Hope your dreams are full of sun and squirrels . . .

Jake Dog Hassenger

b. 12-1-1993

d. 8-24-2009

I first met Jake in the early summer of 1994. I was dating a woman from Ferndale at the time and we went to the Royal Oak Flea/Farmer's Market as was usual on the Sundays I was visiting. An animal rescue organization was at the market and in one of the cages was a frisky and incredibly cute little white and black terrier mix. My girlfriend was gushing over him and thought I should adopt him. I had just started my sales rep job, which required me to be on the road quite a bit, and I said that I was in no position to adopt a dog. She said "Let's take him for a walk", we did and it was all over - I just fell in love with him. Everyone that passed us by commented on how adorable he was and I had to agree. I half-heartedly tried to resist taking him home, but when the woman that ran the rescue said she wanted me to take him because he might otherwise go to a guy that owned a junk yard (I think she must have been pulling my leg), I caved and signed the papers.

I had to leave him off to get neutered, when I picked him up a week later in West Bloomfield, he promptly peed on the vet's floor and the pooped all over the inside of my car - we were off to a great start. I had a softball game that evening in Lansing, so I left him off with my friend Chris. Jake was bouncing all over the place like he was on springs, Chris' wife at the time was horrified when she was told they had adopted the dog and was greatly relieved when I returned after the game to get him and bring him home. A couple of days later, my son Ben met him for the first time and was pretty freaked out by Jake's energy. Ben wasn't used to pets and I was worried that they wouldn't get along, but we all went for a long walk down the railroad tracks and everything was fine after that. The two of them grew up with each other (Ben was about 9 at the time when I adopted Jake), and I think Jake, as well as my cats, really helped Ben become comfortable around and affectionate with animals.

As with most dogs, Jake hated the delivery people. He would bark furiously every time the mailman came up to the porch to the mailbox. One day I came home and there was a note that said "I hope your dog is OK". I went inside and found that Jake had busted the window with his head when he ran up and jumped on the couch to bark at the intruder. He was fine, the window got fixed, and that didn't happen again.

Between various relationships and other friendships over the years, Jake spent time with a variety of people and animals and got along well with women, men, cats, and other dogs. He could destroy any play toy he was given and took a special joy in tearing apart the "indestructible" ones. He also loved to chew up clothes and had a special taste for women's underwear (he transformed them into those special crotchless panties), socks, and the armpits of my t-shirts. He put the "tear" in terrier for sure.

He adjusted nicely to moving to Barb's house in Haslett when we got married. He had 10 acres of invisible fenced-in property to roam and Barb's dogs Buddy and Harry showed him the ropes. He loved to wander around with his nose in the air sniffing all the scents of the country and was a good deer and squirrel chaser until his later days. He also enjoyed drinking water out of the pond, which led him into big trouble a couple of years ago. It was the middle of the winter and Barb and I were upstairs puttering around on a weekend morning. I looked out our bedroom window toward the pond and commented on the fact that there was something that looked like a swan in the middle of the pond, which doesn't freeze over because of the windmill that aerates it. All of a sudden I realized it was Jake and threw on my clothes, boots, coat, and gloves and ran out there. Jake was in the water and was shivering and barking very weakly. When I made eye contact with him, he looked at me like he was asking me to save him, and I rushed out to the edge of the ice without a minute's hesitation, picked him up out of the water, and carried him back to the house. He wouldn't stop shivering and I held him close to me for a couple of hours until he warmed up, relaxed, and we both fell asleep. I was very wary about leaving him out while I was gone for the winter, but he seemed to have learned his lesson and we didn't have to go through that with him again (although we did have to rescue a neighbor's dog earlier this past winter).

Jake never left my side, unless someone else was going to give him some food. When we would have parties or house concerts, everyone would comment on how he would follow me around everywhere. Whenever I was sitting around playing guitar, reading the paper, or watching the Tigers on TV - Jake was there. That's probably the hardest thing for me right now; I keep looking for him lying on the floor sleeping at my feet. When he was diagnosed with kidney failure a few weeks ago, I tried to spend as much time with him as possible and spoiled him more than usual. I took him out to the Meridian Farmer's Market last Saturday, and he lay in the grass at my feet while I performed. Little kids came up to pet him and he accommodated them with much patience. One little girl in particular just stroked his head and ears for the longest time, it was hard to tell which one of them enjoyed it more.

He was an incredibly good friend and companion; it was the hardest thing in the world I have ever had to do when I called the vet on Monday to put him to sleep. Dr. Harris at the Haslett Animal Hospital is the most compassionate and caring vet I have ever known, he came to the house and gave Jake the injection as I held him. He went to sleep gently; as he had been sleeping so much over the last year or so, it seemed very natural. I dug a hole by the windmill in the backyard, next to Harry who we had buried a few months earlier, and laid him down wrapped up in a beach towel. In a sealed plastic bag, I left some photos of him along with the Blue Jello CD featuring songs I wrote for him (listen at www.myspace.com/bquietmusic), and covered him up with dirt.

We still have two dogs; Rusty and Noche, along with our cats Freckles and Pepper, and are not at a loss for animal companionship - but it's hard right now to believe I will ever again have a relationship like I had with Jake. Goodnight my little co-pilot, you will be missed and forever loved and remembered . . .

When you come to a fork in the road . . . Ben's excellent adventure starts now!

I have just left my long-term job as an audio/video sales reprentative to focus on a life and career of music, education, and travel. My recent trip to Vietnam opened my eyes to the possibilities of playing music and teaching across the country and the world, working with a variety of people, languages, and cultures. I renewed my teaching certificate over the winter and am developing an English as a Second Language Through Music curriculum. This fall I will be substitute teaching, working with the national organization Guitars in the Classroom teaching guitar to educators and their students, producing a recruitment music video for the Michigan State University Visiting International Professionals Program, and teaching children’s songwriting and beginning guitar for Lansing Parks and Recreation. In addition, I will be expanding my performance schedule with the band Mystic Shake, the duo Blue Jello, and as a solo singer/songwriter. Travel along with me and keep track of my various adventures here and through my Facebook page (www.facebook.com/benhassenger), it should be quite the journey!

Give the people of Vietnam a big hug . . .

Whereas Italia is still the country I would eventually like to live in for extended periods of time, Vietnam is the nation I would most like to wrap my arms around and give a great big hug to. And the main reason is the people . . .

The people we worked with and met in Vietnam are some of the kindest, warmest, sweetest, hardest-working, ingenious, and Industrious I have ever met with a love and culture full of music and song. Wherever I wandered taking pictures, young children as well as adults would yell out "hello" with a big smile on their face; it was probably the only English word they knew, and they wanted to make sure to share it with me. The students we worked with were amazing (more on my educational experiences in a later post); going to classes seven days a week with little time off, genuinely respectful without being militaristic about it, and full of joy, music, and enthusiasm for life. (Barb said she has never had students like this, her two visits here have been her best teaching experiences in her entire career.)

Many ask me if there was a hostility to visitors from the US as a consequence of the American War (as it is called in Vietnam). My experience is totally the opposite: the Vietnamese have a special affection for Americans. Keep in mind that a huge segment of the population (who we would call "baby boomers") were killed in the war (1 to 2 million) and that a big part of the population is young and anxious to learn more about the West and the US in particular. Even the communist government is very welcoming of American people and business, hoping contact will further the economic expansion of their country. (I will write a post later on our visit to the War Remembrance museum in Ho Chi Mihn City; this was the main place we encountered anti-American propaganda and criticism, and I can't say some of it wasn't deserved.)

Two people in this photo album deserve special mention: Mai was Barb's main go-to at Can Tho University. Although a graduate student, not a professor, she was the one that ran the show and made sure everything was taken care of. She looked after Barb like a big sister; procuring antibiotics and other medicinal products when her shoe irritations blossomed into badly infected sores, scheduling visits to the floating markets and the silk store, organizing transportation, and arranged dinners for all of us to enjoy. Reserved and tough at times, yet fun-loving, she will go a long way in her career and in life.

Minh Lan is a young college student that befriended Barb while standing in line at the supermarket next to our hotel. She began talking to her in very broken English, and they sat down together and communicated by gestures, pictures, and written word as well as verbally. She was a girl from the country who lived in Can Tho, studying at the technical university to become a tour guide. Barb was more than willing to help with her English and Minn Lan reciprocated by bringing her little gifts of traditional Vietnamese food from the community, leaving her house very early in the morning just to pick them all up before their get-togethers. She also had quite a sense of societal class structure; intially having to be coaxed into the hotel and to be Barb's guest at my concert, she could not believe that someone as "prestigious" as Barb would befriend her. I must admit, when I first heard about Barb's meeting with her (before I was introduced to her), I wondered what the angle was - is she trying to get us to take her to the US? Does she want money? Will Barb end up in an alley with her vital organs cut out? But after spending just a few minutes with Minh Lan, I realized that she is probably the kindest, most sincere person I have met in my life, ever. I would not hesitiate for a second to find some way to help here come here to MSU and study if that would be what she wants and she would be more than welcome to live in our home. I hope we are able to stay in contact with her over the years, it will be very interesting to watch her grow and blossom. (Hopefully Barb will make a detailed entry on her experiences with Minh Lan - there really is a special story here.)

The more I travel, the more I find out how alike we all are. Most people in every country just want to make their lives better and work hard toward doing it. The Vietnamese are economically poor by Western standards, but exceptionally rich in culture, personality, and spirit. Give them a hug, they deserve it! (Click here or on the title of this post to view the photo album, go to my YouTube site to see videos of the people and places I visted in Vietnam.)

Eating our way through Vietnam

This is the first of my Vietnam postings and stories - of course I'll start with food!

Others can explain the origins and influences from other cultures on the food of Vietnam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_cuisine) better than I, but what I can tell you is that it is an easy country for a "vegaquarian" (vegetable and seafood eater) to visit. We ate at little cafes on the sidewalk and nicer restaurants along the rivers of the Mekong Delta. Every morning we had breakfast at the hotel buffet; typically fresh dragon fruit, papaya, mango, along with soups, rice pancakes, noodles, and foam cakes. We drank beer (usually Saigon Red or Tiger) poured over ice, fresh coconut milk from a vendor on a motorbike, and made our own lemon and lime-aid with club soda, sugar, and fresh citrus fruits. I had every kind of tea I could find from seaweed to lotus flower. We watched flat bread as it was made on the street and ate it immediately afterward, warm and tasty. Squid and shrimp were a big part of many meals and we often made our own soups at our table with seafood, fresh greens, pumpkin flowers, and rice noodles. We also ate fish balls and made our own delicious spring rolls. The food was inexpensive, fresh, and plentiful - we always left our meals totally satisfied! Click here or on the title of this post to view pictures of some of our favorite treats, short videos of the making of various foods are viewable at: www.youtube.com/bquietmusic.

More Bloggy Stuff!

I've added a music player featuring Mystic Shake, Blue Jello, and my solo songs, a performance schedule widget, and links to my various websties - more Ben than you could ever imagine! (Or handle . . .) Take a listen and hope to see you out at a gig one of these days!

The Song Machine WebQuest "Nothin' But The Blues"

I have designed and uploaded my first Song Machine WebQuest "Nothin' But The Blues" for my Michigan State University CEP-811 Technology for Educators class. A WebQuest is a self-directed journey through a particular subject, I decided to explore the world of the blues and incorporate it into my Song Machine concept as a exercise in writing a blues song. I have designed it for 3rd to 5th graders, and it is still a work in progress, but click on the link above and see what you think.

Gardeners of the World - an International Songwriting Project

The Visiting International Professional Program (VIPP), a part of International Studies and Programs at Michigan State University since 1991, is a unique, non-degree certificate program for international professionals, businesses, and organizations, designed to meet the growing worldwide demand for educational training and to facilitate the exchange of ideas among real-world professionals. The participants are adult teachers, business people, bankers, and representatives of other professions and many bring their families with them for the 6 to 24 months they will be at Michigan State.

In the summer of 2008, Mr. William (Bill) Eubank, a VIPP instructor, asked if I would help a group of Chinese and Korean students write a theme song for the program. I had worked with Bill for the last few years, leading his students in a discussion of American folk and popular music, and exploring American culture through song and stories. I was excited to accept this new challenge.

We met four times in the fall of 2008 with a group of 10 to 12 students, pretty much evenly split between Chinese and Koreans. A long-time VIPP member, Dr. Tara Nath Sharma from Nepal was also an important part of the group. We started with listing the student’s backgrounds and their impressions, observations, and feelings about coming to the United States using questions such as: what is your occupation, what did you find when you came to Michigan, what is similar/different to home, what do you want to learn here, where have you traveled in the U.S., what is the MSU campus like, etc.

I listed all the answers in a professional computer songwriting program called Masterwriter, which helps organize writing and provides a handy thesaurus and rhyming dictionary. Bill then thought we should tie in the agricultural heritage of Michigan State with the song, and that’s how I came up with the Gardeners of the World title and the theme about spreading the seeds of understanding across cultures and the world. He also suggested somehow working in the green and white colors of the university, that’s where the “trees of green, snow so white” lines in the first verse came from.

Each week we met, we accomplished a little more. I brought in various rough drafts of the song and we discussed them. Near the end of the process it was pointed out that we hadn’t really mentioned much about the educational aspects of the program and MSU, so I went to the VIPP website (http://www.isp.msu.edu/VIPP) and worked some of the mission statement and information about the program into the song. We also decided, since we wouldn’t really have time to rehearse and work on the singing; that I would sing the verses and everyone could join in on the chorus and introduce themselves at the end of the song to help personalize it.

I made a rough recording of the song and emailed it to the participants along with the words so they could become familiar with it before the debut performance at their December 7, 2008 graduation luncheon at the University Club. I enlisted the help of my friends Mike Skory and Dick Rosemont on piano and percussion and the three of us and the group of students performed the song at the end of the festivities, with the rest of the luncheon attendees singing along on the chorus. When we were finished, there were many wet eyes in the crowd – it was an emotional experience. A hand-held video of the performance can be seen at: http://tinyurl.com/vippsong. There is also an interview of me by Michigan State journalism student Dan Hartley filmed at a VIPP lecture in January 2009 at: http://tinyurl.com/gardenersinterview (watch both in the high quality setting if possible), and an article about my participation in the program at: http://news.msu.edu/story/5887 .

As a result of our project, the VIPP students have memories of their visit and the program captured in video and song, and a nice souvenir of American folk music and culture which complements and reinforces their other experiences in our country. It also now serves as a tool for the VIPP to use in promoting the program to potential participants.

Gardeners of the World (The VIPP Song)
by Ben Hassenger and the MSU VIPP

We come from many countries
To an unfamiliar land
Leave our friends and family for
East Lansing Michigan
Trees of green
Snow so white
A new and wondrous sight

There are many reasons
We came to MSU
Gain a fresh global perspective
Education to pursue
Learn from each other
Discover how we've grown
And bring it all back home

We plant the seeds
We tend the soil
Give it everything it needs
And watch it grow
Sowing peace and understanding
Freedom and unity
We are gardeners of the world
We are VIPP

We take time to travel this great land
From sea to shining sea
LA and Las Vegas
The Statue of Liberty
The Grand Canyon and Yellowstone
Niagara Falls
The Island of Mackinaw

Here on the campus
We watch the seasons change
Cheer on the Spartans at
The tailgates and the games
Visit the gardens and museums
Attend the concerts and the plays
Celebrate the holidays

Chorus

We are professionals
With very busy lives
We face the challenges
Of these demanding times
Here we can prepare ourselves
With the knowledge that we need
The tools essential to succeed

Yes we come from many countries
Every corner of this globe
But we find we are all family
No matter where we go
We come here as strangers
And leave as friends
And it all goes ‘round again

Chorus

The Song Machine - Children's Songwriting Workshop

I'm excited to announce that my "Song Machine" Children's Songwriting Workshop will be offered by the Lansing, MI Parks and Recreation department this summer. The official listing is below, Lansing residents can register starting March 16, non-residents March 23.

SONGWRITING FOR CHILDREN (Recommended ages 8-12) Children are natural songwriters, and these fun and involving "Song Machine" workshops are designed to help them embrace and express their creativity. Educator and singer/songwriter Ben Hassenger (of Mystic Shake, Blue Jello) will lead the class through group song writing projects which will help foster their understanding of basic melody, harmony and rhythm aspects of music, learn about rhyming, metaphor and other creative writing skills and encourage expression of their feelings and thoughts as well as nurture teamwork and collaboration skills. Activities will include creating basic rhythm instruments, audio and video recordings and a performance on the last day of class to share their new songs with friends and family. Parents are welcome to stay, lend a hand and join in the fun! Instructor: Ben Hassenger. Activity #450330A $32/Res; $37/Non-Resident. June/16 to July/9 Tue & Thu 9-10 am Southside Center (Hill). Register online at: http://www.lansingmi.gov/parks or call (517) 483-4277

"The Corner" my musical tribute to Tiger Stadium in Detroit

I am a big Detroit Tigers fan and spent many a summer cheering on my Tabbies at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull in the Corktown district of Detroit. Much of the stadium has been torn down (the Tigers moved to the new Comerica Park in 2000), but The Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy has been successfully been raising funds to preserve the original Navin Field structure for future generations to enjoy. I am happy that this song and video have played a small part in those efforts. There was also a nice article about the song here on the Major League Baseball website MLB.com.
 

. . . and it will all seem funny

Well, I guess I've decided to start a blog. Why? I'm not sure, but since I'm planning on some big changes in my life as of right about now - it seems a good time to document it all, at least for my amusement. I have been taking Technology for Educators classes at Michigan State University in order to renew my teaching certificate and plan on eventually focusing my life around music, education, and travel. It should prove to be quite the adventure, with more than a few wrong turns, and not much of a GPS to guide me - we'll see where I end up!