Discovering Dargatz #45 - Milwaukee's Famous Great Circus Parade

One summer rite of passage was my family trip to the Circus Parade.  However, my experience was much more than the three-hour parade.  Before regulations limited when seats could be saved, my family would reserve seats Friday night for the Sunday parade.  That meant shifts of watching the seats, overnight sleepovers on the downtown concrete,  and  many meals at the nearby Burger King. I remember staring up from our spot at the big blue glass building and wondering what happened there.  I remember seeing the spots around us eventually fill in and watching the street vendors increase as the festivities drew near. Days before we reserved our spot, we trekked down to Veteran's park to see the grandeur of the decorated wagons and experience all the sights, sounds, and smells of the circus. On the actual day, I recall waiting for the animals, getting prepared for the 40-horse hitch, and gearing up for the annual event that inevitably followed the street sweepers at the end of the parade. As the final wagons passed and the crowds scattered, my family would get out some garbage bags and start collecting the cans that others left behind. Boy, do I miss THAT circus?

DD #44 - Stranger at Summerfest

Getting lost at one of the biggest summer festivals in a city known for it's summer celebrations might be a scary and terrifying thought, For me, it was just another day. On a family outing to Summerfest in downtown Milwaukee, my family and I unintentionally parted ways. While this might have scared other young children, I apparently took advantage of this freedom and made a new friend. While I remember little about the actual separations and the adventure that happened during that nearly two-hour excursion from my family, I do remember getting found. In a sea of people on a bright sunny day, who would find a lost little boy?  An employee? Nope. A police officer patrolling the grounds? Not a chance. An elderly woman on a motorized cart. You got it! I recall being asked if I was lost, but not being concerned that that my answer  was yes. Moreover, I remember sitting on this stranger's lap cruising around on the electric scooter searching for my family. I remember finally meeting up with them and being more upset that I had to leave my new friend and the scooter than excited about the reunion. Who says strangers are all bad?

DD #43 - Uncle Johnny

Everyone has their one crazy uncle, but I challenge anyone to find one crazier than mine.  Uncle Johnny, or UJ, as we affectionately call him has been quite an influence. His stories are legendary. Ask him about cockroaches in the sewers below Mader's in downtown Milwaukee.  Remind him to tell you about how Lew Alcindor owes him a quarter. Ask him about his unplanned wedding and how that led to an altercation with Big Momma, or about his job at the newspaper and what he inserted into Bibles to give church-goers a surprise. Besides his amazing stories, he can instantly recall musicians and the year of specific songs without any hesitation. I'm not even talking about big hits. I'm talking about Gimme Dat Ding and Waterloo. If you're not sure about these songs, ask him. During our annual UJ weekends, he'd offer up interesting and usually offensive theories about life while sharing advice about the opposite sex that would make many adults blush. He always talked about being a perfect role model. Just do the opposite of him and you will be fine. While that may be valid, I'm blessed to have him and all his intricacies in my life.

DD #42 - A Card to Remember

My uncle is a collector and a hoarder. While he has a number of collections, there doesn't appear to be an organized way to showcase his quite unique taste. When my cousins and I visited his very cluttered apartment, we were excited to come across a drawer full of basketball cards from the 60's and 70's.  Being avid sports fans and card collectors ourselves, we were very excited to hear that he would let us have a few cards to add to our own collections. My cousin, Tim, who was lucky enough to come across this drawer of cards went first and walked away with a Lew Alcindor and Julius Erving card. His younger brother Luke came next and was pleased to find an Oscar Robertson and Pete Maravich card. Seeing my two cousins walk away with cards of four hall of famers and legends of the game, I couldn't wait for my turn to look through the collection. As I began to search through the cards, my heart raced,  That excitement quickly fluttered away as I was "lucky"enough to walk away with a Jon McGlocklin and two Dave Debuscherres. We all still talk about our "luck" to this day.

It's the Little Things. . .

In life, we often get caught up I situations that provide stressors and anxieties instead of comfort and relief.  We often get so worried about the future and haunted by the past that we forget to enjoy the present. All too often, our minds are focused on the big picture. . .the overall goal. . . .the end game.  This takes us away from the little things. The things that make the world go round.  the things that really matter.


Over the last few days, I have been able to witness many "little things" and they have made a huge difference.


Three "little" words.  After a year of battling the structure needed for a classroom, one little friend dropped his guard and uttered, "I need help."  Those "little words"  showed tremendous growth.


Two "little" "Charlie Brown" trees.  On a nature walk in a preserve adjacent to our block, my family noticed a few tiny, nearly barren evergreens, reminiscent of the tree made famous in the Peanuts Christmas special.  One tiny tree.  Many fantastic memories.


One "little" hummingbird.  On that same walk, stopping in silence to admire an absolutely miniscule bird most would completely neglect to see. Observing a beautiful creature in its habitat is wonderful medicine.


One "little" worm for many, little babies. We were able to see a mother robin capture and gobble up an earthworm right in our own driveway. A delightful treat for growing fledglings and a reminder of the majesty of life.


Many "little" giggles. Spending an evening cracking up at the things my daughter does.  From her attempts at conversation to her excitement and blissful expression with every new discovery, each "little" giggle makes a gigantic love grow even larger.


Four or five "little" steps, with many more to come.  My daughter is learning to walk.  As my wife and I watched, she took her first steps. Though it was only a handful of steps before she plopped down clumsily, got back up again, and repeated for what seemed like hours, the happiness that exuded from her face as she realized her accomplishment was immeasurable.


What started as a few steps is just the beginning of a life's journey.  Hopefully, I can help her on her journey by focusing on the "little" things and letting life be something I love and enjoy, one "little" step at a  time.

DD #41 - Three Point Champion

Growing up, I knew I was destined to be a professional athlete.  The biggest dilemma I faced was deciding on which professional sport I would ultimately choose.  In my early years, I had a good deal of success with basketball, so for a time, the path to the NBA was my road of choice.  To prepare for my career, I would partake in some summer skills camps.  One summer, at my future high school, I participated in a MACC fund camp.  The MACC fund was a childhood cancer research-based organization founded by Jon McGlocklin, a 1971 NBA champ with the Bucks and current Bucks broadcaster. On one of the final days of camp, all the participants took part in a three point challenge. With the rainbow jumper being one of his trademark skills, it made sense that Mr. McGlocklin himself would be there to crown the winner and talk to all the campers. With many, many hours being spent in all seasons of the year shooting long range shots at my backyard hoop, I managed to win the shooting competition. I remembered getting my t-shirt, trophy and congratulations from Mr. McGlocklin, the first championship on the path to NBA stardom.

DD # 40 - Brandon

I couldn't wait to be an uncle.  I was ready to hold my nephew, play with him, and enjoy having another boy around since I was used to growing up with three older sisters. Despite only being ten years old, I was ready to take the responsibility of uncle seriously, even without truly even understanding what those responsibilities were.  So when my father called my sister and I into his room to talk, I didn't even know what to think about what he had to say. When he mentioned he had some bad news, instantly my mind went to my cat.  When he confirmed the cat was alive and well,  my mind moved on to to an older sister.  When he confirmed that they were alive, I remember being completely stumped.  In no way could I imagine that he was about to reveal that the nephew I was so anxiously waiting to meet didn't make it. I couldn't fathom a full-term baby dying during delivery. None of this made any sense. I remember a moment of confusion and denial before the tears came. I may have been only ten, but I felt like an adult for the very first time.

Discovering Dargatz #39 - Younger OIder Brother

I've heard that the baby of the family gets certain perks not enjoyed by older siblings.  Perks like more freedoms, lowered expectations, and a general entitlement to more individual choice. I guess my family missed that memo.  Of course, having a sister with cognitive disability and some pretty major behavioral issues can alter that traditional equation. Instead of taking advantages of being the youngest child, I assumed the responsibilities of a younger older brother. During summers, watching over the house and taking care of my sister was the way it was. In fact, I didn't really realize that wasn't the norm until much later in life. Kery and I spent summers spending a good deal of time inside watching television or working on various projects. We read, organized, and even cleaned.  We did venture into the outside world beyond the comforts of our yard. I recall afternoon walks down the creek's path or making the rounds at Mayfair. The memories of those times that often enter my mind when I need them most. I can't say I'm disappointed I missed out on those youngest child perks because the adventures I had helped shape me in a way nothing else could.