four new giants –Pillsbury Doughboy®, Ronald McDonald®, Sailor Mickey, and Spider-Man® – the Macy’s Parade has brought to life 157 of the most recognizable characters in history during its 83 editions.

Balloonatics
Before the giant balloons inspire awe on Parade day, they start on a drafting table at Macy’s Parade Studio. There, the Parade team of “Balloonatics” transforms a well-known character into a high-flying wonder. A pencil sketch of the character is the first step in the creation process. This concept sketch showcases the character in balloon form, taking into consideration aerodynamic, engineering and aesthetic points. Under the direction of John Piper, lead designer of Macy’s Parade Studio, the Balloonatic team takes that initial pencil sketch through a months-long process that encompasses concept, aerodynamic and aesthetic design, construction and final test flights. The building process includes creation of clay and painted models, and of course, the cutting and sealing of fabric into chambers that will produce the final balloon. Macy’s conducts the high-tech process in collaboration with aerodynamic and engineering consultants, Aerostar, who together calculate the balloon design’s aerodynamics, buoyancy, and lift. Once the balloon has been created it will undergo many tests including indoor and outdoor test flights, inflation and deflation tests and final touch-ups before taking flight on Parade day.

On Saturday, November 7th, before their official Thanksgiving Day debut, the new giant character balloons take to the sky for a final test flight at Macy’s Balloonfest. At this outdoor event, each balloon’s Pilot and Captain, and the flight management team of twelve, guide hundreds of handlers as they fly the balloon in an extreme real world setting. Once the balloons have been awarded their flight wings, they will receive a comprehensive final check-up that may include air inflation tests, cleaning and paint touch-ups before the big day.

Following is the Complete Cast of Giant Helium Character Balloons in the 83rd annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade:

ABBY CADABBY
SESAME WORKSHOP®
With her wand at the ready, Abby Cadabby, the inquisitive fairy-in-training returns to the Parade for another magical flight down the streets of New York City. Originally from Fairyside, Queens, Abby will be right at home with the crowd cheering her on as she helps ring in the holidays and celebrate the 40th birthday of Sesame Street. Although Abby is still somewhat magically challenged, she is sure to delight millions of Parade spectators with her enchanting antics. Standing at 56-feet long, 37.5-feet wide, and 48.5-feet high, Abby is filled with 16,100 cubic feet of helium as she bounds happily down the route.

BUZZ LIGHTYEAR
DISNEY•PIXAR
Buzz Lightyear, the fearless Space Ranger from Disney•Pixar’s Toy Story trilogy, returns to the Parade for another trip to Herald Square and Beyond! The larger-than-life hero measures 67.7-feet long, 39.9-feet wide and 34.3-feet tall. On Thanksgiving Day, Buzz will be ready for the adventure with his jet pack guiding him down the route. From his green and purple space boots all the way up to his protective helmet, which is 17-feet in diameter, Buzz Lightyear is sure to create a big buzz for millions of Parade spectators.

DORA THE EXPLORER™
NICKELODEON
The adventure-loving, Latina heroine Dora the Explorer™ returns to the Macy’s Parade this Thanksgiving for a high-flying expedition as the Nickelodeon heroine prepares to celebrate her 10-year anniversary next year. As always, Dora will be waving ¡Hola! to the crowds on her way to 34th Street along with her trusty friends Backpack and Map. Filled with 14,250 cubic feet of helium, Dora measures 43.5-feet in length, 39-feet in width and 55-feet tall. A skilled explorer, Dora will lead her team of balloon handlers to Macy’s Herald Square, where she will be sure to exclaim, We did it! ¡Lo Hicimos! at the end of her journey.

FLYING ACE SNOOPY
UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE
Snoopy, the extroverted beagle with a Walter Mitty complex returns to the line-up as the Flying Ace. Snoopy is celebrating PEANUTS® 60th Anniversary and is marking a record 34th appearance in the Macy’s Parade. Holding binoculars and sporting an aviator hat, goggles and a red scarf, Snoopy is ready for another showdown with the dreaded Red Baron. Once again ready for the challenge standing at 52-feet high, 25-feet wide and 49.5-feet long and filled with 15,000 cubic feet of helium; Flying Ace Snoopy is a beagle with a mission on Parade day.

HORTON
TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT
The wonderful Whos of Whoville are back in town taking a ride down Manhattan with their giant protector, Horton the Elephant, from the movie Horton Hears A Who. Keeping his eyes firmly planted on the delicate clover protectively wrapped in his trunk, Horton will take flight once again measuring 59.8-feet long, 31.8-feet wide and 43.4-feet tall on his return Parade voyage. With toenails the size of large beach balls, and ears that could cover a large van, Horton is filled with 14,060 cubic feet of helium on Thanksgiving Day.

KERMIT THE FROG™
THE MUPPETS STUDIO
Kermit the Frog, the world’s most famous amphibian, takes Manhattan again in the 2009 Macy’s Parade. Kermit the Frog™ stands “slightly” larger-than-life, flying over New York City at 78-feet long, 36-feet wide, 60-feet tall and filled with 11,000 cubic feet of helium. They say it’s not easy being green, but Kermit sure makes it look easy as he flies triumphantly down the route this Thanksgiving, to the roaring cheers of his many fans, friends – and maybe even a few of his fellow frogs.

PIKACHU™
THE POKÉMON COMPANY INTERNATIONAL
That rosy glow coming from Pikachu’s cheeks is not from the November chill, but from the electricity stored inside. Pikachu, the most recognizable character of the Pokémon® universe, returns to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade chasing after a Poké Ball. Charged for another electrifying trip, Pikachu, stands at 53.5-feet high, 36.9-feet wide and is 40.8-feet long, and filled with 15,000 cubic feet of helium.

PILLSBURY DOUGHBOY®
PILLSBURY®
The new Pillsbury Doughboy® balloon makes its Macy’s Parade debut in larger-than-life form, far outgrowing his normal 8¾-inch frame. On Thanksgiving Day, the Doughboy will march down the route with his arms outstretched and his bright blue eyes shining ready to ring in the holidays. At more than 63 times his traditional size, the Doughboy balloon will measure 53.7-feet in length, 34.4-feet in width and will be 46.4-feet tall. This Doughboy will rise to the occasion filled with 12,280 cubic feet of helium.

RONALD McDONALD®
McDONALD’S®
Ronald McDonald® first made his Macy’s Parade debut in 1966, holding a bouquet of party balloons that had taken him on a Thanksgiving joy ride. In 2001, a second Ronald McDonald balloon made its Parade debut flying down the streets of Manhattan bringing joy and laughter to millions. This year, Ronald is in a playful mood and has strapped on the world’s largest pair of ice skates for a fun-filled holiday activity. Measuring 76.4-feet long, 28.8-feet wide and 48.6-feet tall, Ronald will be inflated with 13,650 cubic feet of helium on Parade day.

SAILOR MICKEY
DISNEY CRUISE LINE
Ahoy matey! Get on board the ultimate family cruise with Sailor Mickey at the helm. Sporting his nautically-inspired red, white and blue sailor gear, Mickey will salute the crowds as he rides down the Parade route. Sailing aboard an anchor that is approximately four times the size of an actual cruise ship anchor, Mickey measures 48.1-feet long, 33.6-feet wide and 60.9-feet tall. Sailor Mickey will be filled with 14,750 cubic feet of helium on his maiden voyage on Thanksgiving Day.

SHREK®
DREAMWORKS ANIMATION
A giant ogre from Far Far Away will be returning to the sky over Manhattan once again this Thanksgiving. The truly larger-than-life Shrek® will take a break from life in his beloved swamp to help welcome in the holiday season. Everything Shrek does is ogre the top and his giant balloon is no exception standing at 44-feet tall, 47-feet long and 39.3-feet wide. Dressed in his signature woodsman outfit complete with oatmeal sweater, plaid pants and brown vest, Shrek will be filled with over 14,130 cubic feet of helium for his third trip through the Big Apple.

SMURF
LAFIG BELGIUM / SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
The sky will most definitely be blue this Thanksgiving as the giant Smurf balloon returns for another smurferrific holiday trip. The loveable Smurf will wave hello to all his friends as he flies through Manhattan, to the sounds of Happy Thanksmurfday! Measuring 57.6-feet long, 38.7-feet wide and 47-feet tall, the whimsical Smurf is filled with 15,050 cubic feet of helium on Parade day.

SPIDER-MAN®
MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT
Millions of New Yorkers will feel their Spider-senses tingling on Thanksgiving morning when New York’s own neighborhood Super Hero™, Marvel’s Spider-Man®, makes a triumphant return to the skies over Manhattan to ensnare a new generation of fans. After a decade, the legendary crime-fighting web-slinger returns to the Parade line-up in celebration of Marvel’s 70th Anniversary. Spider-Man made his Macy’s Parade debut in 1987, becoming an instant classic. The new, more modern and muscular Spidey is in full crawling mode with one hand set to release his web. On Parade day, the Spider-Man balloon will measure 78-feet long, 37.8-feet wide and 29.1-feet tall and will be filled with 11,800 cubic feet of helium.

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS™
NICKELODEON
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS! On Thanksgiving Day SpongeBob SquarePants™ will take a break from the Krusty Krab and leave Bikini Bottom to soak up the sights, sounds and fun of the Big Apple. Celebrating his 10th Anniversary this year, SpongeBob returns to the Parade for his fifth flight. Macy’s Parade’s first-ever square balloon will absorb more than 16,200 cubic feet of helium to fly down the route. Dressed in his signature white shirt, red tie and brown square pants, SpongeBob stands at 62-feet high, 38-feet wide and 28-feet long. Although it may appear square the SpongeBob SquarePants balloon isn’t square at all, he is actually a single chamber sphere, intricately made square-shaped by more than 600 internal tie-lines.

“SUPERCUTE” HELLO KITTY®
SANRIO®
Returning to the line-up and celebrating her 35th Anniversary this year is Sanrio’s Supercute Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty will take flight dressed in her Supercute superhero outfit, complete with cape and tiara to complement her trademark red bow. Standing at 33.6-feet tall, 34.8-feet wide and 45-feet long, Hello Kitty will soar over the Big Apple bringing smiles to her millions of fans.

The following is a complete list of the supporting cast of Balloonicles, novelty/mid-sized and small balloons:

ARRTIE THE PIRATE
Returning to the line-up is everyone’s favorite one-eyed seafarer – Arrtie the Pirate. A recreation of the classic Pirate balloon of 1947, Arrtie stands at 36-feet tall and is filled with 3,600 cubic feet of helium easily plundered from various tanks. With map in hand, Arrtie is on a search for holiday treasure this Thanksgiving.

BASEBALL
Featuring a signature from R.H. Macy himself, the world’s largest baseball is destined to be hit right out of the park this Thanksgiving. Measuring 12-feet in height, this giant baseball is filled with over 900 cubic feet of helium on Parade day.

BASKETBALL
A brand new Basketball balloon is here to cheer on Macy’s All Stars. At 15-feet in diameter, this Basketball giant will be dribbling down the route filled with 1,766 cubic feet of helium.

BEACH BALL CLUSTER
A bright bouquet of balloons adds color and brings smiles to children everywhere. The Macy’s Parade Balloon Cluster returns to the line up with the biggest, brightest beach balls ever seen in New York. With a height of 25-feet and filled with 2,858 cubic feet of helium, the balloon cluster is sure to be a big holiday treat.

BIG MAN SANTA
UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT
The star of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the big man himself – Santa Claus. To pay tribute to his star status, Macy’s Parade Studio magicians have created a fantastic new balloon depicting the cheery man himself with a rather jolly belly, this time full of helium. Big Man Santa will make his Parade debut before heading south for the winter to star in Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Orlando®.

CANDY CANES
Kids will scream in delight wishing they could get their hands on these sweet treats. These 20-foot tall Candy Canes are a holiday favorite on a sky-high sugar rush.

CHLOE THE HOLIDAY CLOWN
A Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade staple, Chloe the Holiday Clown returns for another trip down New York City. At 28.5-feet tall and 18-feet wide, Chloe is filled with 2,242 cubic feet of helium.

ENERGIZER BUNNY®
ENERGIZER®
America’s favorite battery-powered pink bunny returns to the Parade this year to drum up some more holiday spirit. The Energizer Bunny® balloonicle is unstoppable, taking another super cool trip down the Parade route, wearing his favorite sunglasses and 45 EEE sized flip-flops. Marching to the beat of his own drum, he’ll be the king of stocking stuffers this holiday season. With all the power that the Energizer Bunny brings to the party fun, the holiday season will keep going long after he crosses the finish line.

FRIEDA THE DACHSHUND
It’s a dog’s life for Frieda the Dachshund as she returns for another year of playing fetch along the route. At 21-feet tall and 53-feet-long, Frieda may just be the world’s largest dachshund.

GEOMETRIC BALLOONS
Icosahedrons rule! For the mathematically challenged, each of the two brand new Geometric balloons are a 20 sided polygon made up of equilateral triangles. These icosahedrons measure 16-feet in height and will be filled with 1,700 cubic feet of helium.

HAROLD THE FIREMAN
Who better to salute the city’s bravest, the men and women of the New York Fire Department, and lead the Fire Brigade Clowns down the route than that lovable character Harold the Fireman! Originally seen in the Parade of 1948, Harold is a recreation of the original balloon. At a height of 32-feet, New Yorkers can rest assured that he will keep a watchful eye over the city. Harold is supported in the air by 2,800 cubic feet of helium, which makes blowing out fires a breeze.

KIT, CHARLIE & C.J. ELF
The Gnome Balloons from the 1940s and early ‘50s have been recreated and are now Parade standards. Kit, Charlie & C.J. Elf are back for another Thanksgiving Day jaunt. At 34-feet high, 18.5-feet wide, and filled with 2,100 cubic feet of helium, these novelty balloons give a new meaning to the word “elf.”

MACY’S STARS
Macy’s is the star of the Parade as its signature five-pointed star flies high in a variety of colors and configurations. Celebrating the famed red star that guided R.H. Macy to shore during his days as a seaman, the Macy’s star still shines today.

MACY’S ORNAMENT BALLOONS
Macy’s knows how to accessorize the holidays! From Poinsettias, Pumpkins and Snow Crystals to the Stars & Stripes, Macy’s ornament balloons add a splendid touch to the holiday palette.

PLANET EARTH
At 14-feet wide, Macy’s Planet Earth recreation is not nearly as big as the original, but still as breathtaking.

STRAWBERRY/PISTACHIO ICE CREAM CONE
Looking very delicious, the Strawberry/Pistachio Ice cream cone balloon stands 30-feet tall, top to cone tip and is a scrumptious treat for the sweet toothed crowds.

Source and Photo: Macy’s

Enjoy!

If you place an order for virtual office service online via our secure order form, please note that orders completed on a Holiday will be reviewed the following business day.

Make sure to check out our specials page for November’s NYC virtual office promotion.

With regards,
The Team at VH International Business Solutions, Inc.

Please contact us with any questions:
Tel: 1.212.627.8900
Fax: 1.646.861.6610
Manhattan Virtual Office

Since 1990.

VH International Business Solutions, Inc.
Follow us on Twitter: @ManhattanOffice

I absolutely adore Dr. Seuss’s storybook Horton Hears a Who! and the 1970 animated short of the same name (sometimes included with the old Grinch on DVD).  So when I heard that talents Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, and Carol Burnett were teaming up to do the voice work for a full-length feature film based on the book, I had high hopes.

Common Sense Media recommends this film for kids ages 4 and up, so we waited until after kiddo’s 4th birthday to make a huge bowl of popcorn with margarine and nutritional yeast and have our first family movie night.  Unfortunately, we were disappointed.  While kiddo did like some of the silliness in the movie — she wants me to tell you that Horton shaking his bottom was funny — the parts featuring villain Vlad were too scary for her.  And to my dismay, I heard her repeating language from the movie (the word “boob”) that I thought was inappropriate for little kids.

As for me, I was put off by the film’s lack of a coherent message.   While Horton did recite his catch phrase from the book — “A person’s a person, no matter how small” — it was unclear whether the movie was about the consequences of stifling imagination, or believing in what you can’t see, or even the existence of life on other planets.  The book’s emphasis on standing up for others and being true to yourself, no matter the consequences, was somehow lost in the shuffle.

Rated G.  Ages 5-10.  While there are a few jokes geared to parents, such as the fussy momma kangaroo’s reference to being pouch-schooled, I don’t think most adults will enjoy this one.

But triadalism is actually the key to two-kingdom theology:

So we don’t work with only two categories: sacred and evil. There’s a third one: common. In this respect, the believer’s sphere of activity overlaps with that of his or her non-Christian neighbors. They share common blessings and common woes. Yet the holy nation that Christ is creating by his Word and Spirit is a remnant from all cultures, across all times and places. It is holy, not common, because it is claimed by God as the cherished object of his saving grace. Through his gospel, signified and sealed to us and to our children in baptism, the covenant community is that holy commonwealth that began with the announcement to our first parents after they had sinned.

Enjoying God’s creation is common. In its commonness, it is a remarkable testimony to God’s goodness, power, and other invisible attributes, as Paul tells us in Romans 1 and 2. However, hearing God’s gospel is holy and hearing and receiving it makes us holy, as Paul says in Romans 3 (and chapter 10). A great concert may witness to God’s glory in human creativity, but God delivers his saving Word in the covenant assembly. God is omnipresent and his creative power is evident through everything that he has made. However, the question for sinners is where God has promised to be present in grace and mercy.

God still separates one holy day out of six common ones. God still separates specific activities: preaching of the Word, public prayer, confession and declaration of pardon, administration of baptism and the Supper, singing the Word of Christ, and the fellowship of saints, from the common activities of work, friendships, and entertainment. So all of life is indeed blessed and upheld by God’s common grace, but there remains a distinction between the common and the holy; common grace and saving grace; that which is honorable, God-glorifying, and helpful to our neighbors and that which is redemptive.

Dr. Seuss’s classic is a fantastic way to teach your kids about the importance of sticking up for the defenseless.  When Horton the Elephant hears the microscopic Whos on a speck of dust, he doesn’t stop to question whether his interests should override theirs.   Instead, he does everything in his power to protect them, because after all, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.”

This book recognizes in animals something our society, and certainly our legal system, does not: that sentient animals share characteristics (such as empathy, intelligence, and humor) with human beings and that they should be treated as “persons,” at least so far as they shouldn’t be killed for trivial concerns.

Ages 3-8.  For more reviews, click here.

This is a tribute to the animated movie – Horton, the best animated film EVER! For those who don’t know, Horton is a movie about an elephant named Horton, who discovers a world of Whos, who reside in Whosville, which is an entire world of its own, on a speck on a clover! And their world is endangered (obviously!) and Horton saves it. This is the basic theme of the entire movie.

There are two main characters: Horton and Mr. Mayor, the mayor of Whosville. Jim Carrey has lent his voice to Horton, and, as usual, makes him come alive. His toning and timing are as perfect and hilarious as ever. Mr. Mayor is played, rather voiced (?) by Steve Carell, and he has done an a-maz-ing job of it. Then there is the villain – the kangaroo – who is voiced (ok, accept it, it’s my terminology) by Carol Burnett, and she actually makes you feel scared ( even for an animation movie, that’s saying something!). And the rest of the supporting cast, Mr. Mayor’s 96 children for instance, have done a good job as well.

The conceptualization, plot, and implementation are mind-blowing and sooo cute!!! How Horton faces all the obstacles, from nature as well as his friends, and how he overcomes them is well narrated. There are times in the movie, when everyone else thinks that Horton has lost his mind, to be able to hear voices from a speck on a clover, and even try to punish him for that, but he remains steadfast in his belief and fights for and saves Whosville. The depiction of this conviction is extremely well shot. The concept by which he understands the existence of Whosville made me think of the comparison of our world with Whosville. May be, just may be, even our world is a small speck somewhere..what am I saying, it actually is! In the vast expanse of the Universe, our world is not even a speck! And the fact that may be our Horton is also watching over us, caring and fighting for us, makes me feel safe and relieved and happy! I definitely want to meet my Horton!!!

Whoa! I step away from the interwebs for just a week (to prepare for this), and something happens!  In trying to catch up, an observation occurred to me that I didn’t see in Clark’s or Hart’s re-responses, so I wanted to post it before somebody else does.  (I also wanted to claim this post-title before anyone else — I can’t fathom how Clark failed to capitalize on the term “hit-job”; but I have to admit Hart has won the catchy-title-contest hands-down!)

Like many, I am shocked that Frame would jump to Osteen’s defense:

when Osteen presents a message that almost entirely lacks a focus on justification, Horton replies with an emphasis entirely lacking in sanctification.

In this quote, and the rest of his remarks about Horton v. Osteen, Frame reminds me of the father of the bride from Holy Grail: “Let’s not bicker and argue about who killed who…” Osteen is weak on Justification, Horton is weak on Sactification (Frame claims), but if Horton were just not so devoted to bickering and arguing, maybe Horton and Osteen could team up; Horton would bring his Justification, and Osteen would bring his Sanctification, and wouldn’t everything be rosy!

Setting aside the unwarranted accusation that Horton cares nothing for sanctification, Horton’s point (which Frame seems to miss or discredit) is that Osteen’s attempt to bring Sanctification, without a foundation of Justification is precisely works-righteousness!  So if Osteen is lacking justification, he’s also lacking sanctification.  There’s nothing excusable or half-right about that, and Horton is right to lock and load Gal 1:6-9 and set sights on Osteen.

My opinion of Frame has fallen another notch.

The church is first of all created by the gospel and then led back into the world as justified and renewed people to love and serve their neighbors [sic] and offer witness to Jesus Christ. Therefore the church is both a place where God acts in judgement and grace and a people who are judged and justified, living out their callings in the world. It is both an historical organization, [sic] founded by Christ, where Christ gives himself to sinners in baptism, preaching, and the Lord’s Supper, and a spiritual organism that is united through faith to its living Head.

Horton, M. (2008) Christless Christianity. Baker. pp. 233

We are not called to live the gospel but to believe the gospel and to follow the law in view of God’s mercies…Any form of doing the gospel is a confusion of categories. The law tells us what to do; the gospel tells us what God has done for us in Christ. When it comes to the question about how we relate to God, doing is the wrong answer.

Horton, M. (2008) Christless Christianity. Baker. pp. 124

 Dr. Seuss books for the older kids 

Just in case you weren’t feeling too old today ………

The people who are starting college this fall were born in 1992.

They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up.

Their lifetime has always included AIDS.

The CD was introduced two years before they were born.

They have always had an answering machine.

They have always had cable.

Jay Leno has always been on the Tonight Show.

Popcorn has always been microwaved .

They never took a swim and thought about Jaws.

They don’t know who Mork was or where he was from.

They never heard: ‘Where’s the Beef?’,
‘I’d walk a mile for a Camel ‘ or
‘de plane Boss, de plane’.

McDonald’s never came in Styrofoam containers.

They don’t have a clue how to use a typewriter.

Pass this on to the other old fogies on your list.

Notice the larger type?

That’s for those of us who have trouble reading.

P.S. Save the earth. It’s the only planet with chocolate.

-beeha – with Txs to my OLD friend, Robbie.

There are currently FOUR (4) great movie printables on SmartSource right now!

$2/1 Ice Age & Horton Hears A Who Movies (DVD)
$2/1 Flicka, etc. (DVD)
$5/1 Horton Hears A Who, etc. (Blue-Ray)
$5/1 Ice Age Movies (Blue-Ray)

Reaping In Abundance,
Kay

Mike Horton explains why “semper reformanda” has much more in common with modernity than Protestantism:

Nevertheless, Reformed churches belong to a particular Christian tradition with its own definitions of its faith and practice. We believe that our confessions and catechisms faithfully represent the system of doctrine found in Holy Scripture. We believe that to be Reformed is not only to be biblical; to be biblical is to be Reformed. As important as it is to keep “Reformed” in the phrase, an even more dangerous omission is often found among more liberal Protestants who also leave out the “according to the Word of God” clause. And usually it is “always reforming,” instead of “always being reformed.” In this view, the church is the active party, determining its own doctrine, worship, and discipline in the light of ever-changing cultural contexts. Progressivism becomes an end in itself and the church becomes a mirror of the world.

I costume designed this show in May 2009.

On Monday look for an article about designing Gertrude McFuzz’s tail.

We think we’re in charge. We imagine that we just follow our heart, that we decide for ourselves what is true, valuable, and useful. In reality, though, our choices are already shaped by culture of marketing; our preferences have been conditioned by the goods and services, identities and images, possibilities and impossibilities, that have been designed for us in any given moment of this fading age. God’s Word comes to release us from his prison that we have mistaken for a palace, as God introduces himself to us and to his world for the first time. God’s first word is, “You need to get out more”–out of our cocoon that we have spun for ourselves.

The God of the Bible is a strange God–not the kind of God we can manage, manipulate, accommodate, or domesticate to our familiar experience. We cannot find this God by looking within ourselves. His Word is not the same as our inner voice. He cannot be pared down to our size, measured by our speculations, experiences, or felt needs. Rather, he stands over against us, telling us how things actually are. When God actually confronts us, our speculations are exposed as idols, our experience judged as little more than a projection of ourselves, and our felt needs give way to more pressing needs that we did not even realize that we had.

Michael Horton, The Gospel-Driven Life, 23

Όχι δεν ήταν τρελός και του το αναγνώριζαν όλοι. Ίσως βέβαια να ήταν λόγω της τυφλής υποταγής που είχαν σ΄ αυτόν όλοι οι κάτοικοι του κόσμου του Horton. Ίσως πάλι να ήταν λόγω της αμηχανίας που ένιωθαν βλέποντάς τον να κάθεται αμέτοχος και να πίνει το τσάι του στην άκρη του γκρεμού ή πάλι όταν έτρεχε στην κόψη του ξυραφιού…

Δεν ήταν δυνατόν να συμβαίνει αυτό το τρομερό βασανιστήριο που τον είχε σακατέψει ήδη 2 φορές στα νιάτα του… Ποιός καταραμένος δαίμονας τον είχε πάρει μαζί του και δεν του επέτρεπε να μιλήσει στην γυναίκα και στα δυο μικρά του παιδιά;

Ποιος να ήταν αυτός ο ξερακιανός άνδρας ηλικίας 40-45 ετών που κόντευε πια να φτάσει στις πύλες της πόλης τους , φορώντας μονάχα τα κουρελιασμένα από τον δρόμο και τις κακουχίες ρούχα του; Μαζί του , έσερνε σχεδόν , ένα ταλαιπωρημένο κοριτσάκι με μπαλωμένες σόλες και μαυρισμένο από τις σκόνες του δρόμου μουτράκι. Δεν πήγαν μακριά… Στη στροφή του πρώτου δρόμου τρύπωσε ο βρώμικος άντρας τραβώντας και το ταλαίπωρο κοριτσάκι μαζί του. Αυτό δεν έδειξε να ταράζεται και πήρε με το μέρος του και τον φοβερό μα καλοσυνάτο μπάρμπα- Μένιο , τον μάγο του χωριού Ελφζχομ.

Το χωριό αυτό συνόρευε με την μεγάλη πολιτεία. Την όμορφη και πάντα ηλιόλουστη πολιτεία του Σάουθερν Ιστ Κοαστ. Εκεί για πολλά χρόνια γινόταν το πανηγύρι αυτό, όπου μάγοι καμήλες και αδηφάγα εκτρώματα πάλευαν μέχρι τελικής πτώσης με τις λεγεώνες του παλατιού, τις Μακαρονάδες. Σαρδόνια χαμόγελα και λαμπερές τουαλέτες γίνονταν τότε θέμα σχολιασμού από έγκριτους και κοινά αποδεκτούς μικροαστούς οι οποίοι έδιναν τη θέση τους για ένα άλογο… Τελειώνοντας η κάθε μάχη επιστρατευόταν από το λαό η Λογική η οποία , ξεκαθάριζε τα βρωμερά και ειδεχθή εγκλήματα από τις ακαθαρσίες των αλόγων της βασιλικής φρουράς.

Τότε στήνονταν φοβερό γλέντι με υπαινιγμούς και πισώπλατα μαχαιρώματα σε κουμπάρους βαφτίσεων. Διότι από εκείνα τα χρόνια υπήρχε το μυστήριο της βάφτισης, ενώ το μυστήριο του γάμου θεωρούνταν ακόμα τελετή… Έδινε κι έπαιρνε ο χορός… Έδινε και έπαιρνε η χαρά…Έπαιρνε αλλά δεν έδινε η Χαρά… Γι αυτό όλοι στην πόλη της φώναζαν κοροϊδευτικά συνθήματα και την κορόιδευαν μέχρι σκασμού όταν έμπαινε στο γήπεδο…

Κι αυτός ήταν λοιπόν ο σκοπός της επίσκεψης στην πόλη του βρώμικου άντρα με τα κουρελιασμένα ρούχα ηλικίας 40-45 ετών ο οποίος σχεδόν έσερνε μαζί του ένα κοριτσάκι με μπαλωμένα παπούτσια και μαυρισμένο το μουτράκι… Να μάθει στους κατοίκους της χαρούμενης και πολυάσχολης πόλης πώς να μήν σκάνε ένας ένας από τα κοροϊδευτικά συνθήματα που εκσφενδόνιζαν με μανία ως άλλοι καταπέλτες ενάντια στην κακόμοιρη, χοντρή, άσχημη Χαρά.

Κι αφού τελείωσε το μάθημα ο ξερακιανός άντρας, εξαφανίστηκε μέσα σε ένα σύννεφο καπνού από σκόνη και ροδοπέταλα. Και δεν ξαναφάνηκε ποτέ. Τα ίχνη του χάθηκαν στις δεκαετίες που ξεχύνονται με ορμή στα αυλάκια που χαράζει ο γέρο-Χρόνος στις καρδιές των ανθρώπων, που μένουν στο τέλος μόνες να παραδέρνουν με τα μανιασμένα κύματα της κακοτυχίας τους και της επερχόμενης τρικυμίας…

Κανένας δεν έμαθε και ούτε και θα μάθει ποτέ για το τι απόγινε ο απόκληρος αυτός της κοινωνίας των πλουσίων και των γενικά ευχαριστημένων και παχουλών ομοίων του… Δεν ταίριαζε μ’ αυτούς τους μουστακαλήδες κρυφοομοφυλόφιλους! Kαι κατέβηκε από το πόνυ της αδερφής του…

Άρχισε να τρέχει με μανία και διαβολεμένο χαμόγελο κρυφού πειρασμού προς την προσφιλή φτωχιά πλην   τίμια μητέρα του…Δεν άντεξε άλλο και της το είπε: «Μητέρα! Ξεκίνησε… Το ξέρεις πως είμαι εντάξει στις υποχρεώσεις μου…» Και η μητερούλα απάντησε με χάρη περισσή: «ε, λοιπόν, θα το πάρεις το κορίτσι; τι το παιδεύεις;». «Πουθενά μια μαρμελάδα;» σκέφτηκε το καλό παλικάρι και αμέσως έτρεξε να βοηθήσει την μητέρα του φωνάζοντας με οίκτο και συμπόνια: «Αχ!»…

Και διακηρύσσοντας το χαρμόσυνο μήνυμα της επαγγελίας κάθησε να ξαποστάσει και να απολαύσει τον τελευταίο του ύπνο ως άνθρωπος. Η ώρα είχε έρθει και δεν έλεγε να κοπάσει

η μανία που είχε ξεσπάσει

όταν τον είχε ξεσκεπάσει

τα άγρια χαράματα

η μητέρα του και του είπε πως είχε ακούσει κλάματα

«μες στα άγρια χαράματα;;;»

θυμάται είχε απαντήσει,

μα δεν είχε ακόμα σταματήσει

το κλάμα το γοερό από την καρδιά του πεθερού του.

Δεν μπόρεσε ποτέ να συγχωρήσει

την γέννηση του δίχρονου πια παιδιού του…

Βλέπεις ο Βασίλης, καλό παιδί, μα ακαμάτικο όπως το ‘λεγαν στο χωριό……

Και διακριτικά, όπως ο αίλουρος έχει δώσει το όνομα του πολύ σοφά στον άνθρωπο εκείνον ο οποίος δεν παύει να σκέφτεται ούτε λεπτό το πώς δεν θα κάνει την οποιαδήποτε παραμικρή φασαρία, ξεκίνησε να χορεύει ανάμεσα σε πολλούς άλλους που, ναι! Του έμοιαζαν ολοκληρωτικά και πανανθρώπινα! Ήταν οι σωτήρες του… μετά τον ένα και μοναδικό βέβαια σωτήρα όλων των εμψύχων όντων των δημιουργηθέντων εξ αυτού και δια αυτού. Το πρώτο και τελευταίο αιώνιο πνεύμα σε όλη την σοφή Του πλάση. Αυτόν που ακίνητος, παντού, ολοκληρωτικά, και για πάντα επιβλέπει για το καλό των απανταχού πιστών Του και παιδιών Του.

Δεν πρόλαβε να τελειώσει την φράση του και του ήρθε πάλι μια κατραπακιά! Με τον χαρακτηριστικό της ήχο του έδωσε να καταλάβει και τον παρακάλεσε να το αφομοιώσει μια και καλή ότι τα πάντα κινούνται! Δεν του το είπε με στόμφο, καλύτερα θα ‘λεγε κανείς πως το ύφος του ήταν σκεπτόμενου και γι’ αυτό θλιμμένου ανθρώπου…

Και μιλώντας για τα ναρκωτικά του είπε πως είναι ότι είναι ,γιατί ότι είναι όπως είναι, δεν θα ‘πρεπε να είναι!

Λοιπόν πάλι πίσω στον νεαρό που πυροβόλησε στο κεφάλι ευτυχώς με άσφαιρα την προγιαγιά του. Λέγεται πως ο νεαρός τρομοκράτης δήλωσε μεταξύ άλλων στους άνδρες της ασφάλειας ότι είναι χρήστης ινδικής κάνναβης. Ισχυρίστηκε πως εδώ και χρόνια κάνει χρήση με μανία και ότι έχει και κάποιου είδους μεταφυσικές εμπειρίες όταν βρίσκεται υπό την επήρεια του τοξικού αυτού ναρκωτικού.

Την υπόθεση ανέλαβε ο προσωπικός ψυχαναλυτής και μαστροπός του υποδιευθυντή κ. Τρομπούλου. Δεν έχει διευκρινιστεί ακόμα πόσες ημέρες έβρεχε από το πρωί, αλλά ο κ. Τρόμπουλος έδειξε ευχαριστημένος από το αποτέλεσμα της προανάκρισης. Κοιτώντας τρεμάμενος το δεξί του παπούτσι δήλωσε έντρομος στους συναδέλφους του: «Βρέχει!!!». Τον κοίταξαν με απορία οι άνθρωποι… «Τι μας λέει ρε αυτός;». Κανείς  τους δεν γνώριζε τι είχε συμβεί την προηγούμενη μέρα…

Mika.El

A story too precious to keep to myself. I found it by way of Vernon Loggins, The Negro Author in America (1931), but it comes from the introduction to Walden’s Miscellanous Poems (1872).

But first some background.

Islay Walden was born into slavery in Randolph County, North Carolina; emancipated at age 22 at the end of the Civil War.

Critics have linked Walden to George Moses Horton (about whom I wrote briefly here), not only because both were born into slavery — in the same state — but also because both became poets before gaining literacy. Horton’s story is the more striking. He published his work in the South while still a slave — hoping, in fact, to earn enough money to buy his freedom — but Walden’s career is a worthy sequel. Unlettered at the time of Emancipation, he worked his way North, performing manual labor, lecturing, and selling poems. He had been a prodigy with numbers as a child, performing feats of calculation in public, and this must have made him an effective speaker. In Washington, he helped to organize Sabbath Schools, and later attended Howard University, his tuition paid by a church in New Jersey. Walden’s Miscellaneous Poems appeared while he was still a student.

The book is very evocative of Reconstruction, especially in its framing details. Dedicated “to the cause of education and humanity,” it begins with a letter from the War Department (commending Walden for his work on the Sabbath Schools), and follows this with a brief endorsement from Howard. Books in the slavery era used documents in the same way, but there the aim was abolition, hence the emphasis fell on the bare fact of a slave’s humanity. Here, humanity is taken for granted; the aim is improving conditions of life.

Apart from the poems, the book includes letters by Walden himself, especially in the second, enlarged edition of 1873 (text here). There is also a brief introduction (signed “C. C. H.”), which tells the story of how Walden became a poet. The story must come from the poet himself, and it makes me long for a full autobiography:

When about eighteen years old he was engaged at a gold mine in driving oxen. The owner was a very passionate man, and was so angry one day that he was about to strike an ox to the ground with a mattock. Walden remonstrated, saying, “The ox will die.” It fell dead in a few moments. They threw its body into a pit where a shaft had been sunk, and while they were standing over it Walden made and recited impromptu his first verses–

“Poor Old Dick,
He died quick!
He died all in a minute.
Here is a shaft thirty feet,
And we have thrown him in it.

He was red,
And he is dead!
The buzzards may forsake him;
For he is buried thirty feet,
Where they can never get him.”

After he had repeated this the man says, “Walden, you are a poet.” Walden asked, “What is a poet?” He replied, “One who writes poetry.” “What is poetry?” asked Walden. The man explained by asking him if he did not know what hymns are? &c.

From this time he was running over rhymes in his head, and longing to learn.

Isn’t poetry wonderful that way? Humble in origin, even doggerel can be its true spark.

After finishing his studies, Walden succeeded in bringing out a second collection, but critics have dismissed it out of hand. Joan R. Sherman calls it “uninspired and repetitious,” and Loggins goes further, saying “[it] proves that education had spoiled whatever poet there had been in Walden.” I haven’t seen this book, but I don’t doubt the judgments are correct. The thing is, Walden didn’t want to remain unlettered, and didn’t live at a time when he might have been both sophisticated and folk. Not in the manner of Langston Hughes, who managed to synthesize the two (and Hughes came from the middle class, a very different vantage on the problem). Absent that possibility, Walden’s only option was to be a different kind of poet after Howard than before. In effect, he had to start over.^[1]

Of course, it’s hard in any era to be two kinds of poet, one on each side of a threshold. But Walden at least had the chance. Horton didn’t.

◊

Note

¹ [Back to text] I discount here the later example of Paul Laurence Dunbar, who wrote genteel verses and dialect at the same time, as this way of being “both” would have still required Walden to be genteel. In effect, his output was very much like Dunbar’s, with the two aspects coming sequentially, however, instead of at the same time. And only one of the, apparently, successful.