President Barack Obama has captivated (or irritated) nearly every aspect of culture since his run for president. That includes the world of fashion, with the latest notable example being the Jorg Gray 6500 watch.

According to company spokeswoman Alana Morgan, “President Obama received the timepiece as a gift from his Secret Service detail on his 46th birthday and is still wearing it to this day. He has been photographed wearing the watch on such momentous occasions as his presidential election victory speech, the inaugural swearing-in ceremony and the signing of his first presidential proclamation.”
Morgan said each watch comes with an individualized serial number and inscription marking the historic 44th inauguration.
The watch features a 12-hour main watch with luminous seconds hand, a 24-hour indicator inset dial at three o-clock position, continuous seconds indicator at six o-clock position and chronograph minutes (stop-watch) at nine o-clock position. It is housed in a solid stainless steel case, water resistant to 10ATM with a high-impact scratch resistant crystal face. It offers Miyota Caliber OS-20 movement.
The watch is available in men’s and women’s styles, in silver, rose gold and bronze. It retails locally for $325 at Harold Jaffe Jewelers, 4211 Talmadge Road, and is available on the Jorg Gray Web site, www.jorggray.com.
Jeff Jaffe said the watch is one of the season’s “hot sellers.” “It is a classic-looking watch and the perceived value is incredible,” he said. “People see it and think it costs far more than it does. This watch is really putting Jorg Gray on the map.”

C-3PO onscreen with lights and lasers during "Star Wars In Concert."

Sci-fi novelist Philip K. Dick once asked if androids dream of electric sheep. Since Anthony Daniels has performed as the “Star Wars” droid C-3PO for more than 30 years, it is fair to wonder: Does the actor ever dream as C-3PO?
“I have never dreamed as Threepio,” the British actor, 63, said during a Nov. 24 phone interview from Ottawa. “But since the concert tour started, I have woken up with ‘Star Wars’ music in my head.”
Toledoans will experience the full force of “Star Wars” music on Dec. 1, when “Star Wars in Concert” plays at the Lucas County Arena.
“Maybe for that one night, they should call it the ‘George Lucas Arena,’” said Daniels, who added that while he is familiar with Toledo, Spain, this will be his first visit to Toledo, Ohio.
The slender, soft-spoken actor appeared in all six “Star Wars” films, recorded radio plays of the movies, visits with fans at “Star Wars” conventions and has provided the voice for three different animated series. He has appeared in costume at the Academy Awards, filmed episodes of “The Muppet Show” and “Sesame Street” and seen his character on cereal boxes, carved in soap and in scores of plastic incarnations. But he says this current “rock star” tour may be the highlight of his C-3PO career.
Invigorating response
The concert features a symphony orchestra and choir playing composer John Williams’ film scores, as edited scenes from the moves are shown on a three-story-high screen. Daniels narrates the production.
“Star Wars in Concert” travels with an exhibit of costumes and props, original copies of Williams’ handwritten score and videos from the Skywalker Ranch vaults.

Anthony Daniels narrates "Star Wars in Concert."

Daniels said audience reaction has been “invigorating and amazing. I’ve been having a wonderful, joyous time.”
Daniels said the concert is a celebration of “Star Wars,” music and family.
“Across the nation, across the world, people just go on loving ‘Star Wars,’” he said. “Don’t ask me why. Even George doesn’t quite understand why. We were together at the opening for ‘Dreamgirls’ in New York the other night, and he was saying how thrilled he was that this tour is working out so well. This is a new way of celebrating his films. It brings families together for a unique experience.”
The actor said he knows the concert will be many people’s introduction to live classical music, and he hopes the experience will excite them about the arts. He said as part of the show, images of musicians as they perform are shown on the big screen.
Daniels said Williams’ “Star Wars” score may have been commissioned for movies, but it should be considered “classical music.”
“Beethoven got paid to write music. Mozart got paid to write music. Artists have always needed to be paid by somebody. In this case, it was George Lucas who could pay John Williams, who spent years of his life writing this score,” he said. “I can say this music is classical, because I am there each night, studying this music. It’s not just Darth Vader’s march, but the tremendous orchestration, various soloists and sections talking to each other, answering each other, overwhelming each other, subtly playing underneath, weaving the bedrock that you hear under the main tier. There is an absolutely lyrical violin solo in the Princess Leia theme. It is a thrill; I hear it every night and discover new things. This is a serious concert, but you won’t know it because it says ‘Star Wars’ in front of it.”
Although Daniels has to act in character each night, the rigid synchronization of the concert’s effects limits his ability to improvise.
“I am working with a live audience, and just a little bit, I can nuance my delivery to their reactions. But a lot of my words key in effects and video playbacks, so it’s an incredibly rehearsed performance,” he said.
“Plus, there is a live television mix showing me and the orchestra, so my eyes are like 60 feet wide on the screen. For an actor who played behind a gold mask for all these years, America is certainly getting a face full of … my face.”
Daniels said Williams has been working on a harp concerto and has not yet seen the concert, but contributed new segues to the music for this show.
Christmas in the stars
This is not the first time “Star Wars” has brought Daniels into the music scene. In 1980, he recorded “Christmas in the Stars,” a holiday album which featured C-3PO singing new and traditional carols. Daniels worked on the album with a young Jon Bon Jovi and Maury Yeston, who later won Tony awards for the scores of “Nine” and “Titanic.”
“I remember that well,” Daniels said. “I was rehearsing a play in London, so I would take the
9 a.m. Concorde to New York, record all day, got up the next day, caught the 3 p.m. Concorde back to London. It was a weird experience, recording ‘What Can You Get a Wookie for Christmas When He Already Owns a Comb?’”
Daniels said an earlier musical experience involved working with live orchestras.
“I conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, as C-3PO, in full costume, at the Albert Hall, and later the Boston Symphony,” Daniels said. “They were truly the greatest nights of my life. And I have seen John Williams in action at Abbey Road, so I’ve been around this music for a long time.”
In the context of his entire “Star Wars” career, Daniels said the concert tour ranks near the top.
“I adored ‘The Muppet Show’ and ‘Sesame Street’ experiences, but in the last few years … well, I was reticent about what I was doing with my life and art,” he said. “But I had an experience a few years ago with a huge number of fans in front of me, and I realized, they get something from this, a collective joy and thrill from ‘Star Wars,’ something I’ve never felt a part of; because I am in them, I never got to experience them as a filmgoer. The scales fell from my eyes, and I realized there is an enormous love and joy for ‘Star Wars,’ people who love the depth and intricacy of it. If I am a little part of that, I get a little part of that enthusiasm, and that is a really good feeling. This is the biggest thing I have done since that epiphany, so ‘Star Wars in Concert’ is the pinnacle of this experience.”
The Force is with him
Daniels has more C-3PO on the horizon, as he is working a new version of “Star Tours” at Walt Disney World, providing a voice for the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” TV series and is in discussions about taking “Star Wars in Concert” to other cities and countries. More than 30 years after “Star Wars” debuted, Daniels exhibits no resentment or second-guessing about his career path under the gold mask.
“I’ve lived long enough to get over that,” he laughed. “Playing C-3PO, wearing that suit, is not the experience. Creating him, being him, is. This concert tour is a wonderful leap. I am narrating, acting, living it live.
“I admit that at times, C-3PO just bursts out of me. Like from ‘The Exorcist,’ or ‘Alien,’ he just bursts out of my chest. I am very fond of him; I believe he has qualities that are very attractive, very amusing. He can be irritating, but he is fully rounded. I like people being fond of him; he is a very good friend of mine, and therefore anyone who is a friend of his is a friend of mine. I am very proud to be him.”
Daniels said the concert experience has brought one puzzling realization: “John Williams has written themes for so many of the characters, but he never has written a theme for Threepio,” he said. “The next time I see him, I am going to tell him, ‘I have a bone to pick with you’ and ask him, ‘Why not?’”

Growing up the son of a preacher, “Count Your Blessings” was one of the songs I heard from time to time as I (Mark) sat in church as my dad preached the sermon and my mom played the piano.  My parents’ work took our family to several towns in Michigan where my father was pastor of the local church and as far away as Seoul, South Korea as missionaries for five years.  The huge city of Seoul seemed packed wall to wall with people.
As we enter the holiday season, if we can get past the hype and the many obligations, many of us take a moment or two to reflect on things like what we are really thankful for and what is really important in life.  As I think back to the past, I am thankful that I had parents who brought me up in a home that focused on a strong faith.
Speaking of tough times, perhaps as you read this column you are going through difficulty.  This is not the best time economically in our country.
Maybe you’re going through something personal.  Our family has had a tough time over the past two years or so dealing with the deaths of my father and mother-in-law and the health struggles of my father-in-law.  These circumstances can definitely be a downer.
I was reading a book by Norman Vincent Peale not too long ago and he told a story of someone who had come to him and said, “I have lost everything.” The man had made a fortune in business and lost it all in a bad economy. Peale asked the man several questions. “Do you have a wife and does she love you?” “Do you have children and do they love you?” “Do you have friends and do they support you?” Does God love you?” After thinking about it, the man was encouraged and realized he had not lost everything but that he still had much to be thankful for and decided to get back to living life.
As we enter this Thanksgiving and Christmas season, here are some of our conclusions and since you “can’t take it with you,” they are not all related to your money:
1. Life is short.  Enjoy each day to the fullest.  Look for all of the positives in each day and enjoy the time with family and friends.
2. Life is good.  I bet if you count your blessings, they will far outnumber the trials you may have to go through.
3. These are the good old days.  Don’t spend too much time looking forward or looking back.
4. God is faithful.  He will do what He said He will do!  He has never failed keeping His promises!
5. We are all works in progress.  God will finish what he started in us.
6. We can choose what we focus our thoughts on; choose happiness.
7. Be grateful. If we are focused more on gratitude, we feel better and are more likely to have the desire to help and serve others.
8. Get your financial and estate plan in order.  Smart planning will benefit you and your family for years to come.
We are thankful for you.  Thankful we get to write this column, do our radio show and have the opportunity to meet and work with many great people. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Thanks for being a blessing to us.

For more information about The Retirement Guys, tune in every Saturday at 1 p.m.  on 1370 WSPD or visit www.retirementguysradio.com.  Securities are offered through NEXT Financial Group Inc., Member FINRA / SIPC.  The office is at 1700 Woodlands Drive, Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537.

As our nation goes through difficult times, there is value in taking a moment to enjoy a breath of fresh air.
Life is hard. Business is hard. Both are harder when you do not even try.
Why is it that we look at something and decide right away whether or not we’re going to be able to achieve it?
Think of that dream customer you would love to have in your business — how many times have you tried to connect with him or her recently? Think of that pile of debt you now have — how much did you pay towards it last week? What about that dream house of yours — what have you done to get its keys in your hand?
Many would agree that big things can be accomplished if steps are taken in the right direction; consistently, and over time. Yet, it is also true that agreeing with the previous statement does nothing in the way of actually producing results.
Are your options then relegated to tricking yourself, negotiating or bargaining with yourself, or simply forcing yourself to produce results? If you are no stranger to trying to do the right thing for yourself, then you surely have tried all of these tactics — to no avail. So, what is left to try?
If everything you have tried to do to grow your business, pay off your debt, or reach a desired goal in your life has not worked, you truly do have a choice to make. Logically, one could argue you are out of options. Yet, if that were true, why haven’t you given up?
You have not given up yet because you know what you want, and you are determined to get it. You have simply not found the right formula to bring about the change you wish to occur in your life. Be patient; not giving up means not being out of options.
Yes, you are still taking a step in the right direction if you have not given up. If you are still taking a step — regardless of the size — then you have momentum. You may not have realized that you have momentum before. That may be because you are beating yourself up for not having the “quick fix.”
Business is hard. Life is hard. Both become easier when you stop trying to “fix” things in one fell swoop. The moment you recognize that your efforts are indeed moving you in the right direction, your subsequent actions will begin to improve. When you realize you are moving the ball down the field, you will realize that you can continue to do so. You were already taking one step at a time, you just have not seen it that way.
You do not need to give up and throw up your arms in despair or wander aimlessly, staring at the ground in defeat. Instead, you need to pick your head up and move forward again. The more steps you take, the more progress you will see. Success breeds success and, unless you have given up completely, you will find yourself succeeding. Continue putting one foot in front of the other and, then, repeat again.

For Tom’s private blog entry on taking these steps, visit www.boltfromtheblue.com and enter the codeword MACEDOINE in the blueprint box. Tom Richard is a Toledo-based sales trainer who gives seminars, runs sales meetings and provides coaching for salespeople. For more information, visit www.boltfromtheblue.com, call (419) 441-1005 or e-mail at tom@tomrichard.com.

When it comes to Christmas lists, retailers have only one wish: staying out of the red.
Most retailers lost last year and would probably like to break even in 2009, according to Thomas Passero, instructor in business and marketing at Owens Community College, who has researched retail marketing and sales trends.
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, used to be the launching pad for Christmas goods, but that is no longer the case, Passero said.
“Retailers are aggressively pursuing Christmas business earlier with in-store displays and multiple media advertising,” he said.
National retailers, such as the Gap, Target, Wal-Mart and even Sears are using crisp, upbeat, well-choreographed commercials featuring popular culture and music from television shows or movies to appeal to the younger audiences, he said.
“If price is the issue, people will go to Wal-Mart, Meijer or other large-chain stores,” Passero said. “Some shoppers focus on service rather than price. Many people prefer good shopping and values without the crowds.”
Those consumers are more likely to shop at local stores or places like Levis Commons or Fallen Timbers where they can park closer and walk around in a Main Street atmosphere. Business trickles down to the individual boutiques, more unique or upscale shops, according to Passero.

Passero

Luxury goods companies are minimizing their inventories and keeping their prices up in jewelry stores or high-end gift shops, he said.
Smaller communities like Maumee, Perrysburg and Sylvania can attract shoppers with holiday decorations and atmosphere. Every store in those small towns can benefit from holiday events or parades that attract people from outside those communities, Passero said.
“Some privately owned smaller stores sponsor local holiday events or hold after-hours, private parties for their customers,” he said.
In-store product demonstrations and samplings are not just at Costco, Sam’s or Meijer, but have found a place in smaller stores like Walt Churchill’s Markets in Maumee and Perrysburg where a resident chef demonstrates holiday food preparation.
Hallmark stores have a practice of putting smaller fliers about special sales or holiday promotions in the bag when people are purchasing greeting cards. It is subtle, but can be effective, Passero said.
The family-owned Swan Creek Candle Company has been selling candles and gift products retail and wholesale since 1978. The business has a 30,000-square-foot factory in Swanton, a distribution center in Downtown Toledo and outlet stores in Swanton and Toledo, as well as in Dundee, Perry and Jackson, Mich.
Swan Creek Candle accepts orders online at www.swancreekcandle.com or by phone at 888-272-2773. All orders are usually shipped within a week, pending stock availability and always include a free candle to help defray shipping charges, according to its Web site.
Toledo Choose Local, an organization of locally owned businesses, encourages people to shop and support local gift and retail stores in the area, said executive director Stacy Jurich. When people buy local, the money is recycled in the community, support local jobs and companies and helps to stabilize the region’s economy, Jurich said.
For every $100 spent at locally owned businesses, $68 stays in the local economy. For every $100 spent at nonlocal businesses, only $43 stays in the local economy.

Senior seasons are composed of the stuff that dreams are made of. That has not been the case for UT senior quarterback Aaron Opelt.
“It is unfortunate that has happened to me,” Opelt said. “If it was my left shoulder, it wouldn’t have been a problem, but you can’t look at it that way.”
The shoulder in question, Opelt’s throwing shoulder, has been on the mend since he injured it during the Western Michigan game. The Rockets signal caller was trying to gain a few yards, when he was tackled. Opelt landed awkwardly on his shoulder, creating a partial tear in his rotator cuff.
“It has been frustrating for me. It sucks,” Opelt said. “But that’s football and that’s life. Stuff gets thrown at you all the time and you just have to figure out a way to get through them.”

Aaron Opelt.

However, the Fremont native’s time to conquer the nagging injury is quickly running out. Before the Nov. 20 game against Eastern Michigan, Opelt’s understudy, freshman Austin Dantin, was  given the reigns to the offense to start the game. That meant that Opelt watched the majority of his final game in the Glass Bowl from the sidelines instead of being lined up under center.
“You always look back and say ‘what if,’ he said. “I was trying to make a play, and I was just doing what any other player what have done. If I could go back in time and change things, I would, but it is one of those things that you can’t change. You just have to rehab and get better.”
Since Opelt’s injury, things have not gone well for the Rockets, either. The team is 3-4 since its starting quarterback went down. A season that started out with much promise has quickly taken a detour for the worst. UT needs to win its final two games just to qualify for postseason play and to accomplish a winning season for Toledo, which is something the team has not done during Opelt’s tenure with the Rockets.
“We want to send them out as a winning team and give ourselves an opportunity to be 6-6 and play in a bowl game,” said  head coach Tim Beckman
One of those wins will need to come in the battle of I-75 on Nov. 27. The Rockets will need to beat their arch nemesis, the BGSU Falcons, to even have a chance at a postseason bowl berth.
“It seems like just yesterday we were playing against BG in the Glass Bowl for the first time,” Opelt said. “We love to play in that game and play for the peace pipe. It is always a big game anytime we take the field against them.”
With the added pressure of a winning season and post season play for the Rockets hinging on the outcome of the contest at Doyt Perry Stadium, the team knows the 2009 version of the rivalry game takes on even more significance than usual.
“We know that everything rides on that game,” Opelt said. “It is huge for us. If we could get that sixth win and get to a bowl game that would be awesome.”
Beckman, who has been on the other side of this rivalry when he was an assistant coach with the Falcons, recognizes the sense of urgency, too.
“Having been able to be a part of some of the other rivalry games, this one ranks right up there,” Beckman said. “Winning this game would give us a boost into our winter workouts, and it would mean that we would accomplish our goals. It also means we get to spend extra time with these 19 seniors preparing for a bowl game. If we don’t get that sixth win, we miss out on many opportunities that we could have, so we have got to do it.”
The first-year head coach also recognizes that in large part his team needs a healthy Opelt to make the goals the team set forth a reality.
“He is a competitive guy and his drive has had a lot to do with us winning the games we have won this season,” Beckman said. “He has so much to do with the success we have had this season, and since he has been hurt, we have struggled. I think our record since he has been out really kind of speaks to how important he is to our football team.”
Despite the hardship and the grim prognosis for his shoulder, Opelt is determined to lace up his cleats, slap on the pads, don the midnight blue and gold one more time and finish his career as a Rocket with a victory over Bowling Green. The senior quarterback wants to have the last word and write the storybook ending to what has been anything but an ideal final season.
“I’m not ready to give up yet,” Opelt said. “I have not even thought about not playing. I am doing whatever I have to do, and I am going to continue to do that. I am going to fight, claw and scratch to get back out there.”

Nearly 25 years after their era of prime chart dominance, Daryl Hall and John Oates are still making waves in pop culture. “You Make My Dreams” played a prominent role in the recent indie film hit “500 Days of Summer”; they are playing recurring roles on the “Family Guy” spinoff “The Cleveland Show”; they have filmed a cameo appearance for a major Disney film to be released in 2010; and each musician is promoting new work, while making a solo CD.
The new Sony Legacy box set “Do What You Want, Be What You Are” collects 74 hits, album tracks, live performances and rarities, including 16 previously unreleased songs.
Both Hall and Oates are now in their early 60s, and while a career-spanning box set might seem like an opportune time for nostalgia, neither man seems invested in the glory days.

Daryl Hall and John Oates

“I will very rarely listen to the old music,” Oates said during a recent phone interview from his Colorado home. “I will hear songs by accident in a store or on the radio, but I don’t sit around and listen to the records. I’m not jaded, but I am used to it; it’s been happening for a very long time. But I am still very appreciative. To know the music is being played 20, 30, 40 years later is a testament to the songwriting. The songs stand up and still sound good.”
Hall struck a similar theme during a phone interview from his New York home.
“Working on the box set was the first time I tried to hear myself objectively, to listen to the body of work, which I never do,” he said. “It gave me a feeling of what we accomplished to this point. It was illuminating.”
Oates said he and Hall enjoyed just enough success throughout the 1970s to prepare them for their ’80s dominance of five No. 1 and 12 top 10 songs in five years.
“We were hyperaware of the run at the time, because our lives were in complete chaos,” he said. “We were in such demand, recording, writing, touring, making videos, the press responsibility, it never stopped. It was a five-year whirlwind, and we were traveling the world at a pretty heady time.”
Hall and Oates are in harmony on how their relationship has survived four decades.
“We are very different people, different from other people and from each other,” Oates said. “We have personal and professional space that doesn’t interfere with each other. I am easy going, I take a long-term outlook. Daryl is focused, very passionate. When we get together, our common
bonds allow us to collaborate.”
Hall echoed that sentiment: “We have very different personalities but we share a love for making music; it’s our reason to live. That has intensified over the years. We were friends before we were musical partners, and our long-term relationship has self-imposed rules that allow us to be individuals, as well as collaborators.
Oates said the relationship has a “very complex dynamic that is hard to explain.”
The two men have appeared together for a DVD concert and some special projects recently, but they did not get together to work on the box set.
“We were never in the same room for it,” Oates said. “We listened to the music, talked to each other, talked to the guys at Sony and made lists of songs. From 400-plus songs, the 74 we picked represent us at our best, as artists, singers, writers and producers. The hits of course are included, but there is a lot of good material. We did not put songs on our albums to fill space; with this box set, we want to let world know our focus was not as hit-makers. The hits were a byproduct of the quality of the songwriting.”
Oates said the box set reinforces the group’s musical growth.
“We started with Arif Mardin as our producer, who used consummate jazz musicians in the studio, then worked with Todd Rundgren, who was more rock and experimental. Combine those two approaches, and that’s what we ended up being. Our goal was always to record live with our band in our home of New York, and when we got that in the ’80s, that’s when we hit our stride. That’s when we got it right.”
One honor that has eluded the No. 1 charting duo in Billboard history is a nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“I never expected it,” Hall said. “I know these things tend to be political, with secret committees within committees, and I’m on the outside of that.
If it happens, it will be a surprise to me. Rock journalists create their own history of reverence, and they’ve never embraced us. To validate us they have to invalidate themselves to some degree.”
Oates was a bit more feisty on the subject.
“It bothers me, but not a lot,” he said. “It’s politics and we don’t seem to fit in with their agenda; I am not sure why that is. It’s run by the older school of rock journalists, and they never gave us respect; they treat us as lightweight hit-makers. That’s just the way it is. But the new generation of musicians has more respect because they understand how hard it is to sustain this kind of commercial success.”
Asked about the perception of being a secondary player in his own band, Oates responds without rancor: “The casual fan does not understand my role; they have no clue; but the rabid fans, they understand what I bring to the group,” he said. “Look, Daryl has a great voice, and his voice became the sound of our hits; he is one of the great pop singers of all time, and I know that better than anyone because I have sat beside him for 35 years. But I am a good singer as well; it took a backseat on our records, but that’s the way it is. I have been able to do a lot of great things on my own.”
Among the solo projects Oates is working on is an album of 1960s folk music.
“I was asked to do a track on a compilation album, ‘The Village,’ of great folk music from Greenwich Village in the 1960s. That was my music as I was learning, so I did this track for the album, which also features Bruce Hornsby, Lucinda Williams and Amos Lee. It was folksy and raw. The record company asked if I’d like to do a whole album, so we are.”

John Oates and Daryl Hall help a confused Cleveland Brown on "The Cleveland Show."

Hall is working on a new solo album for Verve Records that he will begin recording in January. He is also working on “Live From Daryl’s House,” an Internet show in which he jams with musicians as disparate as Smokey Robinson and members of The Doors to such newer groups as Plain White Ts, Eric Hutchinson and Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump — as well as John Oates.
“I was made for this kind of show; it’s just unbelievable,” Hall said. “It’s the most fulfilling of all the things I’ve done in my life. I love collaboration, and this is real on-your-toes improvisation and a lot of good feelings. It’s like walking into a party.”
Hall said once legal and rights issues are cleared, an album and DVD will collect the best of the shows.
Hall & Oates are also appearing as devil and angel consciences for the title character on “The Cleveland Show” on FOX.
“We met Seth McFarlane, and then Mike Henry, who voices Cleveland, asked us to be on the show,” Oates said. “It has been a lot of fun.”
The duo recorded their parts at Hall’s studio, while Henry coached them over the phone.
“We had a script and Mike directed us,” Hall said. “I don’t know if I have been miscast as the angel.”
With several projects on the horizon and a new box set, the duo seems prepared to reach a new generation of fans.
“We’re proud of the music and proud of the new set,’ Oates said. “It stands for a lot of work and a lot of our attitude. The title of the set is not an accident.”

Here are a few holiday gift ideas to place under the tree for your sports enthusiast.
Buckeye/Wolverine Shop
If you are shopping for a die-hard Buckeye or Wolverine fan, then the Buckeye and Wolverine Shop on Monroe Street in Sylvania or its location on Dixie Highway in Perrysburg is the perfect place.
The stores will have sales on apparel for Ohio State and Michigan fans, and some other specials certain to delight sports enthusiasts of all ages.
Also, this holiday season takes on added significance for the 30-year-old store because it might be its last.
“Our owner, Merrilee Zawadzki, has been doing this for a long time and she is contemplating retirement,” said store manager Tim Kravolic. “The location in Perrysburg will be closing at the end of the year, and we will stay open till at least April. After that, it is up in the air for us.”
The Buckeye and Wolverine Shop has many items for fans of Michigan State as well. The shop boasts many Spartan gifts for fans of the green and white instead of the scarlet and gray or the maize and blue.
The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. The store is closed Sundays.
The Swamp Shop
If you are looking for some local appeal, then the folks at the Swamp Shop, located at Fifth Third Field and at the new Lucas County Arena, will fit the bill. The stores will have  sales on Mud Hens and Walleye apparel and novelties for fans.
Director of merchandise and licensing Craig Katz said the store also has some surprises in store.
“We are planning to have special events where parents can bring their kids out to meet Muddy and Muddonna, who are our Mud Hens mascots, as well as, our Walleye mascots, Spike and CatTrick,” Katz said. Fans interested in those promotions should check the Swamp Shop Web site at http://toledomudhens.stores.yahoo.net/ for the specific dates.
The Swamp Shop’s holiday hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.
Online ideas
The hustle and bustle, coupled with winter weather in Northwest Ohio may not be ideal shopping conditions.
Perhaps you would prefer to shop online. If so, here are some online sites that might have just the gift to surprise your special sports fan.

College Snuggie: Yes, we have all seen the commercials for the Snuggie, billed as the blanket that has sleeves.

But a recent development in the product might just be the perfect combination for your sports fan during the cold winter months.
Snuggie has introduced the College Snuggie, which is just like the original Snuggie, except this one is made from fabric with your favorite college team’s logo and mascot on it.
The College Snuggie is the perfect way to support your favorite team and stay warm during those cold winter nights. The College Snuggie has teams like Ohio State and Michigan, and if those are not your preferences, there are 53 other team themes to choose from. The only drawback to the College Snuggie is it isn’t available in BGSU and UT yet.
The College Snuggie retails for $19.95 and the best way to purchase one is at www.thesnuggieshop.com.

Sports grilling accessories: If your sports enthusiast is also a wiz at the barbeque, then the folks at the Web site BBQFans.com have something for you.
The site offers a wide assortment of various grill accessories from college logo branding irons to a Detroit Tigers grill tools set.
It also carries licensed NFL grilling accessories. The prices range anywhere from the more moderately priced Ohio State University propane tank cover at $24.95 to the more extravagant University of Michigan Wolverines football-shaped charcoal grill.

NPR listeners got their first taste of humorist and radio commentator David Sedaris back in 1992, when he debuted with his darkly comic holiday tale “The Santaland Diaries.” The essay,  which was adapted into a one-act one-man show by renowned Broadway director Joe Mantello in 1996, has become a holiday classic. Mantello’s adaptation will soon make its way to the Toledo area thanks to the efforts of the Glacity Theatre Collective.
The play, which examines Sedaris’s experiences working as an elf in Macy’s SantaLand, is set to open Nov. 27. The production features veteran actor and founding Glacity member David DeChristopher. Cornel Gabara is directing for the company.
“This is a piece I was very familiar with before I decided to take on the role. I suggested it to the other members of the company as something we might want to consider doing,” DeChristopher said. “I can really relate to it as an artist who has had every awful job imaginable along the way, and because of the whole love-hate relationship with the Christmas season that I think a lot of us deal with. Deep down, it’s just a really honest, refreshing piece of writing.”
DeChristopher contributes a Toledo-themed crossword puzzle to Toledo Free Press.
“The Santaland Diaries” runs Nov. 27-29, Dec. 4-6 and 11-13 in the Valentine Theater’s Studio A, located at 410 Adams St. All evening shows begin at 8 p.m. Sundays are 2 p.m. matinees. Tickets are $20. The Dec. 6 performance is “Pay What You Can.”
For more information, call (419) 242-2787 or visit the group’s Web site at www.glacity.org.

My son is growing a rather mighty conscience. What must have been no more than a two-minute portion of an otherwise ordinary school day turned into two days of reflection for my 6-year-old new-found Buddha. What may have once easily passed through his little, yet ever-expanding brain suddenly set it relentlessly a-spinning on automatic replay.
A child who has no problem serving his 4-year-old sister the occasional brotherly wallop for such infractions as unauthorized room visits or looking at him the wrong way, suddenly began losing sleep over seeing an unfamiliar classmate berated and shoved on the playground by another classmate.  Two evenings of intermittent tears followed the conscience-rousing event for my sensitive, observant first grader.
Despite hours of Lego Star Wars, mild TV cartoon violence and other imaginary destruction, the real-world sight of one peer bullying another was just too much for my son to bear.
When we dug down to the bare bones of his internal distress, I was somewhat relieved to find that his conscience was indeed a healthy one instead of a guilty one.  The lengths to which he bemoaned the playground incident caused concern for a mother who had it in the back of her mind that perhaps all of the fret was due to having played some sort of part in the dastardly deed. Thankfully, posing such a question to my son quickly resulted in an emphatic and obviously truthful denial of any such thing. His heart truly ached for the unfair treatment of a fellow human being.
Seeing my young son’s sense of right and wrong begin to solidify so soundly at 6 years old, I have to wonder how so many atrocities happen right under the watchful eyes of those who should know better. Several recent school-related incidents, including the beating death of a 16-year-old honor student on his way to a bus stop in Chicago and the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl outside of a school homecoming dance in California, were well-witnessed, but not well-reported to authorities. Fellow students were more apt to use their cell phones to record such incidents than to reach out for help. So, where are all of the other aching hearts?
One of the first things I did after my son relayed the playground affair was to ask him what he did to help.  He usually has no qualms about informing the proper authority, and this was no exception.  However, his attempt to help as a first grader knows how, by commissioning a higher power, was not enough to wash away the stained image of schoolyard sportsmanship from his principle-laden little mind or alleviate the feeling that he could have done more.
As thankful as I am to send my son out into the world each day knowing he will try to do right by others, I am equally fearful that there will not be enough others who will do right by him. The idea of bullies reaching the levels of delinquency that can affect someone’s life forever or end it all together is nerve-racking enough. No longer being afforded the confidence that a greater good just wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen is almost too much to take. Even more terrifying is the fleeting thought that my beautiful little 6-year-old conscientious objector could ever be led down a path to complacency, apathy or something even worse by the time his teen years roll around.
Now that my son’s little Jiminy Cricket has arrived, all I can do is try my best to keep him fresh, well-groomed and here permanently. When principle-testing incidents occur in my child’s life, which they surely will continue to do, I have to use them to the best of my parental ethics-building ability. I have to keep reminding my little Pinocchio that he is responsible not only for himself and his own actions, but also for keeping a watchful eye on and a willingness to help out the rest of the world. Fingers crossed that the rest of the world will do the same.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania. Follow her blog online at www.WhatsWithWomen.com and e-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.