Wednesday, December 29, 2010
a heist.... a caper.......
A few months back Stephen Cannell, prolific writer and TV producer passed away. Way back when, he created the show "The Rockford Files" which , of course, followed the adventures of Jim Rockford a less than heroic hero, played memorably by the great James Garner.
Cannell created dozens of shows, wrote hundreds of scripts and most recently had turned to novels. The current TV show "Castle" , which I didn't care for at first, but has since grown on me, features the character of Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) a successful mystery writer who helps out the NYPD. On a few of the early episodes there were some scenes that took place at a poker game. A weekly game played by some very successful mystery writers, Castle and playing themselves Cannell and James Patterson and.....someone else I don't remember. It was a neat little bit of business, lotsa fun.
The week that Cannell died , at the very end of the show they played the little "Tag" that appeared at the end of his shows , just a few seconds long, He's sitting at his typewriter and pulls out another finished page of script and tosses it in the air. A very thoughtful tip of the hat.
In an interview once Cannell said that he wasn't an artist, that he was a craftsman. He sat down everyday and wrote, didn't wait for inspiration or to be visited by his muse , he just wrote. If he was a carpenter he would have been making a picnic table but he was a writer so he sat down and wrote stories.
One of my favorite "craftsman" died a year or so back, Donald Westlake. There might have been a more prolific writer, but I can't think of who that might be- Westlake made Stephen King look like JD Salinger.
Fiction. non fiction, short stories, film scripts (he won an Oscar for "The Grifters"), and most impressively to me, he wrote not one, but two of the greatest mystery series of all time. The "Dortmunder" books, which followed a group of career criminals, journey men, or craftsmen, if you please, as they pull off a heist. In each book the original crime is somehow bungled and leads to a series of escalating crimes to finally resolve the first. A number of films have been made from this series, but none of them capture the hangdog tone of everyday criminals like the books. John Dortmunder has been played by everyone from Robert Redford to Martin Lawrence, quite a stretch.
Hmmmm this leads me, unexpectedly to the thought of who I would cast. I'll think about it.
He also wrote, under the name, Richard Stark, The "Parker" series, a whole different style of character. The Dortmunder books are wryly comic seemingly written with a shrug of the shoulders, While the Parker books are lean and mean and nasty. Both look at crimes committed by lifelong criminals but exist in two different worlds.
There have been a few Parker films as well, more successfully. Lee Marvin and Mel Gibson have both had a crack at Parker and did a convincing job bringing that nasty bastid to life.
Good stories , good storytelling, filled with details, you read them and think "I could pull a heist". you get so much info. The Parker books in particular are filled with realistic feeling details about how a crime is planned and committed.
I get a kick out of the Dortmunder books and a few of his comic novels because some of the action takes place on Long Island, he seems to have particular affection for Bay Shore and the Fire Island beaches.
In the past few weeks I've read his final two books (well until someone opens a drawer somewhere and finds 10 more) The final Dortmunder book; GET REAL, which pits Dortmunder and his crew against a reality TV show. Great fun , but bittersweet knowing that the old gang won't be meeting again.
And his final book, a stand alone novel called , MEMORY. this is published as an original paperback by, the publisher Hard Case Crime, a wonderful "label" which releases new and vintage "noir" style fiction every month. Oh dear god in heaven, this book is a masterpiece, i said it, you heard me. It has a simple premise; a man gets into a fight , gets hurt, and loses his memory, I can hear you shaking your head from hear, "Amnesia? Please!" This ain't your run of the mill amnesia story.
I will just tempt you with this, with barely any clues , Paul, has to try to put his life back together. A glimmer of hope! He was an actor, maybe he can go back to New York and get work, but what kind of role can an actor with no memory play. Day by day, page by page, the defeats and the dread pile on- I can't remember another book where I had such a physical reaction as I was reading it, It was horrifying (in a fascinating way) and I found it impossible to get ahead of the story, I had NO idea where this thing was going. And that's very entertaining.
Read Westlake, you can thank me later. And by all means track down MEMORY, for that one you might not thank me.
oh! who could play Dortmunder? Has to be a good strong character actor who seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, he's not flashy or overly assertive , but he is without question, the leader. The kind of guy that people under estimate, at some point in every story some one makes the mistake of thinking that they can take advantage of Dortmunder. Beware.
Here's an idea, Ricky Jay, about ten years younger than he is now. Don't know Ricky? Ask your ol' pal Google.
ps no producer would greenlight a movie with Ricky Jay as the lead, but I can dream can't I?
Cannell created dozens of shows, wrote hundreds of scripts and most recently had turned to novels. The current TV show "Castle" , which I didn't care for at first, but has since grown on me, features the character of Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) a successful mystery writer who helps out the NYPD. On a few of the early episodes there were some scenes that took place at a poker game. A weekly game played by some very successful mystery writers, Castle and playing themselves Cannell and James Patterson and.....someone else I don't remember. It was a neat little bit of business, lotsa fun.
The week that Cannell died , at the very end of the show they played the little "Tag" that appeared at the end of his shows , just a few seconds long, He's sitting at his typewriter and pulls out another finished page of script and tosses it in the air. A very thoughtful tip of the hat.
In an interview once Cannell said that he wasn't an artist, that he was a craftsman. He sat down everyday and wrote, didn't wait for inspiration or to be visited by his muse , he just wrote. If he was a carpenter he would have been making a picnic table but he was a writer so he sat down and wrote stories.
One of my favorite "craftsman" died a year or so back, Donald Westlake. There might have been a more prolific writer, but I can't think of who that might be- Westlake made Stephen King look like JD Salinger.
Fiction. non fiction, short stories, film scripts (he won an Oscar for "The Grifters"), and most impressively to me, he wrote not one, but two of the greatest mystery series of all time. The "Dortmunder" books, which followed a group of career criminals, journey men, or craftsmen, if you please, as they pull off a heist. In each book the original crime is somehow bungled and leads to a series of escalating crimes to finally resolve the first. A number of films have been made from this series, but none of them capture the hangdog tone of everyday criminals like the books. John Dortmunder has been played by everyone from Robert Redford to Martin Lawrence, quite a stretch.
Hmmmm this leads me, unexpectedly to the thought of who I would cast. I'll think about it.
He also wrote, under the name, Richard Stark, The "Parker" series, a whole different style of character. The Dortmunder books are wryly comic seemingly written with a shrug of the shoulders, While the Parker books are lean and mean and nasty. Both look at crimes committed by lifelong criminals but exist in two different worlds.
There have been a few Parker films as well, more successfully. Lee Marvin and Mel Gibson have both had a crack at Parker and did a convincing job bringing that nasty bastid to life.
Good stories , good storytelling, filled with details, you read them and think "I could pull a heist". you get so much info. The Parker books in particular are filled with realistic feeling details about how a crime is planned and committed.
I get a kick out of the Dortmunder books and a few of his comic novels because some of the action takes place on Long Island, he seems to have particular affection for Bay Shore and the Fire Island beaches.
In the past few weeks I've read his final two books (well until someone opens a drawer somewhere and finds 10 more) The final Dortmunder book; GET REAL, which pits Dortmunder and his crew against a reality TV show. Great fun , but bittersweet knowing that the old gang won't be meeting again.
And his final book, a stand alone novel called , MEMORY. this is published as an original paperback by, the publisher Hard Case Crime, a wonderful "label" which releases new and vintage "noir" style fiction every month. Oh dear god in heaven, this book is a masterpiece, i said it, you heard me. It has a simple premise; a man gets into a fight , gets hurt, and loses his memory, I can hear you shaking your head from hear, "Amnesia? Please!" This ain't your run of the mill amnesia story.
I will just tempt you with this, with barely any clues , Paul, has to try to put his life back together. A glimmer of hope! He was an actor, maybe he can go back to New York and get work, but what kind of role can an actor with no memory play. Day by day, page by page, the defeats and the dread pile on- I can't remember another book where I had such a physical reaction as I was reading it, It was horrifying (in a fascinating way) and I found it impossible to get ahead of the story, I had NO idea where this thing was going. And that's very entertaining.
Read Westlake, you can thank me later. And by all means track down MEMORY, for that one you might not thank me.
oh! who could play Dortmunder? Has to be a good strong character actor who seems to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, he's not flashy or overly assertive , but he is without question, the leader. The kind of guy that people under estimate, at some point in every story some one makes the mistake of thinking that they can take advantage of Dortmunder. Beware.
Here's an idea, Ricky Jay, about ten years younger than he is now. Don't know Ricky? Ask your ol' pal Google.
ps no producer would greenlight a movie with Ricky Jay as the lead, but I can dream can't I?
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The ghost of Christmas just passed........
Christmas flew under my radar this year.
I am astonished that it has already been and gone. For the years I worked at the late (as of today, when the doors closed for the last time) lamented Airport Playhouse, the holidays were the busiest time of year. The childrens show would be running three performances a day from Thanksgiving on. At night whatever extravaganza was on the main stage was extravaganzing- many times this was a musical revue constructed in house. All the while we were preparing for new years eve , putting together Two shows (!) for that one night. A comedy that would run early in the evening and then the after midnight cabaret. Believe me, during those years I knew it was Christmas time.
Before my days on the wicked stage- I would spend my December immersed in preparations for midnight mass, rehearsing new material for the Mass as well as the pre- mass cabaret, oops, concert. Again, you knew it was Christmas.
In my family we used to buy gifts for everyone- adults , kids, pets. As the family grew so did the list and the cost. Now we do a " not so secret Santa" thing- at Thanksgiving, everybody over 21 picks a name out of a hat and you get that person a gift.
I used to enjoy shopping for the masses, I was known for the odd, eccentric, gifts thoughtfully chosen for each person. Lots of fun, but time consuming and at times daunting- everyone wanted a unique gift, no socks and underwear.. Now , just the one.
I got my shopping done in one day- so that was the extent of my exposure to the outside world and Christmas.
I did watch one holiday special, Charlie Brown... of course. what a perfect show, and unabashedly religious.
I suspect that the real reason my radar did not blip Christmas is that I have lost contact with Linus' message. The true meaning of Christmas.
Like many middle aged Irish Catholics, i would have to check the "lapsed" box on the "What kind of Catholic are you questionnaire" As a matter of fact years ago I was filling in the personal info section on an on-line dating website (don't ask) and came upon the religion question. Hmmm , Catholic? Well not really, I'm not even a Christmas/Easter Catholic anymore. I'm more of a Wedding/funeral Catholic. Atheist? Oh, no, too certain. Agnostic? Always seemed kinda wimpy to me.
What the Hell/heck am I? Earlier today it dawned on me- my religion had atrophied, shrivelled from lack of use. When I go to a wedding/funeral all the prayers and responses trip off my tongue, they're all in there, just not used all that often. Atrophied.
So perhaps I should create a new label- I AM AN "ATROPH"
Here is an example of why I cannot totally discount the existence of a God. This will perhaps sound flip, but I am serious.
When you look around you constantly see evidence of a sense of humor in the world, a cosmic joke, an over riding sense of absurdity. You need an intelligence to see it and to create it.
Example: It took me two days to dig the house and car out of the snow- exhausting , back breaking labor. Then finally, done! So, now I walk back to the garage to put away the shovel and the second I reach the door a huge plow drives down the street and pushes two feet of snow back into the driveway.
A joke, right? On Me? Yes! By who?........
I'm serious.
There is another bit of proof which is grace; which can act as a sanctuary during trying times.
Someday, maybe, I'll write about grace and me.
ps I was at the theater a bit today as the seats were being removed and the curtains taken down- what a terrible loss. Heartbreaking.
I am astonished that it has already been and gone. For the years I worked at the late (as of today, when the doors closed for the last time) lamented Airport Playhouse, the holidays were the busiest time of year. The childrens show would be running three performances a day from Thanksgiving on. At night whatever extravaganza was on the main stage was extravaganzing- many times this was a musical revue constructed in house. All the while we were preparing for new years eve , putting together Two shows (!) for that one night. A comedy that would run early in the evening and then the after midnight cabaret. Believe me, during those years I knew it was Christmas time.
Before my days on the wicked stage- I would spend my December immersed in preparations for midnight mass, rehearsing new material for the Mass as well as the pre- mass cabaret, oops, concert. Again, you knew it was Christmas.
In my family we used to buy gifts for everyone- adults , kids, pets. As the family grew so did the list and the cost. Now we do a " not so secret Santa" thing- at Thanksgiving, everybody over 21 picks a name out of a hat and you get that person a gift.
I used to enjoy shopping for the masses, I was known for the odd, eccentric, gifts thoughtfully chosen for each person. Lots of fun, but time consuming and at times daunting- everyone wanted a unique gift, no socks and underwear.. Now , just the one.
I got my shopping done in one day- so that was the extent of my exposure to the outside world and Christmas.
I did watch one holiday special, Charlie Brown... of course. what a perfect show, and unabashedly religious.
I suspect that the real reason my radar did not blip Christmas is that I have lost contact with Linus' message. The true meaning of Christmas.
Like many middle aged Irish Catholics, i would have to check the "lapsed" box on the "What kind of Catholic are you questionnaire" As a matter of fact years ago I was filling in the personal info section on an on-line dating website (don't ask) and came upon the religion question. Hmmm , Catholic? Well not really, I'm not even a Christmas/Easter Catholic anymore. I'm more of a Wedding/funeral Catholic. Atheist? Oh, no, too certain. Agnostic? Always seemed kinda wimpy to me.
What the Hell/heck am I? Earlier today it dawned on me- my religion had atrophied, shrivelled from lack of use. When I go to a wedding/funeral all the prayers and responses trip off my tongue, they're all in there, just not used all that often. Atrophied.
So perhaps I should create a new label- I AM AN "ATROPH"
Here is an example of why I cannot totally discount the existence of a God. This will perhaps sound flip, but I am serious.
When you look around you constantly see evidence of a sense of humor in the world, a cosmic joke, an over riding sense of absurdity. You need an intelligence to see it and to create it.
Example: It took me two days to dig the house and car out of the snow- exhausting , back breaking labor. Then finally, done! So, now I walk back to the garage to put away the shovel and the second I reach the door a huge plow drives down the street and pushes two feet of snow back into the driveway.
A joke, right? On Me? Yes! By who?........
I'm serious.
There is another bit of proof which is grace; which can act as a sanctuary during trying times.
Someday, maybe, I'll write about grace and me.
ps I was at the theater a bit today as the seats were being removed and the curtains taken down- what a terrible loss. Heartbreaking.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
your new favorite song......
I'm a lucky guy, I have lots and lots of incredibly gifted friends. Writers, singers, actors, painters, composers, musicians and on and on. Here is a bit of a song written by a friend of mine. I love this song. I love this performance. I think lots of people need to hear this. Give it a listen- there is also a finished version on facebook if you want to hear more.
what is the definition of insanity....?
Blizzard.
I like when things tap into that primal/cave man part of your brain, right now the snow continues to fall as it has all day, the wind is howling, I have a fire going in the fireplace (the best place to have a fire, by the way)- I went to the store earlier , so I am well stocked with provisions and I am experiencing a great feeling of security and contentment. I have bested the elements (so far)
Of course, there are still some lessons that need to be learned. Last year during a big snow storm I thought-I'll go out every few hours and shovel the walk and the driveway, That way I'll just be doing small amounts ,no big accumulation. I think I might have heard someone suggest that on the radio. Well..... it doesn't work! If anything ,I feel like I did four times as much shovelling.
This afternoon I started again- shovel every few hours. Dope! Between the falling snow and the drifting snow , I made no progress at all.
I think I'll just go sit in front of the fire and commune with my caveman brain- Urrrrrr, Fire! Good!
I like when things tap into that primal/cave man part of your brain, right now the snow continues to fall as it has all day, the wind is howling, I have a fire going in the fireplace (the best place to have a fire, by the way)- I went to the store earlier , so I am well stocked with provisions and I am experiencing a great feeling of security and contentment. I have bested the elements (so far)
Of course, there are still some lessons that need to be learned. Last year during a big snow storm I thought-I'll go out every few hours and shovel the walk and the driveway, That way I'll just be doing small amounts ,no big accumulation. I think I might have heard someone suggest that on the radio. Well..... it doesn't work! If anything ,I feel like I did four times as much shovelling.
This afternoon I started again- shovel every few hours. Dope! Between the falling snow and the drifting snow , I made no progress at all.
I think I'll just go sit in front of the fire and commune with my caveman brain- Urrrrrr, Fire! Good!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
behold!
"I was leadin' the life of Riley, then Riley came home."
my favorite joke
I'm usually the only one laughing
my favorite joke
I'm usually the only one laughing
turn the page......
The unexamined life is not worth living.....
Socrates
As I turn a clear eye towards myself I can see that I have become a guy who spends , more time than I ever imagined I would , on the computer. In the morning , I'll check my e mail , all three accounts, then scoot over to twitter to see if Roger Ebert has gotten any sleep in the last 24 hours. (obviously not- the man tweets constantly, god bless him). Then some news, NYT, Huffingtonpost, Dailybeast, Dlisted (okay gossip, but the guy who writes it is wonderfully snarky) and whatever links they lead me to.
What used to be 15 minutes is now an hour (and getting longer) I try not to go on during the day without a reason, but reason and the interweb seem to dwell in different worlds.
oh! I forgot all about the narcotic that is Facebook. When I joined that soul sucker 2 years ago (thanks to my "friend" Bradlee) I had no idea what the hell it's for. Two years later, I still don't know what it's for, but I check it 10 times a day. That's not good.
It is a labyrinth, You start and then you follow crumbs and you end up in "Where the Hell am I?" To quote my second favorite philosopher, "I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way" Stymie.
Case in point- I read a story about a heavily bosomed young lady who was driving and texting (c'mon now!) and totaled her car. So now she doesn't have a car , can't get to work, and she is facing Jail time if she doesn't pay a fine and do community service.
Well the community service is no problem, but how to pay the fine? Where can she raise the money? Good questions. Hmmmmm, Oh, did I mention that she was heavily bosomed with cleavage not unlike that fabled Canyon out west?
This leads me to her face book page, which now leads to a web site , where, (i am not making this up) Young ladies will offer chats and photos and videos for a price. A price that is decided between those who are members of the site and the young ladies. So there she is asking for donations to pay her fine so that she won't, "get raped in jail"
Other young ladies are very direct as they ask for money to pay bills or for cosmetic surgery or just for "retail therapy" . Incredible
Yeah, I am spending waaaaay too much time on the computer. In my defense I will say that my computer is in a room that is filled from floor to ceiling with books. All four walls are covered, the floor has stacks of books all over, I need to climb over a stack of books to get to the computer. I take some solace in that- often a web search will lead me to my books. I feel much better surrounded by open books than by a screen filled with open tabs. Love books, ever since i was a wee little kid. Loved the text, the content, but just as much I love the object.
There is an article in New York Magazine this week about a girl who works in the library of the Museum Of Modern Art. They have 300,000 books in their collection- about six months ago during her lunch hour she started a project, she would open a book and smell it and then keep a journal about her impressions of each book. She's done about 150 so far. Each book has a unique aroma, not all pleasant- one of the books got this assessment, "armpit".
Like most book devotees ( I was going to say, bookies, but that didn't seem right) I have spent time taking a good inhale of a favorite book. That sense of smell is very transportive, a good whiff of a book, an inexpensive paperback in particular, will take me right back to my misspent youth , when I would spend hours in a little book store in Sayville, just looking at book after book. (Diana, help me out, what was the name of that store on south main st.?)
Now you're going to think I'm making this up, but I was in Borders once and two young ladies were walking by and one turns to the other and says "I hate the smell of books."
I will not be having lunch with those girls- if you need me I'll be having a peanut butter and jelly on rye at MOMA, I'll be with the young lady in the corner enjoying lunch and a good book
Socrates
As I turn a clear eye towards myself I can see that I have become a guy who spends , more time than I ever imagined I would , on the computer. In the morning , I'll check my e mail , all three accounts, then scoot over to twitter to see if Roger Ebert has gotten any sleep in the last 24 hours. (obviously not- the man tweets constantly, god bless him). Then some news, NYT, Huffingtonpost, Dailybeast, Dlisted (okay gossip, but the guy who writes it is wonderfully snarky) and whatever links they lead me to.
What used to be 15 minutes is now an hour (and getting longer) I try not to go on during the day without a reason, but reason and the interweb seem to dwell in different worlds.
oh! I forgot all about the narcotic that is Facebook. When I joined that soul sucker 2 years ago (thanks to my "friend" Bradlee) I had no idea what the hell it's for. Two years later, I still don't know what it's for, but I check it 10 times a day. That's not good.
It is a labyrinth, You start and then you follow crumbs and you end up in "Where the Hell am I?" To quote my second favorite philosopher, "I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way" Stymie.
Case in point- I read a story about a heavily bosomed young lady who was driving and texting (c'mon now!) and totaled her car. So now she doesn't have a car , can't get to work, and she is facing Jail time if she doesn't pay a fine and do community service.
Well the community service is no problem, but how to pay the fine? Where can she raise the money? Good questions. Hmmmmm, Oh, did I mention that she was heavily bosomed with cleavage not unlike that fabled Canyon out west?
This leads me to her face book page, which now leads to a web site , where, (i am not making this up) Young ladies will offer chats and photos and videos for a price. A price that is decided between those who are members of the site and the young ladies. So there she is asking for donations to pay her fine so that she won't, "get raped in jail"
Other young ladies are very direct as they ask for money to pay bills or for cosmetic surgery or just for "retail therapy" . Incredible
Yeah, I am spending waaaaay too much time on the computer. In my defense I will say that my computer is in a room that is filled from floor to ceiling with books. All four walls are covered, the floor has stacks of books all over, I need to climb over a stack of books to get to the computer. I take some solace in that- often a web search will lead me to my books. I feel much better surrounded by open books than by a screen filled with open tabs. Love books, ever since i was a wee little kid. Loved the text, the content, but just as much I love the object.
There is an article in New York Magazine this week about a girl who works in the library of the Museum Of Modern Art. They have 300,000 books in their collection- about six months ago during her lunch hour she started a project, she would open a book and smell it and then keep a journal about her impressions of each book. She's done about 150 so far. Each book has a unique aroma, not all pleasant- one of the books got this assessment, "armpit".
Like most book devotees ( I was going to say, bookies, but that didn't seem right) I have spent time taking a good inhale of a favorite book. That sense of smell is very transportive, a good whiff of a book, an inexpensive paperback in particular, will take me right back to my misspent youth , when I would spend hours in a little book store in Sayville, just looking at book after book. (Diana, help me out, what was the name of that store on south main st.?)
Now you're going to think I'm making this up, but I was in Borders once and two young ladies were walking by and one turns to the other and says "I hate the smell of books."
I will not be having lunch with those girls- if you need me I'll be having a peanut butter and jelly on rye at MOMA, I'll be with the young lady in the corner enjoying lunch and a good book
Monday, December 20, 2010
..and the poorer for it
I have seen many things in my day.
Here is something I have never seen, someone wearing a monocle.
Oh, in photos and in the motion pictures I have seen countless monocle wearers.
Live and in person? never.
pity.
Here is something I have never seen, someone wearing a monocle.
Oh, in photos and in the motion pictures I have seen countless monocle wearers.
Live and in person? never.
pity.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
where's the love?
I am a big magazine fan. Always have been. General interest or something esoteric, love 'em all. At one point I think I was subscribing to about 25 magazines! Yeah , too many. Way too many. Especially when you add to that the fact ,that when it comes to books and magazines ,I am a bit of a pack rat. I used to live in a lovely little cottage down by the beach and every square foot that wasn't filled by me ,was filled by something printed.
I have reformed, promise. Right now I have 4 subscriptions and when I finish reading, boom!, right into the garbage. (unless there is an article or a photo I need, then I'll just clip those out and.. put them... in a pile ...on the table. No, really I'm better now I swear.)
So, I'm looking through a magazine today and I come across an ad for a Broadway Show. It's not necessary to name the show (it rhymes with Mom Ah Me Ah) , but a big full page , color ad. Here's the Tag line- "You Already Know You're Gonna Love It" ......okay.
You're gonna love it because you've heard every song a zillion times and you probably saw the movie. You love the songs, you love the movie , so odds are, you are gonna love the show.
I understand, going to see a show these days is a big commitment, lots of time and money involved. If you are going to go, doesn't it make sense to know you're going to like it going in? sure!
I get it. I understand, but are we all happy with this? Do we have to LOVE everything? Does every show we see have to get a standing ovation? Isn't it alright to be disappointed every once in a while? We need to be challenged a bit, don't we? We should step out of our comfort zone every once in a while , right?
I was thinking about this last week during the whole Steve Martin at the 92nd St Y, donnybrook. Basically, he was being interviewed about his new novel, which is set in the Art World. The conversation (logically?) was mostly about the art world, the setting of the book, and a culture that Martin himself has been involved in for years.
Some people in the audience wanted the conversation to be about his career in comedy, a subject he has dealt with at length in the past, as a matter of fact, his last book was about that very subject. So. a note is passed to a "Y" person who gives the note to another "Y" person who then walks on stage to deliver the message that the audience isn't happy.
Tough. As far as I'm concerned, sit back and listen to the talk, If you don't like it, whine about it later while you're having coffee and pie. You're bored? Tough. He's not talking about what you want to hear? Invite him over to your house and you can talk about whatever you want. The guy wrote a book about art and he wants to talk about art, sounds reasonable to me.
A few years back my nephew and I went to see Brian Wilson at Jones Beach. The idea of the show was that Brian and his band were going to play the "Smile" album in it's entirety, from start to finish. That's how the concert was billed, "Brian Wilson Plays Smile" pretty straightforward if you ask me.
The show starts, he plays a full set of Beach Boy hits, sounds incredible, his touring band is awesome. They take a break and now they come back to play "Smile", without question one of the most legendary albums in rock history, finally finished after almost forty years! Thrilling!
After about 15 minutes people start to leave, not just a few, a lot of people are leaving. What the..? Where are you going? Why did you come? Is the music unfamiliar? Challenging? Wait a few minutes for god sakes, Heroes and Villains , Surf's Up and Good Vibrations are all part of Smile. Here is a piece of music thought to be lost being played, brilliantly, live by a legend and you re leaving? sheesh.
What does a guy have to do to get some respect? IT'S BRIAN WILSON, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! You can't give him a few minutes to listen to something you might not already know? He already played 45 minutes of hits! He's gonna come back and do 30 more minutes of hits. Boy oh boy, I'm all worked up now.
A few more years back my pal Tony and I went to see Neil Diamond at the Coliseum. Now on my own I would have never gone, but Tony convinced me it would be fun. You knew every song, the crowd was singing along having a grand time. Even I, not a fan, was amazed at all the songs he wrote, "OH! I forgot about this one! OH , he wrote that?!!!" For me the highlight of the night was when he played , "Red, Red, Wine" (yes , he wrote that) but he used the UB40 arrangement, genius. About three quarters of the way thru the show he announced, "Now, we're going to play three songs from the new Album." At which point half the audience left to go to the bathroom, oh they came back, and the three new songs gave everyone enough time to go and come back for more hits. Some stayed though and listened, hey he's Neil Diamond, he deserves a chance.
So make a deal with your self, for every three things you go see ,knowing that you are going to love them, go see one you're not sure about.
it's okay to be bored, gives you something to talk about over coffee and pie
I have reformed, promise. Right now I have 4 subscriptions and when I finish reading, boom!, right into the garbage. (unless there is an article or a photo I need, then I'll just clip those out and.. put them... in a pile ...on the table. No, really I'm better now I swear.)
So, I'm looking through a magazine today and I come across an ad for a Broadway Show. It's not necessary to name the show (it rhymes with Mom Ah Me Ah) , but a big full page , color ad. Here's the Tag line- "You Already Know You're Gonna Love It" ......okay.
You're gonna love it because you've heard every song a zillion times and you probably saw the movie. You love the songs, you love the movie , so odds are, you are gonna love the show.
I understand, going to see a show these days is a big commitment, lots of time and money involved. If you are going to go, doesn't it make sense to know you're going to like it going in? sure!
I get it. I understand, but are we all happy with this? Do we have to LOVE everything? Does every show we see have to get a standing ovation? Isn't it alright to be disappointed every once in a while? We need to be challenged a bit, don't we? We should step out of our comfort zone every once in a while , right?
I was thinking about this last week during the whole Steve Martin at the 92nd St Y, donnybrook. Basically, he was being interviewed about his new novel, which is set in the Art World. The conversation (logically?) was mostly about the art world, the setting of the book, and a culture that Martin himself has been involved in for years.
Some people in the audience wanted the conversation to be about his career in comedy, a subject he has dealt with at length in the past, as a matter of fact, his last book was about that very subject. So. a note is passed to a "Y" person who gives the note to another "Y" person who then walks on stage to deliver the message that the audience isn't happy.
Tough. As far as I'm concerned, sit back and listen to the talk, If you don't like it, whine about it later while you're having coffee and pie. You're bored? Tough. He's not talking about what you want to hear? Invite him over to your house and you can talk about whatever you want. The guy wrote a book about art and he wants to talk about art, sounds reasonable to me.
A few years back my nephew and I went to see Brian Wilson at Jones Beach. The idea of the show was that Brian and his band were going to play the "Smile" album in it's entirety, from start to finish. That's how the concert was billed, "Brian Wilson Plays Smile" pretty straightforward if you ask me.
The show starts, he plays a full set of Beach Boy hits, sounds incredible, his touring band is awesome. They take a break and now they come back to play "Smile", without question one of the most legendary albums in rock history, finally finished after almost forty years! Thrilling!
After about 15 minutes people start to leave, not just a few, a lot of people are leaving. What the..? Where are you going? Why did you come? Is the music unfamiliar? Challenging? Wait a few minutes for god sakes, Heroes and Villains , Surf's Up and Good Vibrations are all part of Smile. Here is a piece of music thought to be lost being played, brilliantly, live by a legend and you re leaving? sheesh.
What does a guy have to do to get some respect? IT'S BRIAN WILSON, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! You can't give him a few minutes to listen to something you might not already know? He already played 45 minutes of hits! He's gonna come back and do 30 more minutes of hits. Boy oh boy, I'm all worked up now.
A few more years back my pal Tony and I went to see Neil Diamond at the Coliseum. Now on my own I would have never gone, but Tony convinced me it would be fun. You knew every song, the crowd was singing along having a grand time. Even I, not a fan, was amazed at all the songs he wrote, "OH! I forgot about this one! OH , he wrote that?!!!" For me the highlight of the night was when he played , "Red, Red, Wine" (yes , he wrote that) but he used the UB40 arrangement, genius. About three quarters of the way thru the show he announced, "Now, we're going to play three songs from the new Album." At which point half the audience left to go to the bathroom, oh they came back, and the three new songs gave everyone enough time to go and come back for more hits. Some stayed though and listened, hey he's Neil Diamond, he deserves a chance.
So make a deal with your self, for every three things you go see ,knowing that you are going to love them, go see one you're not sure about.
it's okay to be bored, gives you something to talk about over coffee and pie
Friday, December 17, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
the glamorous life....
Thanks to my good pal TIVO, I have watched the Stephen Sondheim 80th Birthday celebration a whole buncha times. It was a wonderful evening to say the least with a star studded array of performers, Hosted ,quite winningly, by David Hyde Pierce.
the performances were all delightful and at times breathtakingly beautiful.
some random thoughts:
I love the quartet from Follies , You're Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through- I found myself singing it for days after. It stands on it's own as a number and in the musical it perfectly sets the youthful optimism of the characters. And one of the singers, Jenn Collela, stole my heart- what a presence on stage, what an expressive face, what a low cut blue gown! The star tattoo on her right arm is a bit silly (sez me, but what do I know?) The Girl is a star.
Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason sang , It Takes Two, from Into The Woods. The affection the Broadway Crowd has for her is lovely - the crowd roars when she first appears, and any time her name comes up among Broadway types ,they sing her praises. Nice.
John McMartin, from the original cast, of Follies sang The Road You Didn't Take and I felt it was stunning, I had tears in my lil' eyes. As he walked off I felt the reaction of the audience was a bit subdued- not everything has to be huge and big and passionate, folks. Sondheim often says
that McMartin's performance in the original Follies was one of the best he ever saw.
Mandy Patinkin brought huge and big and passionate to the stage with two numbers from Sunday In The Park...) Finishing The Hat, and with Bernadette Peters , Move On. Brings the house down, He's a very intense guy that Mandy.
David Hyde Pierce sings, Beautiful Girls and introduces (all dressed in red!) The Ladies- Bernadette Peters, Audra McDonald, Patti Lupone, Marin Mazzie, Donna Murphy, and Elaine Stritch- oh yeah, we ain't kiddin' around now. The crowd roars, and as they do chairs are brought out and the ladies sit. They are going to get up , one by one, and give a master class in what it means to be a Broadway Star, While the others are sitting and watching!!! In full view of the audience!!!!! When I first saw it, I found it ....odd. I've watched it about a dozen times and I still find it odd. It works and I guess it's very nice, but it's odd. As I watch I always think, did any one have to be convinced that this would work. Now, I know what you're saying, "sexist pig! All women are divas, right? They can't share a stage?" Not at all , all women, all men, a mix, to me....still odd.
In that setting, Patti Lupone became my hero. She goes first, "I'd like to propose a toast." The audience roars it's approval, a shot of Sondheim in his seat as he bursts into laughter. Now she sings, The Ladies Who Lunch, with Elaine Stritch sitting six feet away. The woman who introduced the song, hell it was written for her (not just her character , but her) If anybody "owns" a song Stritch owns this one. Patti Lupone takes this song and brings it to a whole 'nother world, she crafts each and every word , every syllable ( listen to her sing the words "..The Best", extraordinary, an acting lesson in two words. find it and listen) I like Lupone, I'm not a huge fan, but after that I'll become recording secretary of The Patti Lupone Appreciation Society, (I'm too busy or else I would be president)
At the end they bring out, basically everybody who was appearing on Broadway when they filmed the concert and sing a hushed ,reverent , magical, version of "Sunday" From .......With George. Goosebumps. a shot of Sondheim , who begins to cry. still more goosebumps.
a great night
I had another great Night with "Steve "at Lincoln Center a few years back when I attended one of the conversations he does periodically with Frank Rich. Sondheim is the perfect interview subject, you ask a question or make a comment and he's off - with anecdotes and comparisons and opinions and bits of backstage gossip, a born storyteller. Two favorite memories of that night: He doesn't care for South Pacific, he likes the love story, but doesn't believe the sailors for a minute. Also he saw , The Wiz, about seven times on Broadway, he loved it. He'll be the first to tell you that it has some problems, but he was entertained everytime.
He spoke to Terry Gross on NPR a few weeks back about his new book, Finishing The Hat, a collection of lyrics and observations from the first half of his career, soon to be followed by a book that brings us up to the present. Again, great interview, I went out the next day to get it (had to special order it!!!!) This book is essential reading for any one interested at all in Broadway, or composing, or song writing or just creativity in general. For years to come this book will be indispensable- it is a treasure.
A must have, That said, I will also say it is one of the ugliest books I have seen in years. I couldn't believe it, this thing should have a design that is equal to the content, but it is horrible. It looks like a cheesy textbook from the 70's. The cover has promise, but it's all downhill from there. The text nearly fades into the page, it's like grey on grey. And the photos! they look like they were copied at Kinkos (with apologies to the good people at Kinkos).
Just terrible. I also recently got the book about the National Lampoon, Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead. Now granted, this is a book that features a lot of full color art work and bold use of typeface, but to me, this is what a tribute book should be- a celebration.
here's hoping that Volume Two is a bit more....celebratory.
the performances were all delightful and at times breathtakingly beautiful.
some random thoughts:
I love the quartet from Follies , You're Gonna Love Tomorrow/Love Will See Us Through- I found myself singing it for days after. It stands on it's own as a number and in the musical it perfectly sets the youthful optimism of the characters. And one of the singers, Jenn Collela, stole my heart- what a presence on stage, what an expressive face, what a low cut blue gown! The star tattoo on her right arm is a bit silly (sez me, but what do I know?) The Girl is a star.
Chip Zien and Joanna Gleason sang , It Takes Two, from Into The Woods. The affection the Broadway Crowd has for her is lovely - the crowd roars when she first appears, and any time her name comes up among Broadway types ,they sing her praises. Nice.
John McMartin, from the original cast, of Follies sang The Road You Didn't Take and I felt it was stunning, I had tears in my lil' eyes. As he walked off I felt the reaction of the audience was a bit subdued- not everything has to be huge and big and passionate, folks. Sondheim often says
that McMartin's performance in the original Follies was one of the best he ever saw.
Mandy Patinkin brought huge and big and passionate to the stage with two numbers from Sunday In The Park...) Finishing The Hat, and with Bernadette Peters , Move On. Brings the house down, He's a very intense guy that Mandy.
David Hyde Pierce sings, Beautiful Girls and introduces (all dressed in red!) The Ladies- Bernadette Peters, Audra McDonald, Patti Lupone, Marin Mazzie, Donna Murphy, and Elaine Stritch- oh yeah, we ain't kiddin' around now. The crowd roars, and as they do chairs are brought out and the ladies sit. They are going to get up , one by one, and give a master class in what it means to be a Broadway Star, While the others are sitting and watching!!! In full view of the audience!!!!! When I first saw it, I found it ....odd. I've watched it about a dozen times and I still find it odd. It works and I guess it's very nice, but it's odd. As I watch I always think, did any one have to be convinced that this would work. Now, I know what you're saying, "sexist pig! All women are divas, right? They can't share a stage?" Not at all , all women, all men, a mix, to me....still odd.
In that setting, Patti Lupone became my hero. She goes first, "I'd like to propose a toast." The audience roars it's approval, a shot of Sondheim in his seat as he bursts into laughter. Now she sings, The Ladies Who Lunch, with Elaine Stritch sitting six feet away. The woman who introduced the song, hell it was written for her (not just her character , but her) If anybody "owns" a song Stritch owns this one. Patti Lupone takes this song and brings it to a whole 'nother world, she crafts each and every word , every syllable ( listen to her sing the words "..The Best", extraordinary, an acting lesson in two words. find it and listen) I like Lupone, I'm not a huge fan, but after that I'll become recording secretary of The Patti Lupone Appreciation Society, (I'm too busy or else I would be president)
At the end they bring out, basically everybody who was appearing on Broadway when they filmed the concert and sing a hushed ,reverent , magical, version of "Sunday" From .......With George. Goosebumps. a shot of Sondheim , who begins to cry. still more goosebumps.
a great night
I had another great Night with "Steve "at Lincoln Center a few years back when I attended one of the conversations he does periodically with Frank Rich. Sondheim is the perfect interview subject, you ask a question or make a comment and he's off - with anecdotes and comparisons and opinions and bits of backstage gossip, a born storyteller. Two favorite memories of that night: He doesn't care for South Pacific, he likes the love story, but doesn't believe the sailors for a minute. Also he saw , The Wiz, about seven times on Broadway, he loved it. He'll be the first to tell you that it has some problems, but he was entertained everytime.
He spoke to Terry Gross on NPR a few weeks back about his new book, Finishing The Hat, a collection of lyrics and observations from the first half of his career, soon to be followed by a book that brings us up to the present. Again, great interview, I went out the next day to get it (had to special order it!!!!) This book is essential reading for any one interested at all in Broadway, or composing, or song writing or just creativity in general. For years to come this book will be indispensable- it is a treasure.
A must have, That said, I will also say it is one of the ugliest books I have seen in years. I couldn't believe it, this thing should have a design that is equal to the content, but it is horrible. It looks like a cheesy textbook from the 70's. The cover has promise, but it's all downhill from there. The text nearly fades into the page, it's like grey on grey. And the photos! they look like they were copied at Kinkos (with apologies to the good people at Kinkos).
Just terrible. I also recently got the book about the National Lampoon, Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead. Now granted, this is a book that features a lot of full color art work and bold use of typeface, but to me, this is what a tribute book should be- a celebration.
here's hoping that Volume Two is a bit more....celebratory.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
a cold wind..change is in the air....
Stay with me.....
For your 12th birthday you get a gift, your favorite gift, a knife. Not a pocketknife, what would you call it? A bowie knife? A hunting knife? Any way a good all purpose knife. You treat it with respect, after all ,this is a gift that demands attention and respect, a chance to show the grown ups that yes ,you can take care of things, you can be responsible, you can take a step into adultworld.
Years go by, let's say 15, the knife has been a good companion, you've gone camping and hiking together, been around. The blade has a nick , a chunk , about half way down- since you are responsible , and you love your knife, you give no thought to getting a new one, you find some one who can replace the blade.
More years go by, 8, the handle, which you love, has cracked. Looks crummy and to be honest it pinches your palm when you use it. Hey! The knife guy is still in business, he replaces the handle with an exact copy, good as new.
You and your knife still together after all these years.
question- is it the same knife you were given at 12? You've always had it, right there in your tool box. You use it every summer. Over the years you made repairs- in fact you replaced the entire knife.
so, is it the same knife? hmmmmmmmm. No.
But me, being me, will say.........yes. Or more accurately yes and no.
stay with me...
I have enjoyed the Yankees since I was a little kid. Loved Mantle, Loved Horace Clarke, loved Scott Brosius, Bernie....... I don't live and die by the team ,but I follow them.
God knows the current Yankees bear no resemblance to the "Bronx Zoo" days and they don't even play in the same stadium, but they are still Yankees, no make that they still are "THE Yankees"
Something to be said for constancy, for tradition
My mind has been circumlocuting around this idea for the past few weeks. The Theater that I invested a huge chunk of my life in, is closing down after 33 years. For nearly 20 of those years I was there 7 days a week, Acting, directing, writing, laughing ,crying ,cleaning toilets (the cause of most of the tears)
Ups, downs , highs ,lows- loved it all.
When the announcement was made, my e mail, face book, twitter, etc, was flooded with comments and questions and memories. As I read them all I noticed that the people from 30 years ago have no idea what had been going on in the theater recently. The people who have been performing there in the past few years have no idea about the original owners or the people who worked there twenty years ago.
What they all shared was the memory of "Their" Airport Playhouse. It was important to all these different people, It was a place of discovery and a place of challenge and a place for artistic expression and a place to meet new friends and a place for carnal knowledge in the parking lot . Different decades, different owners, different philosophies. Hundreds of people, hell, thousands.
Different, but the same
For your 12th birthday you get a gift, your favorite gift, a knife. Not a pocketknife, what would you call it? A bowie knife? A hunting knife? Any way a good all purpose knife. You treat it with respect, after all ,this is a gift that demands attention and respect, a chance to show the grown ups that yes ,you can take care of things, you can be responsible, you can take a step into adultworld.
Years go by, let's say 15, the knife has been a good companion, you've gone camping and hiking together, been around. The blade has a nick , a chunk , about half way down- since you are responsible , and you love your knife, you give no thought to getting a new one, you find some one who can replace the blade.
More years go by, 8, the handle, which you love, has cracked. Looks crummy and to be honest it pinches your palm when you use it. Hey! The knife guy is still in business, he replaces the handle with an exact copy, good as new.
You and your knife still together after all these years.
question- is it the same knife you were given at 12? You've always had it, right there in your tool box. You use it every summer. Over the years you made repairs- in fact you replaced the entire knife.
so, is it the same knife? hmmmmmmmm. No.
But me, being me, will say.........yes. Or more accurately yes and no.
stay with me...
I have enjoyed the Yankees since I was a little kid. Loved Mantle, Loved Horace Clarke, loved Scott Brosius, Bernie....... I don't live and die by the team ,but I follow them.
God knows the current Yankees bear no resemblance to the "Bronx Zoo" days and they don't even play in the same stadium, but they are still Yankees, no make that they still are "THE Yankees"
Something to be said for constancy, for tradition
My mind has been circumlocuting around this idea for the past few weeks. The Theater that I invested a huge chunk of my life in, is closing down after 33 years. For nearly 20 of those years I was there 7 days a week, Acting, directing, writing, laughing ,crying ,cleaning toilets (the cause of most of the tears)
Ups, downs , highs ,lows- loved it all.
When the announcement was made, my e mail, face book, twitter, etc, was flooded with comments and questions and memories. As I read them all I noticed that the people from 30 years ago have no idea what had been going on in the theater recently. The people who have been performing there in the past few years have no idea about the original owners or the people who worked there twenty years ago.
What they all shared was the memory of "Their" Airport Playhouse. It was important to all these different people, It was a place of discovery and a place of challenge and a place for artistic expression and a place to meet new friends and a place for carnal knowledge in the parking lot . Different decades, different owners, different philosophies. Hundreds of people, hell, thousands.
Different, but the same
Sunday, December 12, 2010
touche
okay, viacom, take away the Grace Potter song I posted, thereby blunting the well reasoned observations contained in the post (also robbing me of minute 2:41, Grace in full grind) . You also made my page look unattractive with your "Ha-Ha we took away the video" notice. In response I will post this - Grace and the Nocturnals playing the same song in a different setting.
so there
so there
Friday, December 10, 2010
oui
I first heard this band about three years ago- great classic rock sound and Grace's voice is just amazingly soulful. She just lets it rip. I saw a video of a live show they did and just fell in love with the passion and joy that poured off that stage. Grace is charming and funny and plays the guitar and one of my favorite (now almost forgotten) rock instruments, The Hammond B3. Any self respecting band in the 70's had to have a B3. I played in a band, we had a B3, it was great. Of course the drag is we had to move that mutha everynight. It was like moving a real heavy piece of furniture EVERYNIGHT. Think full size pull out sleeper couch, Castro convertible. Okay I'm getting off topic.
So the Nocturnals, for a while they have been percolating under the radar. lots of "You gotta hear this band" talk and then the other day I heard they were playing the VH1 Diva show. So I watched and was blown away. At first the crowd was a bit laid back, but as they hit the chorus-bam!- 20,000 people jumpin up and down singin along. It was great to see.
Oh, and when I first got to know them they had a kinda t shirt and jeans hippie vibe working (they are from Vermont) Well, the other night, "Heidi Klum" was leading the band, what a transformation. I was gobsmacked. I can't off hand think of a rock band where the front woman was drop dead glam. On the show the played with Heart, which seems like a precedent, but somehow doesn't feel the same to me.
I love bands like this and hope these guys break big or at least continue playing and making great music. I kick myself because last Jan, they played a Midnight Ramble at Levon Helms' studio. An intimate gig for about 100 people at Levon's in Woodstock. and I didn't go... dope.
Keep an eye out for an episode of the show "The Artist Den" a full Hour of the Nocturnals filmed during the summer at Bryant Park in the City. Already the show has attained "legendary" status. they were scheduled to play for an hour and played for two ,whipping the crowd into the requisite frenzy.
we'll see
ps on the video- 2:41- oh dear god in heaven
So the Nocturnals, for a while they have been percolating under the radar. lots of "You gotta hear this band" talk and then the other day I heard they were playing the VH1 Diva show. So I watched and was blown away. At first the crowd was a bit laid back, but as they hit the chorus-bam!- 20,000 people jumpin up and down singin along. It was great to see.
Oh, and when I first got to know them they had a kinda t shirt and jeans hippie vibe working (they are from Vermont) Well, the other night, "Heidi Klum" was leading the band, what a transformation. I was gobsmacked. I can't off hand think of a rock band where the front woman was drop dead glam. On the show the played with Heart, which seems like a precedent, but somehow doesn't feel the same to me.
I love bands like this and hope these guys break big or at least continue playing and making great music. I kick myself because last Jan, they played a Midnight Ramble at Levon Helms' studio. An intimate gig for about 100 people at Levon's in Woodstock. and I didn't go... dope.
Keep an eye out for an episode of the show "The Artist Den" a full Hour of the Nocturnals filmed during the summer at Bryant Park in the City. Already the show has attained "legendary" status. they were scheduled to play for an hour and played for two ,whipping the crowd into the requisite frenzy.
we'll see
ps on the video- 2:41- oh dear god in heaven
Sunday, December 5, 2010
musings of an old coot
I am not a shopping on Black Friday fella. I will admit I enjoy shopping for gifts, exploring what is in the little out of the way stores. Shopping like I live my life wandering here and there.
Lining up in front of Kohls at 3 am? No Thank you- Waking up at 3 am to make a stuffing sandwhich? More in the realm of possibility.
There was some general consternation this year as more and more stores decide to open on Thanksgiving Day. Usaully for an abbreviated day, but still" Open on Thanksgiving."
Nobody asked me ,but I don't like it. Take a day. Sit. Relax. or don't Sit and relax , just don't shop.Go tomorrow.
Growing up , stores were closed on Sunday. Everybody was closed- okay, the stationary store and the bakery were open in the morning, but after that -closed. All Day. Every Sunday.
I have a very vivid memory of my friend Ed and I going to the Smithhaven Mall to see the movie "Sleeper". All the stores were closed, only the theater was open. Walking through the empty mall to go to the theater was for lack of a better word....neat.
Sunday was the day you went to visit. We would all pile in the car and head to the Schmidts or the Donnelys or Big Nannys in Woodside. When we weren't going there ,someone was coming to our house. Now if I see these people at all it's at a wedding or these days more often than not at a funeral. Hell, the Donnely family? I don't know if they are dead or alive.
If not visiting family we would go somewhere, the beach or the arboretum, I remember one sunday we got in the car and ended up in the Catskills.
Was it better than? hmmmm.It was different anyway. I cannot even begin to imagine everything closed one day a week now. It certainly let you know one week was finished and another was about to begin. A bit of punctuation.
The A&P next to the church was he first local store to experiment with staying open on Sunday. Of course at mass the priest would condemn this horrible practice, a slippery slope to damnation, but more and more parishoners would stroll over after mass to pick up a few items and less than a year later Sunday became grocery day-
This week there is a big brouhaha going on regarding a talk , more accurately a conversation , Steve Martin gave at the 92nd st Y in the city. In a nutshell , some of the audience were bored by the conversation and let management know, who then walked on stage and handed a note to the moderator saying to change the subject, the audience is bored.
amazing. If you get a chance follow Steve Martin on twitter for his comic take on the whole situation. brilliant! Also in the NY Times today he addresses the matter in a more sober way. also brilliant.
Even if it was boring, so what? Be bored for a while, things will pick up. Alot of those sunday trips were boring , but a whole lot of them were wildly entertaining.
Oh and way back when 7-11 was open from 7 am until 11 pm. I just blew your mind didn't I?
Lining up in front of Kohls at 3 am? No Thank you- Waking up at 3 am to make a stuffing sandwhich? More in the realm of possibility.
There was some general consternation this year as more and more stores decide to open on Thanksgiving Day. Usaully for an abbreviated day, but still" Open on Thanksgiving."
Nobody asked me ,but I don't like it. Take a day. Sit. Relax. or don't Sit and relax , just don't shop.Go tomorrow.
Growing up , stores were closed on Sunday. Everybody was closed- okay, the stationary store and the bakery were open in the morning, but after that -closed. All Day. Every Sunday.
I have a very vivid memory of my friend Ed and I going to the Smithhaven Mall to see the movie "Sleeper". All the stores were closed, only the theater was open. Walking through the empty mall to go to the theater was for lack of a better word....neat.
Sunday was the day you went to visit. We would all pile in the car and head to the Schmidts or the Donnelys or Big Nannys in Woodside. When we weren't going there ,someone was coming to our house. Now if I see these people at all it's at a wedding or these days more often than not at a funeral. Hell, the Donnely family? I don't know if they are dead or alive.
If not visiting family we would go somewhere, the beach or the arboretum, I remember one sunday we got in the car and ended up in the Catskills.
Was it better than? hmmmm.It was different anyway. I cannot even begin to imagine everything closed one day a week now. It certainly let you know one week was finished and another was about to begin. A bit of punctuation.
The A&P next to the church was he first local store to experiment with staying open on Sunday. Of course at mass the priest would condemn this horrible practice, a slippery slope to damnation, but more and more parishoners would stroll over after mass to pick up a few items and less than a year later Sunday became grocery day-
This week there is a big brouhaha going on regarding a talk , more accurately a conversation , Steve Martin gave at the 92nd st Y in the city. In a nutshell , some of the audience were bored by the conversation and let management know, who then walked on stage and handed a note to the moderator saying to change the subject, the audience is bored.
amazing. If you get a chance follow Steve Martin on twitter for his comic take on the whole situation. brilliant! Also in the NY Times today he addresses the matter in a more sober way. also brilliant.
Even if it was boring, so what? Be bored for a while, things will pick up. Alot of those sunday trips were boring , but a whole lot of them were wildly entertaining.
Oh and way back when 7-11 was open from 7 am until 11 pm. I just blew your mind didn't I?
Saturday, December 4, 2010
are we not men?......we are Tivo
Spent the another night catching up on shows that I committed to the old DVR, although to me it will always be TIVO.
Last nights barrage of shows were all of the PBS variety- they are begging for money this month and I can't watch this spectacle. I will spend a few minutes staring at Laura Savini for a few moments in passing, but that's it.
Oh and before you cast aspersions (I hear they are having an open casting call for Aspersions!) I donate to PBS- so I can whine with a clear conscience.
speaking of whining -The worst part of this whole begathon is that they take off the shows I usually watch (Colameco's Food Show etc) and replace it with 24 hours of" TJ Lubinsky presents Wayne Dyer speaking about How to increase your Brain Power by Investing Wisely in Old Folk Songs" sheesh.
(wow, I had not planned on the above rant at all- oh the rage, the hidden rage!)
What I had planned writing about is the Mystery series "Sherlock" This is a wonderful show.When I first read about it I scoffed- a modern day Sherlock Holmes? computers and cell phones and Watson? Oh Puhleeze!
It shouldn't work , but it does. See If you can find the first episode on line somewhere, It does a great job of introducing the characters as contemporary, but with a nod of respect to the long history of Holmes.There is a delightful running bit of business of people assuming that Holmes and Watson are lovers. Makes sense.
Of course in Typical British TV fashion the first series of "Sherlock" has three episodes. Just as you are getting really involved - finished. I will admit that I like that about English shows, they don't feel the need to just continue on and on and on. They'll tell their stories and leave, thank you very much. Hopefully the second series will arrive soon.
I also watched the documentary "Lennon in NY"- It boggles my mind that he was killed 30 years ago! Time, you are one sneaky mofo. A terrific comprehensive look at his time in the US- Both in NYC and the "Lost Weekend" in LA.
It's great to see the city back in the '70's, what a difference! I know it's hip to moan that the city is too "safe" now, too Disneyfied. I was there ....often.......back then, it was scary- real scary. Fun? Exciting? Memorable? oh yeah, but did I mention it was scary- real scary? I tell you a story or two sometime.
The show is a must see for any Lennon/Beatle/ rock and roll/ NYC fan, but there is a moment near the end that is transcendent. It is an audio recording of John and Sean , who was about 4 years old at the time, Sean is drawing and telling his Dad what he's drawing. So we hear the voices and we see the picture that Sean drew, a monster, it kinda looks like John's drawings. As I watched and listened my heart started to ache a bit, and then Sean begins to sing... a bit of "Little Help From My friends" in a clear strong little kid voice. Then he tells his Dad , that's his favorite song and asks if John sang that song. John tells him , No, that Ringo was singing, but John and Paul were singing along.
I rewound and watched that moment a dozen times.
Do yourself a favor, find it and watch.
Last nights barrage of shows were all of the PBS variety- they are begging for money this month and I can't watch this spectacle. I will spend a few minutes staring at Laura Savini for a few moments in passing, but that's it.
Oh and before you cast aspersions (I hear they are having an open casting call for Aspersions!) I donate to PBS- so I can whine with a clear conscience.
speaking of whining -The worst part of this whole begathon is that they take off the shows I usually watch (Colameco's Food Show etc) and replace it with 24 hours of" TJ Lubinsky presents Wayne Dyer speaking about How to increase your Brain Power by Investing Wisely in Old Folk Songs" sheesh.
(wow, I had not planned on the above rant at all- oh the rage, the hidden rage!)
What I had planned writing about is the Mystery series "Sherlock" This is a wonderful show.When I first read about it I scoffed- a modern day Sherlock Holmes? computers and cell phones and Watson? Oh Puhleeze!
It shouldn't work , but it does. See If you can find the first episode on line somewhere, It does a great job of introducing the characters as contemporary, but with a nod of respect to the long history of Holmes.There is a delightful running bit of business of people assuming that Holmes and Watson are lovers. Makes sense.
Of course in Typical British TV fashion the first series of "Sherlock" has three episodes. Just as you are getting really involved - finished. I will admit that I like that about English shows, they don't feel the need to just continue on and on and on. They'll tell their stories and leave, thank you very much. Hopefully the second series will arrive soon.
I also watched the documentary "Lennon in NY"- It boggles my mind that he was killed 30 years ago! Time, you are one sneaky mofo. A terrific comprehensive look at his time in the US- Both in NYC and the "Lost Weekend" in LA.
It's great to see the city back in the '70's, what a difference! I know it's hip to moan that the city is too "safe" now, too Disneyfied. I was there ....often.......back then, it was scary- real scary. Fun? Exciting? Memorable? oh yeah, but did I mention it was scary- real scary? I tell you a story or two sometime.
The show is a must see for any Lennon/Beatle/ rock and roll/ NYC fan, but there is a moment near the end that is transcendent. It is an audio recording of John and Sean , who was about 4 years old at the time, Sean is drawing and telling his Dad what he's drawing. So we hear the voices and we see the picture that Sean drew, a monster, it kinda looks like John's drawings. As I watched and listened my heart started to ache a bit, and then Sean begins to sing... a bit of "Little Help From My friends" in a clear strong little kid voice. Then he tells his Dad , that's his favorite song and asks if John sang that song. John tells him , No, that Ringo was singing, but John and Paul were singing along.
I rewound and watched that moment a dozen times.
Do yourself a favor, find it and watch.
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