If I had been born a caveman , I wouldn't have lasted very long- cave baby, yes- cave toddler,probably- but after that I would have been doomed. As soon as I left the protection of the cave on my own I would have quickly become a memory. Nothing but a cave painting- soon to be forgotten.
Nearsighted , you see. Been wearing glasses since first grade. Something tells me my myopic brethren didn't last too long in Bedrock. Crushed by an Brontosaurus, swept off by a Pterodactyl, wandered into a tar pit.
I thought about this the other day as I read about the Chilean miners who have been trapped for weeks and probably will be for months to come. What a remarkable story, these guys are amazing. I hope when they are rescued that Chile just says "Welcome home guys! Here are the keys to your new homes and cars. If you need anything call us, don't worry you are set for the rest of your life"
Oh how does that relate to the nearsighted caveman? In one of the articles I was reading it said that because of the size of the rescue hole the miners would have to have a waist size of 36 inches or under to be brought up. As of right now there were a few who were larger than 36 inches. (I'm sure this will be solved but, could you imagine being rescued knowing that some of your fellow miners had to stay behind?)
my waist is certainly not 36 inches (although I too some comfort in discovering that the average american males waist is 40 inches- fat bastids) so my fate as a chubby chilean miner would be the same as my fate as a nearsighted cave man---doomed
Monday, August 30, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
a thought while watching Lawrence of Arabia
Don't hear much about quicksand these days.
When I was a kid it seemed that there were dozens of good quicksand scenes. Whether a comedy or drama you could always count on quicksand
When I was a kid it seemed that there were dozens of good quicksand scenes. Whether a comedy or drama you could always count on quicksand
Thursday, August 26, 2010
progress?
remember the days when people would be impressed when an actor in a very dramatic scene could cry real tears?
"now that's good acting"
Recently tears aren't enough- to the tears you have to add the line of snot from the nose and perhaps a string of drool.
"now that's good acting"
Recently tears aren't enough- to the tears you have to add the line of snot from the nose and perhaps a string of drool.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
one from column A....
Okay, I'll admit I haven't really researched this too much- but what is the story with the 60 mile long traffic jam in China?
It's been going on for days and it's predicted to last for weeks! WEEKS???!!!!!
Don't they have exit ramps in China?
Don't cars have reverse in China?
They don't have "traffic on the eights" in China?
Maybe I'm a dope and I'm missing something very obvious- but I can't imagine why this has lasted as long as it has.
Aren't there perishable goods in some of those trucks?
It's been going on for days and it's predicted to last for weeks! WEEKS???!!!!!
Don't they have exit ramps in China?
Don't cars have reverse in China?
They don't have "traffic on the eights" in China?
Maybe I'm a dope and I'm missing something very obvious- but I can't imagine why this has lasted as long as it has.
Aren't there perishable goods in some of those trucks?
Monday, August 23, 2010
anything at all....but not that.
In the previous post I wrote about how our open minded Art teacher would encourage us to bring is albums to listen to during class- this reminded me of another teacher, a music teacher, who asked us kiddies to bring in some music we liked to share with the class.
The year was 1967, so I'm 10 years old, in 4th grade (?) and I take my teachers request very seriously- As a matter of fact I will bring in two songs that I love to share with my peers.
The teacher was Mrs.Fontana, Isabella Fontana, barely five feet tall, but a force of nature. An entire web site could be devoted to students memories of this one of a kind gal. In an odd connection to the previous post and to the book ALL HOPPED UP....., she was Neil Sedaka's music teacher in high school (maybe jr. high)
So the day arrives and I have my two albums with me- Wild Honey by the Beach Boys (the first album I ever bought for myself) and Hank Williams Greatest Hits ( one of my Dads albums)
WE go to Music, Mrs. Fontana asks "Did anyone bring in some music?" Boom! My hand is in the air. I hand her the album, she removes the record, being very careful to handle it by the edges (vinyl ,you know) and places it on the Hi- Fi
Wild Honey begins. This is Rn'B Beach Boys style. The theremin is doing that swooping octave thing at the start, then the band kicks in and.......she stops the record and takes it off the turntable , all the while berating the "noise" that I was subjecting the other kids to.
Oh..... "I have another record, no, not by the same group. It's by Hank Williams." Not a glimmer of recognition from Isabella, she has no idea who Hank Williams is. I already know Hank and I are doomed.
The album is removed respectfully, placed on the turntable and the greatest singer/songwriter in the history of country music begins to sing....
"Hey Good Loo....." That's as far as he got. This time no lecture from Mrs. Fontana, just a shake of the head and a withering look. Wow...dissed and dismissed.
Within five minutes she had made mincemeat of Hank Williams, Brian Wilson and Me.
When I got home I played "Wild Honey"..........loud
The year was 1967, so I'm 10 years old, in 4th grade (?) and I take my teachers request very seriously- As a matter of fact I will bring in two songs that I love to share with my peers.
The teacher was Mrs.Fontana, Isabella Fontana, barely five feet tall, but a force of nature. An entire web site could be devoted to students memories of this one of a kind gal. In an odd connection to the previous post and to the book ALL HOPPED UP....., she was Neil Sedaka's music teacher in high school (maybe jr. high)
So the day arrives and I have my two albums with me- Wild Honey by the Beach Boys (the first album I ever bought for myself) and Hank Williams Greatest Hits ( one of my Dads albums)
WE go to Music, Mrs. Fontana asks "Did anyone bring in some music?" Boom! My hand is in the air. I hand her the album, she removes the record, being very careful to handle it by the edges (vinyl ,you know) and places it on the Hi- Fi
Wild Honey begins. This is Rn'B Beach Boys style. The theremin is doing that swooping octave thing at the start, then the band kicks in and.......she stops the record and takes it off the turntable , all the while berating the "noise" that I was subjecting the other kids to.
Oh..... "I have another record, no, not by the same group. It's by Hank Williams." Not a glimmer of recognition from Isabella, she has no idea who Hank Williams is. I already know Hank and I are doomed.
The album is removed respectfully, placed on the turntable and the greatest singer/songwriter in the history of country music begins to sing....
"Hey Good Loo....." That's as far as he got. This time no lecture from Mrs. Fontana, just a shake of the head and a withering look. Wow...dissed and dismissed.
Within five minutes she had made mincemeat of Hank Williams, Brian Wilson and Me.
When I got home I played "Wild Honey"..........loud
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Hey, Ho.........
I just finished reading a great book called- ALL HOPPED UP AND READY TO GO by Tony Fletcher. The book is a look at popular music in New York City from 1927 to 1977.
Mr Fletcher is certainly a man of some ambition- but lo and behold he succeeds at making all these different scenes (jazz, latin, folk, rock, punk and rap) come alive. Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, Pete Seeger, Lou Reed, Joey Ramone- the list of performers and songwriters and producers and hangers on is staggering but he tells everyones story with interest and enthusiasm.
I particularly love the fact that he shines the light on some folks who are often overlooked ,like Neil Sedaka and the Rascals and Allen Vega of Suicide.
A terrific read, it makes you want to run out and buy (or at least listen) to all the bands and songs he is writing about. Tony Fletcher has to "curate" an ALL HOPPED UP..... box set. (it would probably be impossible to get the rights for 99% of the songs and on top of that does anyone buy box sets anymore?)
One of the people he writes about is David Peel- a new york street singer/character from the late sixties early seventies. He and his "band" the Lower East Side (or as I remember them -The Lower East Side Orchestra) recorded an album I have very fond memories of.
During Art class in junior high the teacher ,being a groovy artist, would play records during class. We kids were encouraged to bring in stuff we liked- the boys mostly wanted to play Grand Funk or the Allman Brothers, the girls tended towards sensitive singer songwriter selections. Every once in a while the teacher would play something of his choosing- one Day it was "Have a Marijuana" by David Peel and the Lower East Side. An Album recorded in Washington Square Park- An Album that had a decidely unpolished sound- an album that contained the song "Up Against the Wall Motherfuc-er" the lyrics of which are basically the the title repeated for about two minutes.
Needless to say, we junior high boys had a new hero and a new favorite song and a new appreciation for art.
Mr Fletcher is certainly a man of some ambition- but lo and behold he succeeds at making all these different scenes (jazz, latin, folk, rock, punk and rap) come alive. Dizzy Gillespie, Machito, Pete Seeger, Lou Reed, Joey Ramone- the list of performers and songwriters and producers and hangers on is staggering but he tells everyones story with interest and enthusiasm.
I particularly love the fact that he shines the light on some folks who are often overlooked ,like Neil Sedaka and the Rascals and Allen Vega of Suicide.
A terrific read, it makes you want to run out and buy (or at least listen) to all the bands and songs he is writing about. Tony Fletcher has to "curate" an ALL HOPPED UP..... box set. (it would probably be impossible to get the rights for 99% of the songs and on top of that does anyone buy box sets anymore?)
One of the people he writes about is David Peel- a new york street singer/character from the late sixties early seventies. He and his "band" the Lower East Side (or as I remember them -The Lower East Side Orchestra) recorded an album I have very fond memories of.
During Art class in junior high the teacher ,being a groovy artist, would play records during class. We kids were encouraged to bring in stuff we liked- the boys mostly wanted to play Grand Funk or the Allman Brothers, the girls tended towards sensitive singer songwriter selections. Every once in a while the teacher would play something of his choosing- one Day it was "Have a Marijuana" by David Peel and the Lower East Side. An Album recorded in Washington Square Park- An Album that had a decidely unpolished sound- an album that contained the song "Up Against the Wall Motherfuc-er" the lyrics of which are basically the the title repeated for about two minutes.
Needless to say, we junior high boys had a new hero and a new favorite song and a new appreciation for art.
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