Sweatshirt Weather

 

 Today was a beautiful fall day.  The sky was blue and painted with wisps of clouds.  The autumn sun shone in a shade of gold we only see in the fall.  The air was crisp, a word we seem to only use in the fall, with the temperatures in the low 50s and a nice breeze.  It was a perfect kind of fall day.  It was the first really nice fall kind of day.  It was sweatshirt weather. 

I did not set out to take a long walk, hike, or bike ride.  There was no plan to smoke a cigar or have lunch outside.  I had a fair amount of schoolwork to attend to.  I only went outside when I ran some errands that I needed to do today.  I do believe when one is really busy, a little break to enjoy to outdoors is even more meaningful, more special, than if had spent the whole day outside.

While in the center of town, I took some photos.  It was hard to find scenes with vibrant colors for the photos.  Most of the trees still had green leaves.  I remember hearing a news report back in September that predicted the fall colors were going to be muted this year because the cool down was going to gradual.  We would miss the vibrant reds and oranges.  The transition would be slow from green to muted yellow to brown.  That is exactly what happened.

 

 

  

 

Historically, before the reality of climate change, by Halloween, all the leaves would have fallen.  That has not been for case for, I want to say, the past ten years.  The winters in the past several years have been temperate as well.  Oddly, the prediction for winter is for a colder and snowier one because a La Niña weather pattern is expected.  Google’s AI summary is for a “potentially very cold and snowy, with forecasts for a stormy season featuring multiple large snowfalls” for Chicagoland.  I know I in the minority on this, but I would love to see an old fashioned winter with some below zero cold spells and a few blizzards that results a snow day or two.

Winter will be what it will be.  I sure did enjoy this lovely fall day.

 

Postscript:  Well… I had this post three-quarters done when Microsoft informed that there was an update to Word.  I saved the document, closed Word, and restarted as is the protocol for an update.  Much to my surprise, everything I had typed was gone.  All that remained was the title.  I am not sure what I did or didn’t do but it gone.  I have to assume it was my fault.  It has been a long while since that kind of boneheaded thing has happened.

It is also clear that I had not used AI to write the post.  If I had I could have simply copy and pasted the content again, or if I had signed out, I could simply reenter the prompt and have a brand new version to cut and paste.  My only options were to rewrite it or forget about it entirely and live to blog another day.  I opted for re-writing it.

 

  

 

The Same Old 6 and 7

 

Young people always have slang that us older folks don’t understand.  The life span of these slang terms is very short.  Words and phrase are always entering and leaving the slang lexicon of young people.  Thankfully, the Wall Street Journal will occasionally publish an article presenting and explaining the latest slew of terms.  Because of this wonderful service from the Journal my kids were surprised when I would throw one of these words or terms.

A recent article in the Journal, The Numbers Six and Seven Are Making Life Hell for Math Teachers, introduced the latest piece of slang is taking over classrooms and social media feeds, leaving teachers and older generations scratching their heads: the phrase "6-7" (often pronounced "six-sev-eeennn"). This simple numerical pairing, frequently accompanied by an excited, palms-up hand gesture, has become a linguistic rage for a generation of young teens and kids, collectively known as Gen Alpha. Its rise is a perfect case study in how modern memes are born, spread, and evolve into a cultural phenomenon that signals who is "in" on the joke.

Per the Journal article:

Math teacher Cara Bearden braces herself for any equation that yields the two numbers, knowing her students will immediately scream them right back at her. “SIX Sevennnnnn,” they squeal with a palms-up, seesaw hand gesture that looks somewhere between juggling and melon handling. The meme is ripping across the internet and spilling into real life, especially at school.

“If you’re like, ‘Hey, you need to do questions six, seven,’ they just immediately start yelling, ‘Six Seven!’” says Bearden, who teaches sixth- and eighth-graders at Austin Peace Academy in Austin, Texas. “It’s like throwing catnip at cats.” 

The root of this "6-7" is a rap track "Doot Doot (6 7)" by artist Skrilla, released in 2024. The song snippet quickly went viral on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Its popularity was significantly amplified by a loose connection to the world of sports, as the audio was often used in video edits featuring NBA star LaMelo Ball, who famously stands at 6 feet 7 inches. This association helped cement the phrase in the minds of young users. The trend achieved full-blown meme status thanks to subsequent viral moments, including a video of a high school basketball prospect using the phrase and another of a young boy (dubbed the "6-7 Kid") enthusiastically shouting it at a game, complete with the now-iconic hand gesture.

 

 

"6-7" is a joke with no punchline; it doesn't actually mean anything. It functions as an absurd, random exclamation, often shouted when the numbers "six" or "seven" are mentioned, or sometimes, for no reason at all. Communication experts and linguists note that its very meaninglessness is its power; it serves purely as a social tool. By using "6-7," kids and teens create a shared language that instantly identifies their peers and separates them from outsiders, a classic generational practice that reflects the rapidly changing nature of digital culture.  And… it is fun.

But it is not as new and recent as we all think. 

Let’s go back to the 1970s.  I was in my mid-twenties working at Ford Motor Company.  One of my work colleagues was an engineer, a proud Purdue graduate, named Bill Granberry.  He was a few years older than me, great fellow, and a good work friend.  One day, we were talking, and I was expressing bewilderment at something, perhaps an organizational move, or product decision.  Bill kept saying “it’s the same old 6 and 7” which I thought was his attempt to clear up my bewilderment.  As it meant nothing to me, I finally asked out of a bit of frustration, “What is 6 and 7?”  He paused a second, looked at me and said, “13.”  After another moment, we both started laughing.  Bill got me.

Upon learning of the current “6 7” craze, it made me think of Bill’s use of it 50 years ago.  So, in summation, all I can is what’s old is new again.

Michigan Football 2025 Season Thus Far

 

I am watching the Michigan v Washington football game as I write this.  This is the week after Michigan got smoked by Southern Cal 31-13.  Washington kicked off to Michigan who prompted did nothing on 1^st and 2^nd down to have a have a 3^rd and 9.  Underwood completed a pass, but it was short of the first down forcing Michigan to punt. 

Michigan punted.  Washington promptly ripped off two first downs borrowing a bit from the Southern Cal playbook from last week (effective screen passes).  After that the Michigan defense toughened up and forced a punt. 

Michigan took over and the offense looked more like it should to us Michigan fans.  They had a few gutty runs for decent yards, a reverse, and some good passes.  After two first downs, they were penalized for holding and faced with a 1^st and 20.  They got to 4^th and 1.  But, Semaj Morgan dropped a swing pass that would have clearly been a first down.

Washington’s first play was a 48 pass to the Michigan 19.  Michigan held them forcing a 3^rd and 9 which ended up being an incomplete pass in the endzone.  Washington attempted a field goal which, whew, went wide right. 

Michigan is a very young team.  Our quarterback is a freshman who shows signs of brilliance and, more importantly to me, showing signs of improvement.  With an injury in this game to a senior offensive tackle, half of the offensive line are redshirt freshmen.  The Last year was a rebuilding year.  The cupboard was bare after the 2023 National Championship Season, and we had five losses going into the Ohio State game which was a brilliant upset.  Michigan put an exclamation point on the season by then beating Alabama.  We did not have a spectacular offense, but our defense got stingier with each game and ended up being very strong in the impressive wins over Ohio State and Alabama.

There is promise on this team and I am still optimistic given our that we have two losses to Oklahoma and Southern Cal.  If Michigan beats Washington, most pundits think they should win their remaining games until the regular season finale versus Ohio State which is in Ann Arbor on November 30^th.  If that happens and then if Michigan beats Ohio State for a 5^th straight time, Michigan should have a chance for the championship playoffs. 

My biggest concern with this program versus Ohio State is that Ohio State is strong every year.  As one commentator said many years ago, “Ohio State never has to rebuild, they just reload.”  Their pipeline seems to always be full.  If a player goes down in the middle of the season, they just put the next player in line, the back-up, in to take his place.  They  just reload.  A talented quarterback graduates, goes pro, or transfers to Texas… the back-up becomes the starter, or they get a championship ready fifth year replacement from the portal.  They just reload.  Michigan is good, they recruit well but, they just haven’t built that full pipeline culture that would allow them just to reload.

 

Tayf: A Blooming Success

 

I went to a concert on Monday, October 13, 2025, at the Chop Shop in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.  If I really enjoy a concert, I don’t listen to any music on the way home in order not to ruin the vibe created by music performed in the concert.  In this case, I not only didn’t listen to any music on the way home, but I have not listened to other music for a full 24 hours.  This is a testimony to how much I enjoyed the concert and wanted to sustain the mood it created.

Who was performing that made such an impression?  It was Tayf.  Per the website, TAYF: From Ash to Bloom, promoting the concert: 

TAYF طَيْف , captured in English, can mean spectrum, diversity or vision. The ensemble widens the aperture on traditional maqam to center queer, non-binary and women performers, too often on the periphery of the tradition. From its inception in early 2024, the ensemble has performed across Chicago – keeping inclusion and activism at its core. From its debut at a sold-out Old Town School of Folk Music auditorium, to headlining the Fields of Palestine: A Benefit for Gaza, TAYF طَيْف has cemented itself in Chicago’s music scene as a pillar of innovation and community.

The band was made up of: 

• Sham Abyad – Lead Vocalist
• Dr. Aliah Ajamoughli, PhD – Cello
• Phaedra Darwish – Flute, Vocals, Dancer
• C Mikhail – Bass, Oud, Vocals    
• Karl El Sokhn – Guitar, Riq, Drums, Vocals
• Dr. Shayna Silverstein – Violin
• Kai Samih Movagh – Tabla
• Yasmeen – Dancer
• Bios of the musicians are available on TAYF: From Ash to Bloom.
  All the musicians currently play or have played in the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble (MEME) of the University of Chicago. 

The show was masterfully produced and promoted by Biya Biya Productions founded and run by Yasmin Zacaria Mikhaiel.  The Chop Shop venue was a perfect venue for the enthusiastic audience of 150 or so.  The program was two sets of dance and music with the second set being a tribute to Ziad Rahbani (1956-2025).  Rahbani “was a Lebanese composer, playwright, and political commentator. Son to singer Fairuz and composer Assi Rahbani, he was a musical prodigy. His bold fusion of Arabic music, jazz, and classical forms pushed the boundaries of Arab musical tradition. His impact extended beyond art, as he was a fearless social critic who gave voice to the frustrations of everyday Lebanese people during and after the civil war.”  The mood was enhanced by a video backdrop that had a loop of beautiful and engaging photos and videos of flowers blooming as well as the countryside and cityscapes of the Levant.

The music was wonderful.  It was uplifting, beautiful, and inspiring. 

It was evident from the opening dances of Yasmeen to the rousing encore at the end of the evening.  The crowd applauded each and every song.  They applauded the drum solos of Karl and Kai.  They applauded the cello, violin, and oud taksims and improvisations of Aliah, Shayna, and C.  They applauded and truly loved the vocal stylings of Sham.  When I stood in the back, easily a third of the audience was capturing video on the cell phones.  It was an amazing time.

     Sham was exquisite.  She is a natural talent with a deep and profound love of the Arab music she sings.  You certainly hear it in each lilt and sustained note that made the audience spontaneously applaud in the middle of a song.  Her body language complimented her singing with every single look, from playful to coy, from soulful to full of emotion.  Sham’s stage presence is genuine.  Her humble and engaging personality is evident especially given that half the audience already admired her for everything I have written here.  While one might be tempted to say she was the star of the show, I would rather compliment her on being such a talented singer and ensemble member at the same time.

C is also the soul of the ensemble and this concert.  A few folks with insight, spoke of C’s tireless work behind the scenes for months preparing the concert, organizing rehearsals, working with Yasmin on the production for the staging of the show.  C founded the ensemble and is dedicated to its mission and values as stated above.  C’s organization acumen is on par with their brilliant musicianship.  I cannot enumerate the number of times C would play a bassline at a MEME practice that literally made me stop playing and look at them in admiration and astonishment.  C has only been playing the oud for like a year and getting applause for their improvisations.  C is multi-talented and living their dream.  

Honestly, I do not mean to take away from anyone else in Tayf.  I could write an article on each member of this ensemble.  I loved Aliah’s cello taksim.  Phaedra, Shayna, Karl, and Kai were all solid.  Karl played a beautiful guitar taksim.  The ensemble was for the most part tight and unified.  They made an oops once or twice but they took it in stride, made light of it over the mic, laughed it off, and kept going.  And the audience laughed right along with them.

Right now Tayf is a Chicago gem.  I will not be at all surprised to hear that they take this show, From Ash to Bloom, or their next show on a national tour. 

It was a most special evening.  Whenever Tayf plays I will attend, if I can, knowing I will leave inspired, impressed, and in what I will now coin as a Tayf state of mind…

AYF Olympics Reporting: Honoring Legacy and Community

The always popular 'Kiddie" Race

The end of August and the beginning of September are always busy for me, especially given the start of the fall semester of the new academic year and the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) Olympics — both occurring during the same period of time.

I have been taking photos and writing daily articles for the Armenian Weekly at the AYF Olympics, which take place over the Labor Day Weekend, for eleven years now. The writing doesn’t stop on Labor Day, however, as I also contribute to the Weekly’s AYF Olympics Special Issue. This year, the Weekly is producing its first-ever AYF Olympics Special Issue Magazine covering the 2025 AYF Boston Olympics, for which I wrote a few articles, with a mid-September deadline. 

The combination of the start of school while covering the AYF Olympics is definitely challenging, leading to a bout of exhaustion after the Labor Day Olympics weekend. While I have gotten efficient at taking photos and writing articles, it is time-consuming and makes for long hours and while the weekend is full of fun and socializing for all the attendees, it is much less so for me. I do manage to fit in some socializing as I am often in the middle of the action, and interacting with our AYF youth is always enjoyable, but it is nothing like the fun I had before I started reporting. It might sound like I am complaining, but I am not. It is a wonderful, though exhausting, labor of love. 

That is the kind of organization that the AYF is. For several generations, the AYF has been responsible for instilling and nurturing Armenian pride, patriotism, community and political activism in its members and alumni.

For me, this reporting and writing has been the most significant Armenian thing I have done and something I am very proud of. My Dad, Aram “Sonny” Gavoor, was very involved in the Olympics, helping organize the weekend and running the games as a member of the Governing Body, which is a rotating team of three alumni that ensures efficient planning, continuity and ongoing improvement of the games. He then became the coach of the Detroit “Kopernik Tandourjian” Chapter team and led them to their first Olympics wins. 

My Dad was also an Olympics King along with his brother, my Uncle Buddy. My sister Nancy and maternal Aunt Suzie are Olympics Queens. The Olympics King and Queens are honorifics, akin to an Olympics Hall of Fame, for those who were athletic standouts or great supporters of AYF Athletics. My parents were also the first recipients of the Varadian Spirit Award, established to honor alumni who best live their lives with the AYF spirit.

My contribution was never on the athletic fields. I competed every year when I was a member, but never scored even one measly point. However, I possessed a writing side, which comes from a few inspiring figures. 

My great uncle, Rouben Gavoor, was a lifelong writer for the Weekly. As much of an influence Uncle Rouben was on his own, it was enhanced even more by my mother, Violet’s, admiration for his writing. 

Not all my inspirations were family members. Tom Vartabedian used to report on the Olympics all by himself. He was a great cheerleader for my writing, slowly but steadily nudging me into being part of the team that replaced him in writing for the Weekly’s AYF Olympic Special Issue. In the days when I had more capacity for fun and socializing at the Olympics, I noticed that Tom was always on the move with a camera around his neck and his reporter’s notebook sticking out of his back pocket. He never had time to talk very long with anyone… and he was not even writing daily articles back then. Tom was a great influence, and I miss him dearly. 

I also have to recognize the most recent editors of the Armenian Weekly. Pauline Getzoyan and her first assistant editor, Leeza Arakelian, were so easy to work with and so encouraging. With the current Weekly editor Lilly Torosyan taking the helm after Pauline, we have not skipped a beat in terms of teamwork and responsiveness — not to mention their editorial skills. It is a great pleasure and inspiration to work with such competent and congenial professionals.

There is a great sense of accomplishment and a huge sigh of satisfaction when all the reporting is done for the AYF Olympics Special Issue of the Armenian Weekly. This year’s AYF Olympics Special Issue Magazine is no different, if not more exciting. 

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First published September 29, 2025 in the Armenian Weekly.