For a first post on this new Blog Page, the topic wasn’t exactly one we drew out of a hat. Yet here we are. Sitting at home watching Netflix’s entire 50,000-show library (Schitt’s Creek is a gem), reading books, following the news until we hurl the remote at the screen, managing our children’s stir craziness, eating and snacking, drinking before noon (totally acceptable), and other miscellaneous things are how we are coping with this COVID crisis. We are in this together…

So, welcome to this blog — we are dedicated to the creators and artists of the world. That would be their work, their process, their emotional and mental roller coasters amid projects. The hope is to inspire fellow creatives in their pursuits. Join us on this journey and share your stories.

The dominant news of COVID-19 has sequestered many creatives (and those with creative loves — which most, if not all, people do) to their hubs of happiness — their projects. So, what a unique time to create what has burned in our bellies and souls for days, weeks, or years…maybe even since we were kids!

SO — if you are out there with a creative craft, project, or idea in mind, GO FOR IT! Try something new. Discover a talent. REdiscover a talent. Pick up that paintbrush. Dust off the guitar. Be you, from the moment you were born of nothingness and appeared here on Earth to the now that is now discovering this for the first time. Live life in creation!

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The Creator Studio Podcast is featured below. Please like and follow!

The Creator Studio — for all you creative folks out there.

My Inbox is crowded with advice for staying healthy during the current crisis.  Eating is-of course- a major concern. Some of the suggested recipes are interesting, while others are so esoteric and so dependent on perishables that even pre-Coronavirus, I wouldn’t know where to find the ingredients or have the space to store them.

This crisis will eventually end; it’s only the “how” and the “when” that are in doubt. Keeping that in mind, I decided to look at some of the recipes I made way back before the microwave, before refrigerators had large freezers and lots of shelf space, and long before my kids were old enough to drive. It was the age of the casserole, a time when canned food played an important role in most people’s diet.

My tuna casserole was always a winner. Think of the recipe as a blueprint. I usually used tuna, but it could also be made with chicken or turkey or shrimp or crab instead of tuna. The add-ins are also flexible. And I guess you could use cooked noodles in lieu of the fried onion rings, but the onion rings are easier, which explains why I started using them in the first place.

Tuna Casserole

Pre-heat the oven to 350-degrees

2  cans of solid Albacore tuna (Make sure the tuna is packed in water. Can sizes have changed. You can always add more tuna or even opt for less.))

one can of condensed cream of mushroom soup (you can also make your own base)

one can of French fried onion rings (I never said this was health food. What I will say is that there were never leftovers with an emphasis on the ‘never.’)

cheese (Also flexible-Given the age the kids were when this was a recurring entree, I probably used American cheese slices or cheddar.)

frozen peas (I really like peas.)

2 tablespoons of wine (optional)

milk (use the soup can to measure the milk, and forget about checking  the sodium, fat or calorie count.)

Reserve some of the onion rings. Mix everything else together in a suitably sized, oven- proof casserole.

Put the casserole in the pre-heated oven. Bake until bubbly. (I seem to remember cooking this for 30-45 minutes. Garnish the casserole with the reserved onion rings when the casserole is ready to serve. You can put it back in the oven for a minute to heat the onion rings.

Serves 3-4 , depending on the age and capacity of the diners.

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Prairie State Pigskin began its Moving the Chains Q&A feature in Sept. 2016 with Illinois State and future Chicago Bears offensive lineman Cameron Lee. Since that time we have profiled 48 players and one coach across all four Illinois FCS schools during the football season.

So, for our milestone 50th Moving the Chains, we have a special treat. Given the challenging circumstances everyone is now facing in our daily lives, we have decided to carry Moving the Chains into the offseason. From time to time readers will learn more about support staff and those close to ISU, EIU, SIU and WIU football in ways other than blocking, tackling, running, throwing, receiving or catching.

To kick things off, we feature Omar Akil Solomon of Eastern Illinois University Admissions. Solomon, 33, grew up in south suburbs. He graduated from Rich South High School, where he was very active as a student and the community.

Get to know Omar in today’s Moving the Chains Q&A:

What sports and activities did you do in high school?

Anything I could get involved in. I played football; I was a starter my senior year. I was left guard. We went to the second round of the playoffs, lost to Joliet Catholic. I also played tennis for four years. I did the morning announcements, which led into my profession down the road. I used to start every morning by saying, “Gooood morning, Rich South High School!”

Where did you go to college?

I started out at community college, Prairie State in Chicago Heights, then I transferred to EIU. That’s where I graduated with a degree in communication studies in the fall of 2009.

While at Eastern, Omar took classes taught by Mike Bradd and Jack Ashmore, both of whom broadcast EIU Panther football and basketball games.

(Twitter photo)

How long have you been at Eastern in a work capacity?

I returned in the spring of 2011. Previously I was working at Elmhurst College in admissions. I worked at Elmhurst for a year and loved everything about Elmhurst, but I had the opportunity to come back to EIU and I took it.

What’s the best part of your job?

I’m what you call an old man in admissions. To me, every opportunity to interact with a student, every opportunity to learn their story, watch them grow and then fast forward four or five years down the road when they graduate and see how they have flourished on Eastern’s campus, I’m enriched and blessed that I’ve worked at this university for a long time . . . it’s just fun to see how far and where our students can go.

That’s the best part, just working with our students.

How much do you talk about a Romo or a Garoppolo or use football when you talk to students or potential students?

Each and every student is different. I pride myself in trying to get to know every student. Every student is not the same. I’m not always going to drop out Romo or Jimmy G or whatever or whoever. For some cases, when we are talking about athletics, I point out we are a Division I university. We have a starting (NFL) quarterback in Jimmy, a head coach in Sean Payton, a GM in Ryan Pace, an offensive coordinator in Tim Kelly and a middle linebacker in Kamu Grugier-Hill. And we have one of the highest paid announcers in Tony Romo. That’s a quick reference when I’m talking about athletics. Usually the student’s eyes light up. I can talk about personal experiences. I got to meet Sean Payton (when he was back on campus) and I got to know Jimmy throughout his time at EIU.

Mike Shanahan & Omar

Who were some of your favorite EIU football players?

I have to say that one of my first favorite players is from when I arrived at Eastern, Micah Rucker. He was a tall receiver from Florida. He would just go down the field and catch every ball that was thrown in the air whether it was Cole Stinson or Bodie Reeder at quarterback. He caught everything. He was poetry in motion when he ran down the field.

Of course, Jimmy G and Erik Lora, that connection in that era with Coach (Dino) Babers. That was one of the best times to work at the university. I was at every game as a student and as an employee being loud in the stands, cheering, getting everybody riled up. To see the pride that was in Charleston at that time . . . I wish I could bottle that up and use it everywhere because games were over at halftime at some point; the stands were packed. You’d walk around campus and everyone had EIU apparel on. That was an amazing time. It wasn’t just Jimmy, it wasn’t just Erik. I’m talking about Shepard Little, Jimmy Lera, Jeff LePak . . . on the defensive side of the ball, there was Artavious Dowdell, Pat Wertz . . . the list goes on and on.

I really enjoyed (safety) Bradley Dewberry. He was a stud for four years. (Defensive back) Mark Williams came in as a freshman and has done an amazing job. I like the young kid that we have right now, (running back) Jaelin Benefield from Texas. He’s very shifty.

I follow all our athletes. I love everybody.

What were some of your favorite Eastern football memories?

Dino’s first year (2012), the double overtime victory over Murray State. Erik Lora, 21 catches, 269 yards and he throws the game-winning pass (for the two-point conversion) in the corner off the end zone to (tight end) Von Wise off a double reverse. That was crazy and just beautiful to watch.

There was the Illinois State game that we won (57-24). Anytime we get to beat Illinois State that’s always fun.

The game against SEMO, 2017. It was a low-scoring game (19-16) and Bradley Dewberry caught an interception near the end zone. That game was special because we had a tailgate for admissions and we had a lot of families visiting. The game ended on that victory-sealing interception. It was fun to see our families happy and enjoying the game.

If the athletic teams do well, the university does well. We’re all in this together.

What is your favorite tailgate food?

I’m a chicken connoisseur. Anytime someone can put chicken on the grill, I love to try different seasonings. I love to try different people’s food. That’s all I need. I’m also big on burgers, so those and chicken are my go-tos.

You love to sing karaoke. What’s your favorite song to perform?

I consider myself a connoisseur of karaoke. I pride myself in trying to perform for any crowd. It’s very stress-relieving also. It depends on the crowd, but I love to sing Disney music actually. I love to sing anything from Aladdin or Mulan. Those would be some of my favorite songs. I also enjoy singing (laughs) Justin Timberlake because I’m the biggest male Justin Timberlake fan of all-time. I’ll sing anything to be honest with you. It can range from ’90s music to Motown to R&B to rap. I play with the crowd and go with how I feel.

Anything else you wish to share?

Once everything gets back in session I want to see everybody supporting EIU athletics, and not just football. Be loud, be proud, be blue, we are EIU. I would love to see somebody pick up the mantle and be that loud person in the stands and spread that enthusiasm because from talking to the players, they love that energy from the fans. We want to bring that 24/7 to all of our sports. And you can bring that to the classroom as well. Enjoy life, ladies and gentlemen, we only have one life to live.

During this Corona Virus crisis, many folks are working virtually from home. What do you do if you have one or more children at home that you didn’t expect to “take to work?” It’s a conundrum. You love your child, but you don’t want to perform poorly at your job because you have a screaming child in the “conference room.”  So, let’s make this easier and lower that guilt.

Sometimes parents think they need to be constantly involved with their child. This is not only exhausting, but it’s also a false assumption. By creating the right environment and providing appropriate toys and play objects, parents won’t have to continually entertain their child.

Environmental Set Up

Safety first. You are trying to set up the area to be safe, so you can allow your child to explore as freely as possible while you are working. Worries about unsafe conditions are guaranteed to mess up your concentration. So, start by setting up a safe area where you can see your child, but which is also inherently safe, even for those minutes when your attention is focused elsewhere.

To check out the safety of the area, I suggest you look at it from the child’s level. For example, if you have an infant, lay on the ground and see how it looks. If there is a toddler, look at it on your knees. From these perspectives, you’ll have a better chance of identifying dangers you might miss from an adult’s height.

This area should be inviting and intriguing to your child, so she will want to explore and play there. The play area could be defined by mats, a plastic tablecloth or maybe an old blanket. Making the area sound like fun for your children depends on how you describe it to them. Tell them this is a special area, e.g., it can be their magic carpet.

Be aware that they may not stay confined to their magic carpet for a long time, though; they may play for 30 minutes or so before they need a break. You’ll know when they need to stretch. Then, maybe add some movement into the mix. For example, do a scavenger hunt around the house. March up the stairs and pretend it’s a parade, or follow the leader, or whatever sounds fun. While it’s tempting to think “I can’t leave my workplace,” remind yourself of 10-minute bathroom or coffee breaks you would normally be taking. Playing with your toddler can be used as one of those. End the movement by going back to their special area. For example, the last stop on the parade can bring them back to their magic carpet, or they can play follow the leader back to the blanket. It will be a win-win for you all.

 List #1: Toys/objects that  DO encourage exploration for children ages 1-3

EXAMPLES

1. Cotton handkerchiefs /bandanas
2. Toy cars
3. Blocks (or boxes)
4. Dolls
5. Plastic bowls (or recycled tubs from various foods) that have been washed in the dishwasher (e.g., applesauce cups or cottage cheese bowls)
6. Books
7. Stuffed animals

At home, a good safety test is the following: the above need to be too big to fit in the cardboard left over from a coveted toilet paper roll that came to an end.  Otherwise, they are choking hazards. Note that this includes balloons. Yes, they are too big to fit in the tube inflated, but as soon as they pop, they slide right through.

List # 2: Toys/objects that do NOT encourage exploration for children ages 1-3

• Jack-in-the-box
• Toys that you push on and something appears
• Spinning tops
• Toys with prerecorded messages (such as electronic dolls/figures)

What do you think it takes to qualify on List 1 or List 2?

This is certainly not a test. I just want to help you pick objects/toys around the house that would work the best. Because in your home you’ve got the material, just look around. So, did you figure out the difference?

Stay tuned for tomorrow,  part II, where I’ll discuss what works and why.