A massive gathering of police descended into Hanover Park, Illinois Saturday afternoon.  The incident started around 3pm and is on going.  Dozens of officers as far away as Vernon Hills arrived.  The police arrived in plain cars, popped their trunks and changed into full gear, complete with rifles.

There are also dozens of police cars everywhere. 

I will update as I learn news.  A few photos from a couple hours ago...they just started to use a bullhorn to communicate with someone.  Word is that they "found someone" and didn't want this person to get away, but I gotta say, this is a very impressive presence for just one individual, especially since "NIPAS" is used in times of "Natural Disasters" according to their website. 

Update:  According to ChicagoBreakingNews.com, "

Police in Hanover Park were negotiating with a man who had barricaded himself in a building near a major intersection and was threatening to kill himself this evening, the village's mayor said.

The man, who was barricaded on Bamburg Court near the intersection of Lake Street and Greenbrook Boulevard in the northwest suburb, was holding no hostages and had injured no one else, Mayor Rod Craig said.

As of 7:05 p.m., police were negotiating with the man, trying to get him to surrender, Craig said.

Hello all! Allow myself to introduce...myself...

My journal name should give you an idea about me: Light And Shade. We all are Knights on a journey, and we all have different coats of armor on to protect us, or different shades of Light. We all give off Light, whether it's positive, or Shade, where it's negative. Most of the time it's a combination with us all. So hopefully I can spread a little bit of positive Light out into the world --share some ideas, thoughts and by doing so perhaps meet some new and interesting people.

Never doubt in the dark what God showed you in the Light. I think that's one of the things we all can do to make this a better world. Since we're all Light, we have to spread some Light into that Darkness.

So, stop by often and read my posts that will include everything from Sports and the Cubbies, to Music (Zeppelin, Doors, Collective Soul, Beethoven, Aerosmith, Sinatra, Metallica, and 69 others), karaoke, to travel, nature and photography, books (King, Tolkien, Orwell, Shakespeare, CS Lewis), religion, news & politics, paranormal and conspiracies and whatever else Shines my way that I can reflect out to you.

If you're gonna post any comments I ask you to be respectful of my ideas and thoughts as I will be to yours. Be open, for a closed mind is the worst prison of all. Don't be afraid to learn, for educations goal is to replace an empty mind with an open one. Let your Light shine out into that unknown horizon as we cannot discover that new horizon if we don't have the courage to leave the shore. A ship in that harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are for!

One last sunbeam, at the end of each entry, my signature is a bit different than normal. I finish each entry with my signature "Light And Shade" followed by a place that I've been to in my life, and sometimes, that place will have something to do with the entry itself.

Remember, be the Lighthouse and never just sparkle and fade away.
So, without further ado, it's time to Shine...

- LIGHT and SHADE at LiveJournal

“Time flies – doesn’t seem a minute…” 

It’s been 4 years already since I’ve starting singing karaoke.  I’ve been going for much longer with friends and such, but as far as singing, it’s been 4 years this August.  My very 1st karaoke song was Zeppelin’s Dazed And Confused and I of course didn’t do so well on it, and surprisingly, I wasn’t nervous, and to this day I don’t get nervous.

 

“Good Times Bad Times you know I’ve had my share…”

In the 4 years I’ve sung over 500 songs altogether and about 200 different ones.  Some I’ve sang only once, like Poison’s Your Momma Don’t Dance, while others I’ve sung many times, like Motley Crue’s classic, Smokin’ In The Boys Room.  The most amount of songs I sang in one night was 8 songs, and I did that a few times.  I probably could have charged cover at the door those nights and walked away with $2.75 or so.

 

Some songs I bombed on, like Man On The Moon, from R.E.M.  I’ve done it twice and both times I just can’t get it right for some reason, but when I sing it at home in my "studio," I can sound very good.  About half the time I practice the songs before I sing them as I have a nice studio setup here at home.  Some times I sound good at home and when I try them out live it doesn’t sound as good, like with the REM song.

 

Everyone bombs from time to time because no one is fantastic at every song they experiment with (although I’ve met a couple who come quite close).  Also, you’re not gonna bomb on every song either–there’ll be songs that you will sing very nicely –enough to add to your staples list.  Some of my staple songs are Stray Cat Strut, Smokin’ In The Boys Room, Wang Chung’s, Dance Halls Days, Seek And Destroy by Metallica, The Zoo from the Scorpions, and Dy’er Ma’ker by Zeppelin.  

“The future is so bright, I gotta wear shades..."

If there are any songs you want me or someone else to sing, let me know and I’ll do my best to get it sung, and record it and post it.

 

“The beautiful people, the beautiful people…”

I’ve met a lot of beautiful people, a lot of talented singers and everything in between, and I’ve managed to make quite a few great friends in the process.  All the world's a stage and we are merely players!  

 

If you’ve never tried karaoke, I fully recommend it.  It’s great at reducing stress, you’ll meet some truly awesome people and the fun level in your life will skyrocket!  You’ll soon be thinking to yourself, “Which song should I sing next?”  Who knows, you may even meet a new girlfriend / boyfriend. It doesn’t matter if you’re good or bad at singing, it’s all about having fun –although there will be some who lose that perspective from time to time, but just remember, you’re the “beautiful people” because you have the guts to get up there and have fun.  The ones who mock or make fun of you are just jealous and feel threatened because you’re Runnin’ Down A Dream they never could, and they’re on a Ship Of Fools.

 

It’s not the top of the mountain that sustains life, but the sides.

 

“Singin’ to an ocean, I can hear the oceans roar…”

Light And Shade: POLL
Are you in the Light (on stage) or the Shade (in the audience)?

Poll #1442757 Karaoke
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 1

Have you ever tried karaoke?

If not, do you plan on ever trying karaoke?

With a 10 being a great singer, and a "1" being a poor singer, how do others rate you as a singer?

What is your favorite music genre to sing?

Have you ever won a karaoke contest?

- LIGHT and SHADE at Time Out West

So many friendships end when a friend starts dating it seems, ya know?  Why? Depending on where the relationship is, dating, engaged, married, the majority of your time should be given to your significant other.  And the farther the relationship goes, the more time should be given to your s.o.  But this does not mean leaving your friends behind!  There's always a happy medium, even if the medium isn't so, well, in the middle.

In the dating stage a guys night out is just as important as the date night with your girlfriend, but since the relationship is in the infancy stages, you obviously cannot break a date to hang out with the guys.  This is where many girls let the guys take a foothold in the relationship.  It's early enough to start a pattern.  The earlier you start the earlier she'll accept, and it's not fair. She'll complain you're not spending enough time with her, so why not give her the time?

I've always been able to balance my time between my girlfriend and my friends and I've never had a complaint or argument about it.  There's a right time for everything and everyone needs a break from  their partners eventually --those are added bonus times with friends.

Use time wisely!  You have to know how to properly organize and prioritize because if your priorities are out of whack, you'll lose both your friends and your girlfriend!  

Light and Shade POLL:
Are you in the Light or in the Shade of your relationship?

Do you have to choose between your friends & significant other often? Yes No More often than not, who gets the bulk of your attention? Significant Other Friend or Friends Family Ex Other Does your significant other think you should give them more of your time? Yes No I Don't Know Do YOU think your significant other should spend time with you? Yes No

- LIGHT and SHADE in Illinois

Thursdays on USA have become a tad more exciting once again with their series return of "Burn Notice," and now their new series "Royal Pains." 

In the Pilot episode, "Pains" addresses the very painful condition of Hemophilia --a condition I'm well too aware of unfortunately.  I'll leave it to you, the reader, to investigate more on the subject of hemophilia if the interest compels you, which I hope it will.   And I hope you make the time to make a small donation to the Hemophilia Foundation.  

But the episode was quite interesting.  While I'm very glad that USA has a segment about hemophilia and therefore getting more people aware of it, there was a couple misconceptions that I'd like to address.

The bruises that Tucker had on his elbow were the finishing touches of an internal bleeding episode, and so therefore his elbow wouldn't have as much movement as it did.  I like how when Tucker was walking down the stairs he had his hand in his pocket, which is one of the ways to support the arm of the swollen elbow.  They portrayed that part correctly. 

Another thing is when Hank asked Tucker where he kept his Factor 8.  After a bit LIbby (Tucker's girlfriend) brings it down, they open the case and it's in the syringe, already mixed, which is not correct. Factor 8 doesn't come pre-mixed and therefore is something the patient has to do themselves in order to infuse.

Also, when Tucker lies on the floor his legs are fully straight, which wouldn't be because of all the injuries the knees have had --they wouldn't be able to straighten that perfect when lying on their back on a flat surface.  

They were right about hemophiliacs living in pain and are used to it.  Hemophilia is one of the most painful things you can have and I wish more shows would cover it more as more attention needs to be brought out about it.  When more people are educated about it, more people will care about a cure, and more donations MUST be made to your nearest Hemophilia Foundation.

If you'd like to know how painful Hemophilia is, take this example.  We've all had sprained ankles.  An ankle sprain is when blood enters the ankle joint after only a few seconds of internal bleeding.  A hemophiliac doesn't bleed for only a few seconds, like a person with normal clotting factor in their blood does.  A hemophiliac can bleed internally for minutes or hours on that twisted ankle.  We know the pain from a sprained ankle, but imagine that pain after bleeding internally for minutes, or hours!  Yeah, it's painful.  I've had hundreds of those injuries and have the permanent blackened ankles to prove it.

i hope Tucker is a permanent character in the show. 

- LIGHT and SHADE at Alexian Brothers

I like to remember Words Of Wisdom phrases.  Here is a collection that has been beneficial to me throughout life.  I myself have even contributed to this list.  Hope they find you as well.  If you have one that you think I'd like that I don't have, please send it to me.

1.       After you’ve heard two eyewitness accounts of an auto accident it makes you wonder about history.

2.       People wish to learn to swim and at the same time to keep one foot on the ground.

3.       The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become from it.

4.       Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.

5.       Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving cabs, tending bar  and cutting bar. 

6.       If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

7.       Never make someone a priority when they only think of you as an option.

8.       It’s easy to identify people who can’t count to ten.  They’re in front of you in the supermarket express lane.

9.       Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks.

10.   Never doubt in the dark what God showed you in the light.

11.   The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

12.   To be upset over what you don’t have is to waste what you do have.

13.   The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.

14.   Mondays are the potholes in the road of life.

15.   At the touch of love everyone becomes the poet.

16.   Sometimes the fool who rushes in gets the job done.

17.   A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.

18.   Children are likely to live up to what you believe in them

19.   A true friend is someone who is there for you when he’d rather be anywhere else.

20.   Money is a good servant but a bad master.

21.   A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

22.   The impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand of a neighbor.

23.   Fatherhood is pretending the present you love the most is soap-on-a-rope.

24.   A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.

25.   It takes a long time to grow an old friend.

26.   Trust is God, but tie your camel tight.

27.   If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.

28.   It is good to stop in our pursuit of happiness sometimes and just be happy.

29.   Until you make peace with who you are, you’ll never be content with what you have.

30.   You never know when you’re making a memory.

31.   A politician is a person who can make waves and then make you think he’s the only one who can save the ship.

32.   Just remember when you’re over the hill you pick up speed.

33.   The worst prison would be a closed heart.

34.   For peace of mind resign as general manager of the universe.

35.   Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.

36.   Everything is changing. People are taking the comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.

37.   Be patient with everyone, but above all with yourself.

38.   Blessed is the person who is to busy to worry in the daytime and too sleepy to worry at night.

39.   The most important thing a father can do for his children is love their mother.

40.   The best inheritance a parent can give to their children is a few minutes of their time each day.

41.    Useless laws weaken the necessary laws.  

42.   Talent is a flame. Genius is a fire.

43.   A stumble may prevent a fall.

44.   Some people pay a compliment like they went down deep into their pockets to get it.

45.   Fear is the darkroom where negatives are developed.

46.   Looks are so deceptive that people should be done up like food packages with the ingredients clearly labeled.   

47.   You have the worst kind of heart rouble when you have no charity in it. 

48.   Trying to squash a rumor is like trying to unring a bell.

49.   Few people are successful unless a lot of other people want them to be.

50.   Life is like a good book.  The more you get into it, the more it starts to make sense.

51.   The entire sum of existence is the magic of being needed by just one person.

52.   He that has patience can have what he will.

53.   The right to do something doesn’t mean that doing it is right.

54.   Those who flee temptation usually leave a forwarding address.

55.   Tact is rubbing out another’s mistake instead of rubbing it in.

56.   A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not what ships are for.

57.   Educations purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.

58.   There is no greater loan than a sympathetic ear.

59.    Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even though you wish they were.

60.   To live only for some future goal is shallow.  It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain us, not the top.

61.   If you want truly to understand something, try to change it.

62.   When you aim for perfection, you discover it's a moving target.

63.   A skeptic, is a person who, when he sees the handwriting on the wall, claims it is a forgery.

64.   The shortest recorded period of time lies between the minute you put some money away for a rainy day and the unexpected arrival of rain.

65.   Good education is the essential foundation of a strong democracy.

66.   Be like a postage stamp, stick to one thing until you get there.

67.   Don’t work at things defeating you, work on defeating those things. -Greg Brieschke

68.   Your expression is the most important thing you can wear.

69.   To be a champ you have to believe in yourself when nobody else will.

70.   Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects.

71.   Man blames fate for other accidents, but feels personally responsible when he makes a hole in one.

72.   April hath put a spirit of youth in every thing.-

73.   No one ever listened himself out of a job.

74.   To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing.

75.   By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.

76.   Nothing makes a person more productive than the last minute.

77.   `Now and then it’s good to stop in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.

78.   Rainbows apologize for angry skies.

79.   It’s not easy taking my problems one at a time when they refuse to get in line.

80.   Beware of the man who won’t be bothered with details.

81.   Smart is when you believe only half of what you hear.  Brilliant is when you know which half to believe.

82.   Be an optimist, at least they start moving animals in pairs to Cape Kennedy.

      83.  Church isn't where you meet.  Church isn't a building.  Church is what you do --it's who you are.  Church is the human
              outworking of the person of Jesus.  Let's not only go to church, let's be the church.
      84. A person all wrapped up in themselves makes for a small package that most people return.

 

85. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.

86. You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to leave the shore.

87. Some go to church to see and be seen.  Some go to say they have been.  Some go to sleep and nod.  But few go to actually worship God. 

88. When life knocks us down to our knees, God is putting us in a perfect position to pray.

    89. Don't tell me the sky's the limit...there are footprints on the moon!