May/June 2017

BOOM!

Pop Culture Chronicles

Bat Out of Hell

The Cleveland Connection

By Mike Olszewski

Boomers are big on anniversaries, and I’ll get to “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” in a bit, but let’s look at another landmark album that turns 40 in October.

Meat Loaf’s “Bat Out of Hell” sold 43 million copies on Cleveland International Records, the brainchild of the late, great Steve Popovich.

Popovich worked at Columbia/Epic and eventually started Cleveland International. I say this with the greatest respect, but sometimes he looked like he slept in his clothes.

Then you went into his office and there are the photos with Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and on and on. Popovich told Columbia Records to sign Michael Jackson as a solo artist, and there was a photo with him, too.

He insisted that my wife, Janice, and I come out to see this 9-year-old kid singer he was promoting; it was Hunter Hayes. This guy had a Midas touch and was generous to a fault.

Something’s Fishy

There was an ethnic bar on the west side that was famous for its fish fries. A bunch of us, eight or nine radio and record people, were knocking back beers and eating like kings when the door opens and it’s Steve. He came in for take-out, and while he was waiting he sat with us.

When his dinner came he looked at me and said, “Michael, ask me how’s business.”

All right, I’ll bite. “How’s business Steve?”

“Don’t ask.”

He picked up the whole table’s tab and wrote “business conference” on the receipt — the most expensive fish fry he ever bought.

He knew rock ’n’ roll, but he loved polkas. Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople (“Cleveland Rocks”) was on his label and was sitting in his office one day.

Look Who’s Tri-ing

Local Athletes Compete on Land and In Water

By Stacy Rhea

Swimming, biking, running.

The sport of triathlon is when an athlete does all three in one long, grueling race. It’s not just for the young and buff. Watch any triathlon and you’ll see a wave of 50-plus athletes mixed in — and they’re not in the back of the pack.

The length of each portion of a triathlon varies. Sometimes the swimming portion is in a lake or the ocean. Biking is the longest section — 50 or more miles is not uncommon. Distances for the running portion are shorter, but still tough because they come at the end of the triathlon. Ironman triathlons tend to be considerably longer than conventional triathlons.

So why would anyone want to do it? Meet three Northeast Ohio triathletes and find out why one type of competition isn’t enough — they want all three.

Barb Thomas: 61
Residents: Broadview Heights
First Triathlon: 2012, Fairport Harbor

Sports have been part of Barb Thomas’ life since she was a child. Her mother played semi-pro softball and her father was a track star, so it’s no wonder Thomas is a lifelong athlete. At 14, Thomas won the YWCA nationals.

Later, as a mother of four, Thomas supported and coached her children in a variety of activities. One of Thomas’ fondest memories is when her daughter and son competed in the USAT Nationals with her. Her daughter won a national title in her age group.

A High Point:

Ironman 70.3 World Championship, Sunshine Coast, Australia, September 2016. She finished 13th in her age group.

Thomas’ Advice for a Newbie:

“Start out slow. Keep moving and just go out and have fun.

For our May/June issue, Medina photographer Kim Stahnke, Boomer art director Laura Chadwick, magazine publisher Brad Mitchell and I met up with rocker/songwriter Michael Stanley at Cleveland’s famed Agora Theatre and Ballroom.

The setting was a good one. After all, Stanley along with hundreds of musicians, have played the Agora, both at its Euclid Avenue location and its previous locations in Little Italy and near Cleveland State.

Our Boomer team got there early to scout shots. We walked through the dark and narrow hallways, explored the two stages, checked out lighting options and then ventured outdoors into a parking lot and a side alley. What you see above and in the magazine are just a few of Kim’s great shots.

As for Michael, he was extremely cooperative while we worked on the shoot, gamely sitting on fire escapes and perching on the stage. During our hour-long shoot he was as cool in person as you would imagine.

Our July/August issue continues with a focus on NEO’s role in rock history. Our pop culture columnist Mike Olszewski will tell us about why rocker Meatloaf credits Cleveland with the success of his pivotol album “Bat Out of Hell.”

Dance! Books! Storytellers!

It’s the AHA! Festival

Head to the Cleveland State University/Playhouse Square neighborhood June 7, 8 and 9 for an exclamation-worthy time at AHA! Arts and Humanities Alive!

Words, music, theater, dance and art all come together in Ohio’s first-ever festival of its kind. Storytellers (in person), famous authors (such as historian Jon Meacham), dancers and an astronomer are just a few of the folks who will entertain and inspire with fun and thought-provoking presentations.

A day-long outdoor Book Fair along Euclid Avenue from 14th to 17th streets kicks off the festival. Most events are free; others have nominal fees. The event is presented by Cleveland State University.

For a schedule of events and performers, and to register for specific activities, visit ahacsu.com.

BOOM!

Pop Culture Chronicles

Mike Olszewski

What Happened to Summer Jobs?

Years ago when spring rolled around, you started thinking about landing a summer job.

Those also were the days before we paid for TV, radio, tap water in plastic bottles and when I didn’t have to take out a loan to see a first run movie. I joked once that someone is going to figure out a way to pay for air, and then I pulled into a gas station, where you’re paying to fill your tires.

Scarce Work

To be fair, a lot of jobs for young folks no longer exist. Look at theaters. You had a movie house that hired ushers, and the kids’ matinee on Saturdays was a nightmare. Then automation moved in and projectionists were eliminated. We have 10 screens in one location, and the person selling tickets runs to the candy counter to hawk overpriced candy and popcorn out of big clear garbage bags with some kind of oil instead of butter. Don’t think for a minute that most people don’t hit a discount store first for snacks to sneak in. My wife and I went to a movie a while back, and a guy was eating a sub sandwich as long as his arm.

Before gas stations became supermarkets and beer gardens, you could find work pumping gas, cleaning windshields, and checking water and oil. Pay at the pump meant you handed the cash through the window and maybe tip the attendant. Now I do all the work, and I feel like I should tip myself.

Newspapers and Fast Food

If you were ambitious you might get a paper route. The Plain Dealer, Cleveland Press, Akron Beacon Journal and all newspapers had carriers who would put your paper inside your door so it didn’t get wet.

Ask the Orthopedist

Not Very Handy

Carpal Tunnel and Arthritis Pain

By Scott M. Zimmer, MD

QUESTION

Is the pain in my hand and wrist carpal tunnel or arthritis?

ANSWER

Carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis of the hand and wrist are two of the most common complaints I see as a hand and upper extremity surgeon. There are some common overlapping symptoms — such as pain and aching with gripping — but the two conditions are vastly different.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when there is increased pressure on the nerve that gives sensation to most of the hand except your small finger. Think of the nerve (median nerve) as an electrical wire carrying impulses that can be affected by external compression (such as crimping a wire). Symptoms include numbness, aching pain in the fingers and up the forearm, and pain that commonly wakes you up at night.

Arthritis, better known as osteoarthritis, is simply the loss of cartilage between the two bones that make up a joint (a joint is where motion occurs). Our joints rely on this layer of cartilage to create fluid motion and absorb shock stresses. As the cartilage wears out, increased friction triggers pain, swelling and decreased motion. It is exactly like brake pads wearing out on a car.

Differentiating these two conditions is obtained by getting a symptom history, an examination and X-rays. Numbness, tingling and night pain are hallmarks of carpal tunnel. Arthritis usually can be localized to the base of the thumb where it attaches to the wrist or in the small joints of the fingers. Deformity and swelling of the joints occurs late in the arthritis process and may not be seen early on.

Treatment Options

Treatment of both conditions starts with making the correct diagnosis, followed with specialized supportive bracing.

Cool Jobs

For people like Ray Brown, work looks a lot like play. Here are a few honest-to-goodness jobs compiled by Wil Fulton from thrillist.com.

Ice Cream Taster — The ultimate “cool job,” these folks mix the magic concoctions of ice cream, candy and other goodies into frozen fantasies. Not great for the waistline, but good for morale.

Netflix Tagger — Have you binged on more episodes of “Fuller House” than you want to admit? Think about becoming a Netflix Tagger, and get paid to watch TV. These part-time employees watch shows and movies through Netflix streaming, then associate content with various tags, helping the service recommend shows to viewers based on what they have previously watched.

Private Island Caretaker — For those planning a retirement that includes sun and surf, consider being a private island caretaker. Those who do this love the tropical paradise life, but note that while there are obvious benefits, it helps to be handy — and in good shape — as property owners expect all to be in shipshape when they arrive for their holiday.

Fortune Cookie Writer — Like to give advice? Do you excel at choosing lucky numbers? Donald Lau, who has been crafting fortunes for Wonton Foods, manufacturer of fortune cookies (among other Chinese cuisine) is stepping down after 30 years because he says he has run out of ideas. So if you have some creative writing ability, this could be the way the cookie crumbles.

Google Trike/Street View Team — Like to cycle? Want to travel? Maybe joining the Google Street View Trike Team is up your alley. This job involves pulling a Google Maps camera behind a three-wheeler through cities all over the world. There are also positions for folks who feel hoofing it is more their speed.

Panda Nanny — If you have experience babysitting the grandchildren, you may have what it takes to become a Panda Nanny.