100 Days, 100 Ties

I’ll begin today with a new item in the “Stuff-You-May-Not-Have-Ever-Learned” category. John Masefield was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom for nearly four decades, and his poem ‘Sea-Fever’ is oft quoted. Well, maybe not quite ‘oft’…but it is in this blog, and it is in my favorite movie of all time, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.” Another new item is Masefield’s charting course for the PLWT (Poet Laureate With Tie, of course) category. He is looking properly laureate-ate in this pic, wouldn’t you agree?

And, since we’re mentioning Willy Wonka, I may as well put a shot of Gene Wilder in his dandiest finery (or would it be finest dandery?). If I see that this movie is on, I simply cannot turn it off, or turn away. With a bow tie like that, can you blame a brother?

I chose a sea-faring theme (or lake-faring, as it may be) because of my Tie du Jour. Since it was Julia’s birthday (she’s 10!! a full decade! double digits! okay, you get it–she’s ten), I let her choose a strip. She chose this nautically-inspired number from Alynn Neckwear. It’s called, not surprisingly, “Regatta,” and it was designed by Eric Hulch (so sayeth the label). It’s yellow, obviously, with drawings of flags, race courses and sailboats in action. This tie was given to me by my friend Pat Kelly (GWT alum, works for John J Cahill Inc).

While on a short quest for caffeine, I ran into my friend/barista Anna (aka Little Green Pixie). I had given her some ties when she said she was making a dress made of paisley ties, and I gave her a couple of more for a skirt that she was crafting. You can see what the skirt looks like on her blog. She also has an Etsy shop…

Wednesday at the Chamber we hosted the selection committee for one of the awards that will be presented at our Annual Meeting in May: The NorthShore University HealthSystem Public Service/Nonprofit Person of the Year (we should win an award for number of letters in that award). Last year’s winner, Gerald Gulley, sported a tie, and I needed to get it. Welcome to the Guys With Ties club, Mr. Gulley! Jerry, who is blind, has been the executive director of SHORE, an organization that strives to better the lives of persons with developmental disabilities, for 33 of its 60 years in existence.

Thanks for reading…Brooke

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