A week ago, I spent Saturday evening at Union Avenue Opera, watching the performance of “Dead Man Walking.”

My wife, Victoria Brannan, has played with the Union Avenue Opera strings section as a violist for many years.

The orchestra is directed by Scott Schoonover and I always think he does a magnificent job. It’s obvious that music is in Scott’s soul from his head to toes by the energy he displays as he directs. I am prejudiced because my wife plays in the orchestra, but the musicians’ work is first class. It’s amazing what a solid orchestra does to help keep the cast and the production moving.

The opera cast of “Dead Man Walking” was also first class. At times, I felt as if the production was real because the performers were so believable in their different roles.

I thought Jordan Shanahan, who portrays Joseph De Rocher, and Elise Quagliata, who plays Sister Helen Prejean, in “Dead Man Walking” were both terrific. Robert Reed was captivating as George Benton, the prison warden. There was just something about the aura of Reed’s personality that automatically draws attention in his direction.

Performances are set at 8 tonight and Saturday at Union Avenue Christian Church of “Dead Man Walking.” Sister Helen Prejean visited the UAO production when it opened and that made for a memorable event. I think it is great she takes the time to visit the productions first hand.
This is the 17th season for Union AVenue Opera and from my years of watching I have to say those who come to see the productions will not be disappointed.

If you get a chance turn out tonight or Saturday to the the UOA closing shows of the season. The UOA performers and organizers would be most appreciative.

The country band Sugarland performed on Thursday and I must admit I was quite moved when I saw Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush in video clips on stage.

I think the band showed courage getting back and performing. I am thankful that Sugarland did not take the stage the night the 60 to 70 mph winds gusted and destroyed the massive stage into the audience. Four were killed immediately and one later.

Nettles sang the song “Love,” from their 2008 album. Someone on the Sugarland tour held the group back and likely saved their lives. I doubt if they would have survived if they had been positioned on the stage that was severely mangled.

It’s amazing how one move or a second in time can be the difference between life and death. I think this proves that we should never take anything for granted and always live each day to the fullest.

I hope the Sugarland band members can continue making wonderful music; I love the voice of singer Jennifer Nettles, she is truly one of the best today in country.

The daily Wall Street watch is becoming an adventure. The stock market was again off on Thursday.

I am sure anyone with investments has had a difficult time watching the market woes. My uncle, Hal, always told me, you have to ride the market out and look at everything for the long haul, so I can still hear him telling me that. Hal died a few years back. He helped me with some of my retirement investments and I learned a lot in talking with him over the years about investments and strategy.

Uncle Hal’s favorite stock was Johnson & Johnson. He invested heavily in it. His other point was if you use a product and like it and have done that for years and years, it’s likely a good investment. He used many of the Johnson & Johnson products at home, so he always considered that a worthwhile place to invest.

If you follow Uncle Hal’s advice, the best thing to do in these roller coaster times is to stay calm and keep in your investments. This could be a good time to buy certain stocks, with stock levels falling.

Let’s hope the economy can start recovering and the market does stabilize. Sooner or later, for those who stick it out, it will be steady again.

I may be dreaming, but I would sure love to see someone take over the Borders book store in Edwardsville.

A closing sale is going on now at the store and each day it has been packed with people scooping up the buys. From what I have been told, the Borders in Edwardsville was very successful prior to the financial woes of the larger scale Borders company. It’s a shame that operation has to be shut down.

If done with a combination store/interactive approach, I can’t see how a store like what Borders had couldn’t make it. It appears Borders didn’t put much into the interactive side of the book business and today, it has to be a combination of both the hard copy and Web versions. I still contend that people want to read a printed copy of a book. I thought the coffee shop section of Borders was also excellent. The people who worked there were always so helpful and nice.

I took my children to Borders each week to read books and have a hot chocolate, tea or whatever. It was something I looked forward to each week.

For local authors, where are they now going to distribute books? There are very few private book stores going and each day it seems we are losing stores.

My hope is that someone will take over some of the Borders stores, at least the successful, and most of all, I hope the Edwardsville store will reopen under a different company’s umbrella. Again it may be wishful thinking, but we have to hope for better things…

I must admit it was good to see Def Leppard and Heart could still rock and roll on Wednesday night at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.

I have been a fan of both groups for years, and I knew every song that was played. I don’t think there was one number I didn’t know some or most of the words of their songs.

I thought the amphitheater setting was a good place for the concert. It was so easy to get in and out, I could hardly believe it. We didn’t have to wait at all to leave when it was over.

Joe Elliott of Def Leppard still has his voice, and I think Ann Wilson is almost as powerful with her voice as she was back in the 1970s and 1980s. The musicians in both bands were fantastic. I loved the guitarists in Def Leppard.

My favorite part of the night was probably different than some. It was watching Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen, who  lost his left arm in a car crash in December 1984. He was so committed to being Def Leppard’s drummer that he realized he could use his legs, and he worked to design a custom electronic drum kit. The other band members supported his recovery and never sought a replacement. Now that is what I call brotherhood.

I remember how sad I was when we learned he had lost his arm, but he has rebounded and triumphed. I raised my arm up as high as I could a couple times when he had solos. I admire a person like Rick Allen so much for overcoming adversity. For me, watching him in person made my night.

It was good to see so many people who love rock music together, standing and watching two bands pump out so many of their favorite songs. There was a camaraderie there that I can’t really describe.

Overall, it was a fun night. The most enjoyable part was a night out with my beautiful wife, Victoria, and both of us enjoying such excellent music.

As high school football practices in Illinois get under way today, I was thinking back to many years ago when I took part in the workouts.

I must admit, two-a-day practices are simply brutal. In the Midwest, you never know just how hot the weather will be when practices start.

Back in my era, we weren’t allowed to consume much water, which I thought then was ridiculous. Much of that has since changed.

Would I play football if I had it to do all over again? I doubt it. I don’t think I was big enough at the time to absorb the hits, weighing only about 155 pounds when I was a senior. I was fast, but when I was hit, look out. I broke my nose and a finger in football and my collarbone. Thankfully, my knees remained OK.

The problem with football is any person who plays for a long period of time ultimately is injured. If I had sons, I don’t know if I would want them to play or not, but I doubt it.

I do still enjoy the sport, though, but not as much as I used to want to watch it. My dad played college football, so I really didn’t have a choice. I would have loved being on a cross country team, rather than playing football.

My question is for those who played football, because of the injury potential, would you play again? I wonder how many feel like I do about the game after years to reflect about being on the gridiron.

The compassion in the small towns around the region never ceases to amaze me.

A recent example is in Staunton, where the Staunton VFW Post 1241 at 123 E. Main St. is playing host for a benefit for Marine Cpl. Stewart Heim, a native son, on Saturday. The town has rallied around its native son and it is moving to see what has been done.

A benefit is set from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The marine was injured on June 30th in the chest and arm on a mission in Afghanistan. He is recovering in the U.S. from the wounds and is hoping to be back home sometime in the future.

The benefit is being done by The friends and family of Stewart. Stewart’s wife, Kacy, had to quit her job in order to be with her husband in the hospital. I say we get behind, Stewart and Kacy and come out strong in support, even if you are not from Staunton. This military family deserves our help.

If you can’t attend, accounts are set up at two Staunton banks.