Matt in the Middle: One of Most Famous Missing Person Stories Ever Linked to the MIDDLEwest?

Thursday, May 31, 2012

One of Most Famous Missing Person Stories Ever Linked to the MIDDLEwest?

I know I blogged last night but I am up and what else am I supposed to to at 3:23 in the morning? I already cleaned the kitchen and I am doing laundry (not the Dirty Laundry Podcast kind but the real laundry - not that the podcast isn't real but you know what I mean.)

For some reason I have always been fascinated with Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart,... I love to fly, I love airports, I love lay-overs, I love diversions, I love ~~cavity searches~~ watching people at airports... I love pretty much everything surrounding the whole deal. There are times that airport travel stinks but it is always worth it no matter what to me. One of the places that I have always wanted to go, since I heard about it ten minutes ago, has been Nikumaroro Island. The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) is interested in this island too it seems. Did you say "T I double-guh Er" in your head too? While studying the island the group found pieces of a small cosmetic jar that, when they reassembled the pieces, it turned out to be a jar of an ointment with some snake-oil that was supposed to make freckles fade. What was an ointment jar used for Dr.‭ ‬C.‭ ‬H Berry's Freckle Ointment doing on a southwestern Pacific republic of Kiribati island? The island name is pronounced Kiribis. If that's the case why don't we spell it K-I-R-I-B-I-S? That makes no sense to me. Nikumaroro is about 2,500 miles southwest of The Hawaiian Islands. I have seen Samoans with freckles but I am not really sure that they are too concerned with having freckles. Maybe if they are concerned with freckles they should stay out of the sun? The cream was manufactured in Aurora, Illinois (a town where I spent a lot of time in my yute) by The Stillman Company and was marketed and distributed in Chicago and New York by The Dr. C. H. Berry Company. And some people say I do not know how to do research - HA! I laugh in their freckled faces!!!! Anyway, what is a jar that contained this ointment that was most popular in the early 1900's doing in the middle of the south pacific? Was it a bottle that contained a message at one time that just washed-up on the shore of this uncharted desert isle? It was a very small jar so that is unlikely. Amelia Earhart had freckles and it is said that she did not like her freckles. Experts are starting to believe that maybe she crashed near this remote island and died there or perhaps she crashed near there and the jar washed-up on shore with some wreckage. One of Erhart's last heard radio transmissions said her plans were to fly over, among other islands, Gardner Island which is now called Nikumaroro. Amelia was most likely a castaway and died in paradise of old age - I prefer that thought rather than thinking she drowned or blew-up or worse. I think Dr. C. H. Berry's Freckle Ointment may have to be a new podcast sponsor!

Okay, so I have solved that case - you're welcome history! And, once again, all things lead back to the MIDDLE of the country with Dr. Berry's Freckle Ointment.

I wonder what is at 2975 Michigan Avenue now? According to Google Earth it looks like it's near Rogers Chevrolet and it has a pretty good view of Whatchu Talkin' Bout' Willis Tower. Some people call it ~~a Kaiser Blade I call it a Sling Blade~~ Willis Tower but I call it Sears Tower. It is an empty lot near some projects it looks like - maybe Willis and Arnold Jackson used to live there before Mr. Drummond drove up in his big old limo?

Something weird is going on with the fonts and the italics and stuff when I look at today's blog so when you read it and if it is all screwy-looking I tried to fix it and Hal 3000 is doing whatever it wants today. Maybe my mentioning him in the blog by name he will post the blog properly.

Sorry I got carried away on one thing (freckle ointment) but by the time I did all the research the blog took me about an hour to write when it should have taken about 15 minutes. Now you know what happened to Amelia Earhart before everybody else though so that has to make you feel good? Also, if you want to get rid of freckles you know there may be a way to pay money and not get rid of them. I love freckles so if you're getting rid of them for me please don't. That is not to say I don't like no freckles as I bat from both sides of the plate on the freckles issue though I have a higher average from the freckle side. Enough....shut-up already Matt In The Middle - dang!

Thanks for stopping in and for learning from Matt In The Middle School Rock! I appreciate you keeping me writing. Have a great Monday - Thursday to most of you . TTTT (probably)...MITM (out to find a brown sharpy to add some freckles) TA!

3 comments:

Jillian's Random RuminationsAugust 18, 2012 at 1:02 PM
Matt...thank you so very much! I had remembered reading about Stillman's Freckle Cream and knew it was associated with Aurora/Montgomery. Hmmmm.....as I read of the possible Amelia Earhart aircraft find and of the freckle cream jar, I wondered if Dr. Berry's Freckle Cream might have some link to Stillman's and low and behold...it does and you prolly thought by this time that no one might ever read your blogpost regarding this subject matter.
Matt...You, my dear, are a genius!!! And now I will post this on our Aurora, IL nostalgia site on FB...Bitch, PLEASE!!! I'm from Aurora!
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousSeptember 4, 2012 at 3:18 PM
"...The cream was manufactured in Aurora, Illinois (a town where I spent a lot of time in my yute) by The Stillman Company and was marketed and distributed in Chicago and New York by The Dr. C. H. Berry Company..."

Very interesting... How do you find out the Berry brand was made by Stillman???
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Matt In The Middle Blogssary

47% Rule - Matt in the Middle is 47 % estrogen
53% Rule - Matt in the Middle is 53% testosterone
Agitator (the) - Matt's podcast name (revealed in blog and podcast number 2
B. S. - blog stuff
Big Sexy - Jay Cole's drink of choice (Jack and Coke) - doesn't necessarily have to be Jack
Blogcast - our podcast (Dirty Laundry)
Bloggestion - now in Urban Dictionary meaning something suggested on a blog or taking a few minutes to understand (like suggested or digested)
Blogging Suit - like a NASCAR driver's racing suit with all of the sponsors patches
Blogssary - blog glossary
Blogisodes - episodes of this blog
BWAK - blogged with a kiss
Ca-Ching - the sound of the cash register as I try to gain sponsors that will never actually happen (I'm not really that delusional) - same as ka-ching
Cha Cha - revealed to be Sugar Momma's new name on premier podcast
Cheese & Quackers - our resident ducks. she is cheese and he is quackers
Ciaoloha - MITM's new mega-word "discovered" on Columbus Day 2011. It combines "hello," "goodbye," "love," "podcast" and "blog" into one happy little package!
Copyright - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
Dirty Laundry - our podcast/blogcast launched 4/1/11
Discomboobulated - a word Bret Michaels used on Celebrity Apprentice when he meant discombobulated though discomboobulated is an actual word
Fabio - the name my son preferred being called on the blog (the artist formerly known as Sparky)
Judii - the sister I never had but wish I did (my unofficial sister)
Ka-ching - the sound of the cash register as I try to gain sponsors that will never actually happen (I'm not really that delusional) - same as ca-ching
Kajunkles - used for people who don't know how to run correctly. Body parts moving against one another rather than together for the common goal of running (could be a noun, proper noun or a verb). Trying to accomplish something against seemingly impossible odds.
The Lost Sock - Cha Cha's brother (and my brother-in-law). One of the best people I have known in my life.
MADYM - One of my very good friends - Mary. She was given this name based on an acronym of her name by one of my other very good friends Stacee. Together they came up with the MITM theme song idea. She was also our maid of honor or matron of honor (I don't know the difference).
Middle - anything average or center (Middle of the country, Middle of life, average intelligence, a regular joe (or joan)...)
MITM - Matt In The Middle
Ms. Peabody - Maisy (our dog) because of Mr. Peabody
Nature Girl - Another very good friend- Sue. Given this name because of being a combination of Diane Fossey, Caroline Ingalls and Danielle Boone (lady Daniel)
Patent / Patent Pending - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
PFT - Plasma Fun Time - donating plasma - twice a week.
Roz - my pink/fuchsia i-pod nano. Named for Roz Kelly who played Pinky Tuscadero on tv's Happy Days. She goes with me everywhere to play my life's soundtrack and measure my steps with her pedometer.
Sparky - my son's blog pseudonym (see also Fabio)
Splenda - my daughter's blog pseudonym
Sponsorship Patch - when I mention a known product to try to get sponsorships and want to put a patch on my blogging suit
Stacee - a friend from high school that is a great inspiration to me continuously. The Cosmos keep bringing us back together electronically (MySpace, Facebook, Blog...) even though we haven't "seen" each other for nearly thirty years.
Stuck In The Middle With You - Stealers Wheels theme song of MITM. Idea suggested by MADY and Stacee
Sugar Momma - my wife, Jill
Trademark - something that I think is clever and original that needs to be protected as original intellectual material (like it would really hold up in court)
TTTT - Ta Ta 'Til Tomorrow
TWSS - that's what she said
WTF - why the face?

Potato Soup

Ingredients Needed:
1 - 32 oz. box Vegetarian Vegetable Broth (I used Swanson's)
can substitute with chicken broth if you wish
1 - package of Country Gravy Mix (I used McCormick's)
okay to use sausage gravy mix if you wish
1 - 26 oz. package of frozen hash browns

Cook hash browns in a large pot. Cook potatoes until slightly browned stirring often so as not to burn the hash browns. While the hash browns are cooking prepare the country gravy mix as directed on package. Once the potatoes are done to your liking slowly pour the broth into the pot with the potatoes and reduce heat and simmer until hot. After the potatoes and broth are hot add the gravy mix and continue to simmer until thickened. Serve and eat.

** special note...I like it extra spicy so I add an extra package of county gravy mix to the finished mixture and whisk and heat.

Just like I always say - add whatever you want (peas, onions...) and make it your own. And, as always, ENJOY!

Sangria Wine Recipe (reposted from 4/22/10)

I also made Sangria yesterday to honor Earth's goodness (truthfully so I could get lit). I am not a wine drinker because most wines are too dry in my opinion and I am not a big fan of cotton-mouth. I liked the movie "Sideways" though so I want to like wine. I was watching Planet Green a couple of days ago while I was cleaning the kitchen and folding laundry like a real man and Emeril Lagasse was making paella on "Emeril Green". He also threw in, as an after-thought, Sangria so I hit the record button. Well he did it very fast and didn't say measurements or anything but he gave the basics so I came up with my own recipe and I think it turned out well though I made A LOT! Sugar Momma says I am a man of excess - isn't that what "man" means? Anyway, here's my Sangria recipe but I suggest you might want to cut the volume down unless you are having a small country over for dinner:

ingredients (I would suggest cutting the liquids in half)

3 liters of inexpensive Shiraz (Frontera Mendoza 2009)
1 cup of Grand Marnier
1 cup of brandy
1 cup of lime juice
3 limes
3 lemons
2 granny smith apples
2 large oranges
12 oz. sugar
33.8 oz sparkling water (Pellegrino)
64 oz. orange juice
ice

In a HUGE bowl slice the fruit and cover with sugar, mix. Add Shiraz and stir. Add ice to hold the fruit under while it drowns in the wine. Add Grand Marnier and brandy and stir. Add lime juice, orange juice and sparkling water and stir. Let sit for awhile so the tastes blend. Taste and add ingredients to taste (I added a little more lime juice and sugar). Find the biggest vessel you own for storage (mine is a pot like they used in those headhunter movies to cook people which is now sitting on our stove). Sweet and fruity just like me. Share with your friends/neighbors and your boss at review time.

Caprese Paninis

Ingredients you will need:

good loaf of bread (I used Italian bread)
mozzarella cheese
pesto sauce (I used jarred Classico brand - found by pastas)
fresh basil leaves
extra virgin olive oil
tomatoes

And here we go:
slice the bread and brush extra virgin olive oil on both sides of each slice. Clean and separate basil leaves. Slice tomatoes. Grate Cheese. Lightly grill one side of each slice of bread. Flip the bread when lightly toasted. After flipping the bread spread pesto on the toasted side and top with shredded cheese while the other side toasts. Once the second side is toasted and the cheese is starting to melt remove it from the

grill and top with two slices of tomato side-by-side and put a basil leaf on each tomato slice. Remove another slice of the toast with the pesto and cheese mixture from the grill and place it cheese/pesto side down on top of the tomato and basil'd toast to form a sandwich. (They could just as easily be done in a frying pan or on a George Foreman Grill...)

Done! Very simple and delicious!