magnavite
Dean Magnavite biography
Newspapers have been a part of Dean Magnavite’s life since he started delivering The Daily Calumet and Chicago Today at age 10.
He was born …
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Magnavite: The eyes have it (but with a little help)
No, that’s not a Halloween mask. I’m not wearing a funny nose and glasses in the accompanying photo. That’s the real nose. The glasses are real, too. Yep. After 50 years and four months of needing just my two little eyes, it became official: Glasses …Read More
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Magnavite: Finding happiness a matter of pursuit
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” What, exactly, did our forefathers intend when they included “the …Read More
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Magnavite: One man and some vinegar vs. the house
One thing that frustrates me — and yeah, there are a lot of things that do, but let’s focus on this one — is when people show an unwillingness to try to learn something new. And no, I don’t mean I expect anyone to pick …Read More
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Magnavite: It’s time to put off procrastinating
When are we out of “laters?” We all rely on later to get on with our day-to-day lives. “I’ll call you later.” “Do you need that now? Can I get it to you later?” “Will you be coming over now or later?” It’s called procrastination, …
Magnavite: Trying to deal with men at irk
So, having been 50 for 2 1/2 months, I’ve come to the determination that I’m aging well — and becoming a little more crotchety at the same time. By definition, someone who’s crotchety is “given to odd notions, whims, grouchiness, etc.” Don’t let that smiling …
Magnavite: At 50, there’s a lot to fear
Fear: a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, upon his 1933 inauguration as the 32nd president of the United States, famously said, “ ... Let …
Magnavite: Don’t underestimate the power of mean
Everyone has heard this idiom at one point in his or her life: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” As someone who works with words for a living, I know the power they can have. While words can …
Magnavite: The 50-and-over club gets a presidential member
President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mr. President: Happy Birthday (sorry it’s a little late). Welcome to the 50 club. I’ve been saving a seat for you. I’ve preceded you to 50 by a couple of months, …
Magnavite: Just no getting enough of silly love songs
OK, I’ll admit it. I like to sing. In the house, while driving ... any time. The only trouble is, I couldn’t carry a tune if you wrapped it in a blanket and put it in my arms. Yeah, it’s that bad. One would think …
Magnavite: In this weather, life without AC stinks
So I’m guessing that in early February, when more than 20 inches of snow were on the ground, none of us thought about sweating through 100-degree days in July. Heck, back then we were just trying to drive our cars to the end of the …
Magnavite: Beating the numbers on a trip to the doctor
It’s 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. The phone — the house phone, not the cell — rings. The house phone ringing never is good. No one calls on the house phone just for a chat. Then again, it could be a telemarketer, which would result in an …
Magnavite: No matter what name you use, 50’s still 50
Oh, excuse me. Sorry. My fault. I didn’t see you. “That’s OK. ... Hey, aren’t you that old guy who writes for the Economist on Mondays?” Yeah, I’m that old guy, only it’s the SouthtownStar now. “Whatever. You’re Dave, the guy who’s been writing about …
Magnavite: ‘Later adulthood’ has some nice perks
And so this is 50. The land on the other side of life’s mountain. The twilight days, a time full of life’s golden moments, complete with Centrum Silver, decaffeinated coffee and weekly AARP mailings. Three weeks into my second half-century and things haven’t gone as …
The first 50 years? They’re the toughest
Dean Steven Magnavite: Born: 5:35 a.m., June 10, 1961, South Chicago Community Hospital, 7 pounds, 10 1/2 ounces, 19 1/2 inches. Fifty. The Big 5-0. Today, The Half-Century Man finally is The Half-Century Man. Funny. Fifty doesn’t feel much different than 49. But I think …
Running, biking, it’s the wheel deal
Today’s riddle: What has more than 1,300 legs, 1,300 wheels and can be found on the streets of Tinley Park one day every summer? Answer: It’s the “Race Around The World Duathlon,” which this year is back for its 11th edition. The event — a …
Magnavite: Trying to be a warrior, not a worrier
“What, me worry?” — Alfred E. Neuman OK, a show of hands. How many of you are worriers? My guess is that as much as we try to deny it, we all worry. A lot. In some cases, too much. Put me down as a …
Magnavite: Chicago’s Southeast Side a special place
“I’ll get off on Main Street, step into the crowd.“Sidewalk under my feet, traffic’s good and loud. “When I see my inner-city child, I’ll be walkin’ on a cloud.” “Fool For The City” — Foghat A couple of decades ago, the Daily Southtown launched an …
Magnavite: There’s something to be said for life’s routine
“ ’Cause he gets up in the morning,And he goes to work at 9, And he comes back home at 5:30, Gets the same train every time. ’Cause his world is built ’round punctuality,It never fails.” — The Kinks Yep, that’s me. Tweak the times …
Magnavite: Three letters that say it all: MOM
Who is Mom? What makes her so special? Mom is a life-giver. We all know that. Mom also is a lifesaver. When we’re drowning, in the figurative sense, she’s the one to pull us through. Mom’s a drill sergeant. “Listen when I speak to you.” …
Magnavite: Divorced? This group might make you SMILY
“Standing in the middle of nowhere,“Wondering how to begin; “Lost between tomorrow and yesterday, “Between now and then.” It took me till I was 49 years old to learn that in life not everyone gets a happily ever after, whether it be by chance or …
