Thursday, 10/4:

Yay. No one died!!

Okay, maybe that's not the BEST way to measure how the first TV show of the year went, but yesterday's taping of the first episode of “High School Bowl”'s 41 season went off with very few hitches. There were a few stumbles on the part of the dorky host, who might have been a little rusty after not doing it for six months, and there might have been a few stumbles thanks to a new way we've devised to introduce some of the people participating, but other than that it's done. And no one died.

You can see the results for yourself Saturday, November 3^rd.

Speaking of shows, although of the non-TV variety, I was given a flash drive by my friend Jack Deo yesterday, the first step in a show we'll be doing at Kaufman Auditorium next January as a benefit for the Marquette Regional History Center. It should be a fun show in a couple of different ways—because I always have a blast working with Jack, and because I (don't think) I'll have to do a lot of work for it. You see, because he has a lot of of pictures on the subject, Jack just wanted to super-charge the walking tour about Marquette's dock system that I've given the past few years. That's fine with me; after all, like I said I did most of the research on the subject a couple of years ago, so it shouldn't be too much work. But what sold me on doing it was Jack's suggested title for the show. In fact, I told the History Center that I would only do the show IF they used Jack's title.

So that's why our show is being called “What's Up, Dock”.

“Dock” will incorporate the stories I've told during the Lower Harbor walking tour, plus additional stuff on Upper Harbor and some of Marquette's other docks and the boats that used them. Plus, because sailors are involved, and sailors were often perpetrating mischief of all kinds, I have the feeling that stories involving bar fights, hookers, and moonshine might—just might—be told, too.

So, you know, it should be a blast.

The date hasn't totally set yet for the show; I just know it'll be one of the last two Thursdays in January. So if you didn't get to go on either of the walking tours I gave, or you did and want to hear more stories about hookers docks and the people who used them, make sure you check out “What's Up, Dock” in three and a half months.

I think you'll enjoy it!

(jim@wmqt.com)