Minstrel In The Gallery

Penn State, The Clergy, Wall Street and political ruling class

2011-11-13T08:47:00.003-05:00

I know, I know. A rather long-winded title to a rather dry essay. But hang in there and I'll make it worth your while. This week the media is buzzing with outrage over the Penn State child abuse scandal as well it should be. I ran into a guy on the street two days ago that feels strongly that the people involved should be taken out and shot. It goes without saying that child rape doesn't go

A Death in the Family

2011-09-11T23:01:00.003-04:00

There are no words to describe the pain of losing a son or daughter. It's unnatural. The kids are the ones to live long and happy lives. Parents aren't supposed to bury their children, quite the opposite. But somehow my cousin Joe has lost his darling daughter who was all of twenty-one years of age. Her name is Allyson and she's beautiful, happy and full of life. Or was. She is gone now. Usually

Searching for Pop II

2010-12-28T20:42:00.005-05:00

This will probably be one of the oddest essays I've ever written due to the disparate elements I'm trying to bring together. Bear with me, it'll be worth it. Promise. If you're a fan of my stories you'll remember how I attempted to find my father on the Intrepid on a sojourn to New York in early 2009. Being halfway sane I certainly wasn't looking for him in the literal sense. After all, he'd been

Memories of Adriano Panatta

2010-08-21T10:12:00.007-04:00

It was the Year Of Magic. It was 1976 and it would be the year of Adriano Panatta. It would be the year that he would win the Italian and French Opens back to back and spearhead Italy's historic win in Davis Cup competition. Panatta was probably the most fluid and graceful player to play the game and although he was primarily a clay court player his serve and volley game was among the best

Shaken, not stirred

2010-07-26T17:36:00.002-04:00

I wasn't sure what to expect. I inserted a large enough sample of my writing so as not to skew the analysis. But what was I expecting? Hemingway? Dickens? Certainly not Shakespeare because I refuse to write using iambic pentameter. Anyway, the results are in. But first, an explanation. A new website called I Write Like was launched recently and became a smash hit. You simply paste in a sample of

It's time to dispense with astrology

2010-07-02T11:22:00.003-04:00

I understand the attraction. I really do. I get it. It's religious in nature and is almost irresistable. It's the need for an answer, a key to the universe that will open a door to understanding life's big mysteries. An easy way out, a magic bullet that will make some sense out of all this chaos, randomness and uncertainty. As Carl Sagan pointed out in his landmark series Cosmos thirty years ago,

President Obama vists my neighborhood

2010-06-19T11:32:00.005-04:00

I knew there had to be a reason I couldn't get to the I-71N onramp. President Obama was delivering a speech at a major intersection not three blocks from my house. If only I'd known he was going to be here I would have dressed nice or baked some cookies. Anything. But no. There I was in a baseball cap, jeans, a white T-shirt and stinky armpits. Next time Mr. President give me some warning and

An Act of God

2010-06-15T18:13:00.004-04:00

Me and O.J. go back. Way back. No, not that O.J. The one pictured above which me and my friend Grimace annointed as Ostentatious Jesus a mere five years ago. We would gaze in awe at the statue as we made our way to a couple of Reds games on the way to Cincinatti along Interstate-75. We would wonder how anyone in their right mind would think that Christ himself would be so vainglorious to desire

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-30T22:12:00.011-04:00

He was a no-bullshit kind of guy. I think even he would agree with that assertion. There were times when we wanted to smack each other across the chops but good and in my younger days he wasn't shy about doling out the discipline. Truth is, I deserved it. And more. In my youth he was elusive, not really wanting to be a part of a kid's life but dutifully attempting it anyway. There were times when

Thinking of old friends

2010-05-28T00:18:00.002-04:00

Hey old buddy, I was thinking about you today. Just wanted you to know that the old place isn't the same without you. I know it's been nearly three years but your water dish is still in the dining room. You were the best dog ever. I still love you Jackson.

Road Trip, 1974

2010-04-19T19:11:00.012-04:00

"Let's fuck her!" he whispered. The "he" in question was an acquaintance I had met at the mall where we both worked in Phoenix. The "she" was a sweet lovely thing that also worked in the mall and just happened to be the object of my affection. My nineteen year old mind saw her as excellent girlfriend material and I did give it a shot albeit unsuccessfully. His comment caught me off guard as I

Robert Culp died today

2010-03-24T21:51:00.003-04:00

Some of my readers may have noticed my tribute to Robert Culp a few months back, today there is awful news concerning Mr. Culp. He collapsed and died outside his Los Angeles home today. He was 79 years old. Thank so much for the memories Bob, you truly were the coolest ever.

The Goddess and the Geek

2010-02-15T23:10:00.005-05:00

It was on a passage to Italy that I'd met Fiammeta. I was following through on a quest to play tennis on an international tour in Europe, not necessarily to win mind you, but to be a the best libertine I could possibly be. I mean, how hard could it be with all those discos and friendly European women? She was watching the matches in the gallery and being the friendly type was quick to engage

Idiot America

2010-01-29T12:41:00.002-05:00

This is my first book recommendation here at Minstrel in the Gallery and I'm proud to have selected a remarkable tome for your consideration. Idiot America, how stupidity became a virtue in the Land of the Free is a brilliant overview of how half of our own countrymen misuse their gray matter. The author, Charles Pierce, skewers Creationists, Denialists and let's face it, the entire

How A Charlie Brown Christmas saved me

2009-12-08T18:50:00.006-05:00

The days just seemed to blend together like a gauzy old daguerreotype back in late 1974. I was working at a high end audio salon and my aborted attempt at trade/technical school had ended in failure. It's such a drag to make plans, execute them, and then find out it was all a really bad idea. What had sounded so good one and a half years ago now looked like a pipe dream. Ill conceived and

It's better than sci-fi

2009-10-15T23:07:00.004-04:00

No, this isn't an episode of Stargate SG-1 although it's just as exciting and just as bizarre. This is CERN's new super duper pooper scooper...The Hadron Super Collider. The New York Times had an excellent article about it here but it's basic premise is that this huge particle accelerator may yield some of the biggest scientific discoveries about the universe we've ever seen. It may also portend

Labor Day

2009-09-07T22:28:00.002-04:00

I'd originally planned to grab a couple of tools in the garage. On my way I noticed how dark and forbidding the sky was getting as a sizable thunderstorm rolled in. I looked up and there was one of my sunflowers, looking past it's prime and a little shopworn. It's the end of summer and nearly the end of it's life. It's like it knows. It is waiting for the end. The end of the day, of the summer.

Everything I am I owe to Robert Culp

2009-08-07T22:11:00.006-04:00

Those who know me already know that I'm many things. I'm a SAG actor, tennis player and part time writer. Tonight I had the pleasure of indulging in a guilty pleasure... reruns of the 1960's TV show I Spy with Robert Culp and Bill Cosby. In 1965 these two guys were the epitome of cool. They oozed it from every pore. And when I think back about all the things that interest me they all begin and

Remembering Jackson

2009-07-18T23:00:00.003-04:00

It's hard to believe that you've been gone for two years old buddy. Your water dish is still here in the dining room. You know, just in case you get thirsty. Part of the lilac tree that gave you shade broke off during last year's windstorm but it's growing back quickly. That shady spot where you used to watch the world go by is still there if you want to visit. And I rebuilt the back porch so

I'm a traitor

2009-07-18T21:10:00.003-04:00

This may come as a shock to those who know me as an ardent aficionado of Jaguar motorcars but long ago I was just as taken by Alfa Romeos. I once owned a 1968 Alfa Coupe which accompanied me through some of the happiest years of my life. You just can't understand the euphoria that an Alfa, a Pioneer car stereo and The Electric Light Orchestra can bring to a young man's life. I wrote about that

Love

2009-06-11T08:03:00.003-04:00

The peonies are mine, the verse is by Shakespeare...O, and I, forsooth, in love! I, that have been love's whip,A critic, nay, a night-watch constable,Than whom no mortal so magnificent!This wimpled, whining, purblind, wayward boy,This senior-junior, giant-dwarf, Don Cupid,Regent of love-rhymes, lord of folded arms,Th' anointed sovereign of sighs and groans,Dread prince of plackets, king of

Searching for Pop

2009-04-18T10:40:00.008-04:00

In New York City there is a very special ship, an aircraft carrier, that is tied up to the docks on the Hudson. My very life was made possible because a fellow who served on this ship made decisions which delivered him safely out of harm's way. That fellow was my father and he served on the Intrepid through the fierce blitz of kamikaze attacks during World War II. They called it The War In

Is it OK to discriminate against single people?

2009-02-08T22:08:00.003-05:00

We do discriminate against them, right? If I have a co-worker that makes the same salary as I do I'll notice that they pay less in taxes because they have kids. Additionally, they will receive social services that I won't receive. Their kids will also take care of them when they're old wheras I will have nothing. In other words, the government is subsidizing them with my tax dollars to construct

New rule for know-it-alls

2008-11-17T16:58:00.004-05:00

Have you noticed how while doing this internet discourse that when two dissenting opinions converge the presumptive victor will unveil their haymaker with the word "Um"?"Um, I hate to tell you this pal but you flush the toilet AFTER you pee-pee." Or words to that effect. The word "Um" presumes to telegraph something that every dolt on the planet knows...except the guy you're arguing with of

Jimmy Stewart, late night TV and a dog named Beau

2008-10-28T08:02:00.006-04:00

We wouldn't see this on late night talk shows these days with the tendency to steer everything toward "cool" or the prized commodity of edginess. The late night hosts these days will only allow the guest to be mildly serious for a moment only to get back onto the track of FUNNY ALL THE TIME! as soon as possible. That's why I loved Johnny Carson. Like a great dancer he'd allow the guest to lead us

The Backyard Naturalist or...

2008-10-20T19:37:00.003-04:00

The Return of the Deadly Mantis! My new best friend is a praying mantis that I rescued from my back porch. I saw him sitting there right under the kitchen door step. I picked him up and put him on the nearby rose bush in the hope that he'd find something to eat or at least make a loooooooove connection. I came back an hour later to find him right in my path again. I thought that maybe I should

Last Of The Triffids

2008-09-24T19:21:00.003-04:00

This guy was a surprise, a late bloom that stupefied me yesterday morning. I don't know why this one took so long to come to fruition but I was glad to see it. I had been feeling a little morose lately due to the demise of my sunflower forest. They'd had their time and while they once soared to great heights I can now feel that their time is past and a seasonal change is almost upon us. This one

Triffids Redux

2008-08-30T23:10:00.004-04:00

Once again I find myself barely able to contain my dread and to say that I tread softly around these beasts would be an understatement. Many are over ten feet tall with seed heads 9-10 inches across. It was in the first week of June that I planted them along the walkway in my backyard. Three months and many gallons of water later I find that my mutant army is ready. Ready to maim. Ready to kill.

Time doesn't relent

2008-07-27T22:51:00.003-04:00

Six years ago today you walked out the door and didn't come home. I had to go to Monterey to fetch your car the next day. You passed away in a spirit of joy but I never got to say goodbye. My only solace is that you were smiling, beaming at me as you drove away. So much has happened since you left but one thing always crosses my mind when I watch TV...you'd have loved watching golf on HDTV.

Big Sur

2008-07-25T20:16:00.003-04:00

On PBS this evening there was a program that sort of defies description. I guess one could call it a kind of travelogue where music is scored around beautiful aerial shots of the United States. It was called Tim Janis: Coastal America. I'd seen this program before but not like tonight's broadcast in high definition. The episode devoted to Big Sur was magnificent and inspiring. Fifteen year old

One Year

2008-07-15T06:59:00.004-04:00

Has it been that long since I've been able to run my hands through your fur? Or to rub your ears? Where has the time gone? Are you still here? Did you notice how I keep your water dish full in case you come home? This is still your home.

Contact

2008-06-07T11:13:00.004-04:00

"You talked to who? Jerry?" "Oh my God" I exclaimed. I haven't talked to Jerry since my junior year in high school in 1972. But here was my old friend telling me he'd just re-established contact with our one-time classmate. "And you did just happen to get an e-mail address, right?" I asked. My friend replied in the affirmative and within seconds I too had the info. This would be fun. I always

Second chances

2008-04-10T17:37:00.002-04:00

A certain tree I know is counting it's blessings as we speak. This one for instance. He had the misfortune of planting his roots too close to some brickwork on my property. In a year's time the roots would have destroyed the foundation of the brick wall so I knew the young tree had to go. But rather than just cut it out at the roots I decided to transplant this sapling into a spot where it

My RFI private hell

2008-01-29T17:34:00.000-05:00

Advent. The irony is delicious. Advent is the name of the computer speakers that I use on my upstairs desktop computer. They're quite up to the task of handling my music with nice highs and midrange and a modest if serviceable low end. The original Advent loudspeaker was introduced in the early 1970's to compete with Acoustic Research, specifically the AR-3a which had a stranglehold on the

They shall run

2007-12-15T21:11:00.000-05:00

I spent yesterday watching an old movie. The day was rainy and dreary, perfect for screening one of my favorite movies of all time...Chariots of Fire. I'll let Wikipedia tell you the story of the film HERE. I'd planned on getting a few things done around town that day, one of which was returning some materials to the local public library. Upon entering I found it quiet and slow which I half

Slipping through my fingers

2007-12-06T10:50:00.000-05:00

I stopped cleaning the right-side rear window in November of 2005. Maybe something in me started to horde what remained left of our life together, maybe I just got lazy. It was in that November that I took Jackson to Schiller Park for a romp with all the other dogs. It was chilly and overcast, typical for this time of year but Jackson looked handsome as he posed in

Blasphemy

2007-10-30T17:42:00.000-04:00

My local ABC affiliate here has begun broadcasting reruns of the original Star Trek series from 1966-1969 much to my pleasure. While not a "Trekie" in the formal sense I do consider myself a bit of a sci-fi aficionado. But there's a problem in Star Trek World and it goes to the core of our essence, values and character. It involves the doctoring of history and the replacement of our most

The Deadly Mantis

2007-10-12T16:44:00.000-04:00

One thing I look forward to during autumn is the return of the praying mantis. I always see a few this time of year and I can't help but stop and marvel at them every time one catches my eye. The first one I saw this year was in the vicinity of my garage door. I needed to open the side door to enter the garage but I could see that he/she was very near the doorjam so I had to be careful so I

Day of the Triffids

2007-08-12T00:40:00.001-04:00

They stand like Titans, looming over all in their domain who dare to venture near. Some of them tower a full nine feet high and if one is foolish enough to get too close they will find themselves doomed as their vast powers become apparent much too late for redemption. I found them at my local Kroger, a product of an entity called The American Seed Company. On the front of the packet of seeds it

Goodbye Old Friend

2007-07-17T19:01:00.000-04:00

It never happens according to schedule or when you think it should be convenient. And in Jackson's case this couldn't be truer. I mean, one tries to make arrangements for the inevitable but somehow, someway, the wheels come off. Death is never easy for some reason and it always confounds our plans even though we know it's coming. I had run into Jackson in January of 1999 when my then girlfriend

Memories of a beauty queen

2007-05-31T11:42:00.001-04:00

At the pep rally a cheerleader from a rival high school smiles and winks at me. I wave back not knowing what else to do. She is perfection. I went home that night and thought of nothing else. That brief moment stayed with me all through the week. Eventually I forgot about the mystery girl. I am a sophomore in high school in the fall of 1971. My prospects are good. I'm a decent lyric baritone and

I need an Alfa Romeo

2007-04-21T21:11:00.000-04:00

I really do. I need the throaty sound of it's Italian exhaust reverberating in my ears. Never mind that my old Alfa GT leaked exhaust gases into my trunk which made the sleeping bag inside completely unusable. Never mind that I already have a wonderful 1967 Jaguar E-type in my garage. Never mind that I don't have space for it and never mind that if I tried to park it on the street in my

A Christmas Dream

2007-03-30T09:46:00.000-04:00

There I was walking outside my old house on Chappell Road up north when I realized that it was gently snowing. I looked towards the house and it was lit with Christmas lights and the glow fell upon the entire yard and surrounding landscape. My father's rose garden was in full bloom with brilliant yellow and red roses everywhere and their petals fell on the ground giving it a multicolored hue as

Ninety-One

2007-02-27T00:11:00.000-05:00

That's how old she'd be on her birthday today. She was the only woman in my life who could not sleep until her young son had returned from a college party. Only then could she sleep soundly. She didn't care about academia, religion or politics. All she ever concerned herself with was the welfare of her husband and three boys. Selfless was the best word to describe her. Happy birthday Mom, I'll

We'll always have Paris

2007-02-09T16:54:00.000-05:00

My trusty old winter coat is gone. Out of style, out of fashion, out of luck. I forgot to mention that it was getting shopworn as well. I'm a grown man so I haven't exactly outgrown my clothing since my early twenties but somehow this old coat felt a little tight. I needed to breathe again and replacing it was at the top of my list for the winter of 2007. I'll never forget

Late Night Thoughts While Listening To Brahms

2007-01-26T23:50:00.000-05:00

The 1st Symphony, 2nd Movement that is. Mostly questions. Will my run of good luck both professionally and personally continue? Will my dog live to see another spring? Does the light really turn itself off after I shut the fridge? Will I be forced to choose between the best job I ever had and something else much riskier yet far more satisfying? Can I overcome my tendency to choke under pressure?

A Waiter's Revenge

2007-01-16T08:14:00.000-05:00

In my last post I mentioned that I was a waiter. As a matter of fact I was a waiter for three decades but who's counting, right? I'd like to thank Waiter Rant for pointing out the following video. All the things I ever wanted to say are here...OK, maybe not everything but it's damn close. The video is HERE. Enjoy!

Elmer And Me

2007-01-04T13:52:00.000-05:00

I met Elmer Bernstein in the spring of 1996. I was a waiter in a Mexican restaurant at thetime and Mr. Bernstein was having a late lunch on a lovely spring afternoon in NorCal. He looked interesting with that shock of longish white hair and I felt that he was unique but it was something I couldn't quite put my finger on. He was alone and since the restaurant was empty except for him and me I

Thurber House

2006-11-07T16:07:00.000-05:00

It was supposed to be much simpler than this. An uncomplicated look at one of Columbus' historic landmarks which I'd first visited two months ago. I'd been planning to go there for some time but one thing or another had intervened, delaying my appointment until months after the original inkling. And after some research the legend of the ghost that haunted this old house would dominate the

What happens in Degas, stays in Degas

2006-10-20T23:43:00.000-04:00

An actress friend calls me a couple weeks ago and tells me that she has two tickets to see the opening of the Degas exhibit here at the Columbus Museum Of Art, would I like to go? Well of course my dears, I'm all about art...at least in my mind. And something tells me that I would have liked Degas. He was irritable, pissy, prone to anger, draconian and brilliant. Sounds like somebody I know.

The Road

2006-09-10T09:31:00.000-04:00

My car is my sanctuary. It is my entire universe as I make yet another road trip to Los Angeles from Northern California. This particular ship of the highway was a 1980 Peugeot 505 with the most comfortable seats I've ever used. "I was a free man in Paris" as Joni Mitchell would say and there was nothing more liberating than a road trip. The preparation was part of the magic, traveling light was

Dogs, Heaven, and the loss of my faith

2006-08-19T09:13:00.000-04:00

First, a charming story that now and then makes the rounds on the web...A man and his dog were walking along a road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly occurred to him that he was dead. He remembered dying, and that the dog had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them. After a while, they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It

The Dick Cavett Show on DVD

2006-08-05T22:36:00.000-04:00

This brought back some very cool memories. I had seen a promo a few weeks earlier about a 4 DVD set of the best of Dick Cavett's interviews from his show which ran on ABC from 1969 to 1974. This was still fresh in my memory as I was poking around at my local public library when I suddenly saw the set up on the shelf. I grabbed it quickly as if someone would beat me to it. Looking around I could

Looking for The Beach Boys

2006-07-06T21:02:00.000-04:00

It was just over three years ago (April, 2003) that I moved into a small beach house in Oxnard on Hollywood Beach. The neighborhood was not new to me as I'd lived there briefly 40 years earlier as a little boy. My family had moved cross country from New England via Maryland and we ended up in Oxnard for my father's new job as a dedicated civil servant. He would eventually make GS-12, whatever

The final leg to Ohio

2006-05-14T13:27:00.000-04:00

This is the last day of my cross-country trip which took me from California to Columbus, Ohio in August of 2004. The final leg of our trip took us through three states, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio and was a mere 400 miles or so. Compare this to the average 640 miles we had managed the first three days and you'll see why I thought this was an easy day. So we did 632 miles the first day, 649 the

Kansas

2006-05-14T10:42:00.000-04:00

This is the third leg of my cross-country drive from California to Ohio in August of 2004. There isn't all that much to say about Kansas. Mile after mile of grassy fields stretching to infinity. That's it. That's Kansas. I was listening to a CD I had burned that had all sorts of music from 1978. I was going to college then and those were the best years of my life. The CD contained some Hall and

The Rockies beckon

2006-03-31T20:55:00.000-05:00

My August 2004 cross-country trip now takes me through Colorado. Onward...Our stay in Salina, Utah was uneventful outside of weather which was interesting. It was humid as hell and there seemed to be heavy weather blowing in, a rainstorm that never happened but would have been welcome as far as I was concerned. I was happy just to sit in the comfort of our air conditioned room in my underwear

I was driving across the burning desert...

2006-03-16T01:56:00.000-05:00

This is the third installment of my cross-country trip from August of 2004. I'm still negotiating the Old West and enjoying the scenery.The Nevada desert flies on by me as Las Vegas recedes into my rear view mirror. At the time I was thinking of a Joni Mitchell song called "Amelia" where she says..."I was driving across the burning desertWhen I spotted six jet planesLeaving six white vapor trails

The desert and beyond

2006-03-12T12:40:00.000-05:00

This is the second installment of my cross-country trip from California to Columbus, Ohio. Come journey back in time with me to August of 2004. It's hot, overpowering heat, so we journeyed in the very early morning.I had a bit of a rough start. As I was saying I'd made it past L.A. and now was heading for Las Vegas on Highway 15. Only one problem...I was falling asleep at the wheel. I mean the

My cross-country journey...revisited

2006-03-10T11:33:00.000-05:00

I thought it would be fun to recount the move I made from California to Columbus, Ohio in August of 2004. I kept a journal and even though it's late in arriving, it's always worth a read. The trip was amazing, seeing America again from the driver's seat of my car was eye opening and in some ways, inspiring. I spent all of Friday from 5:45AM preparing for the movers and then packing everything up

Dick McCarthy, A Man For All Seasons

2006-02-10T10:49:00.000-05:00

While making a trip to L.A. in 1996 to attend the premiere of the movie I was in, I took a sentimental journey back to Oxnard, where I had spent a good deal of my youth. There I was to meet up with my old friend and classmate Pat McCarthy for a rousing bit of tennis with his brothers, Frank and Mike. I had been spending a little time exploring the halls of my old grammer school, Santa Clara

A long goodbye

2005-12-30T23:44:00.000-05:00

Jackson is dying. His hind quarters are on the verge of being completely non-functional. He is almost a paraplegic due to something called Wobblers Syndrome, a disease of the spinal column where the vertebras constrict the space where the spinal cord exists. The compressing spinal cord is no longer able to send signals to the rear legs so they slowly fail to work. He isn't in any pain but he will

A Walk in the Countryside

2005-12-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

Episode 9, Eternity and the peanut butter and jelly sandwich There is nothing like a really good peanut butter and jelly sandwich. This particular American delicacy should be re-classified as its own food group. To experience it is akin to Nirvana, a state of bliss envelopes anyone who partakes of this manna especially when finished off with chips and a generous tumbler of milk. And while Jackson

Mater

2005-12-11T21:25:00.000-05:00

Mary Ellen Roland February 27th,1916- December 11th, 2000Mom, I miss you and think of you all the time. Your loving son.

On Lennon's passing

2005-12-09T23:39:00.000-05:00

I managed to miss the anniversary of John Lennon's death by one day but I may get dispensation because I'm sure there's somewhere on the planet where it's still the 8th of December, so forgive me Johnny.It was exactly 25 years ago that he was shot and killed. His death stunned and staggered the world. The news of his death hit me just as hard as the assasinations of JFK, RFK and Martin. In short,

Intolerable Cruelty

2005-12-01T12:42:00.000-05:00

While on the phone with a friend this afternoon I attended to Jackson who wanted to go out in the yard. He's good about that. When he feels the need to go out he let's me know and I'm so grateful for that. I'm still on the phone and I hear Jackson's familiar howl outside which signifies one of two things...he wants to come in or he sees another dog and wants to chat with him/her. I look out the

The Anonymous Poet

2005-11-26T22:50:00.000-05:00

I'd almost completely forgotten about it. That small sheet of paper from a notepad that was slipped onto the frame of a picture hanging in my living room. In my previous life the picture had hung in a room very brightly illuminated by sunlight. What writing that was originally present on the note had been bleached away by the sun almost to the point of invisibility. Almost. It was a poem. Given

Alfred Anderson died last night

2005-11-22T00:13:00.000-05:00

A piece of living history passed away yesterday. Alfred Anderson passed away at the age of 109. He was one of the last living humans who experienced the Christmas truce of World War I and with his passing a large piece of history has slipped into oblivion. We are all the poorer for it. Alfred Anderson storyAlfred Anderson was one of the luckiest people, in my humble opinion, to have lived in the

A Walk in the Countryside (from 2002)

2005-11-19T22:29:00.000-05:00

Episode 8 The Birds and the BeesAnother cool and peaceful morning here in the Central Coast and I'm once again being domestic. The carport needs attention and my big friend is always there to help...JACKSONWhat are you doing Motley?MOTLEYFOOLOh, just scraping off the mud from this beam above the car.JACKSONOh OK, I saw the mud swallows there earlier and thought they might be up to

Playing God and the first snow flurries

2005-11-17T09:46:00.000-05:00

The end of October brings a pestilence to many areas of the eastern seaboard that I've simply dubbed The Invasion Of The Ladybugs. They are like the plague of locusts, they are everywhere, and I find them...delightful. They are such harmless little creatures, beneficial to us in so many ways, and I just can't bring myself to dislike anything named ladybug. And did I mention that they were

Halloween Cabargay

2005-11-03T20:19:00.000-05:00

I have nothing profound to offer this week but I do want to tell you all how I spent my Halloween. It started with an invitation to have dinner with George and Joyce, a married couple who live here locally. I'd met Joyce two months ago when she assisted me in procurring actors for a read-through of a new play by my friend, Grimace, at my house. Actually, we met when she walked into the same

A Walk in the Countryside

2005-10-29T08:11:00.000-04:00

Episode 7 A Pet's Peeves The big black shape lumbers over to where I sit on the side of the house and heaves his big frame down on the ground next to me. His nose is an inch away from my foot, he clears his throat... JACKSON: I've been watching TV lately Motley and something caught my eye that I wanted to talk to you about. MOTLEYFOOL: What did you see? JACKSON: Oh, there was all this talk of a

Cowboy Buckaroo

2005-10-21T17:17:00.000-04:00

Just 29 miles N.W. of Hollywood and 5 miles north of Chatsworth on Scenic Highway 118 lies a secret. A place that no longer exists as it once did but holds a memory or two for those that have traversed these dusty roads. This is the story of an old movie cowboy named Ray "Crash" Corrigan and the western town he created. He started out as a trainer for stunt men and actors but was soon offered

The Backyard Naturalist

2005-10-09T23:29:00.000-04:00

I have been pleasantly surprised by the change in flora and fauna since I've moved back east. The environment is leafy and green compared to the dust and scrub brush of the Central Coast in California. I really enjoy the change of seasons and the corresponding creatures that those changes bring. I had been mowing the lawn on a warm September Sunday when I noticed a quick flailing object in front

A Walk in the Countryside

2005-09-29T19:06:00.000-04:00

Summer 2002JACKSONMotley? Are you busy?MOTLEYFOOLNo Jackson, I'm just adjusting the idle speed on the E-type. What's up?I saunter on over to the side of the house where Jackson likes to sunbathe with the cat. I lean my frame against the wall, my jeans feeling the sun's warmth on the sidewalk beneath me. He sits at first then lays down, his big head finding it's way onto my shoe.MOTLEYFOOLYou've

Origins

2005-09-23T21:32:00.000-04:00

This isn't really a political blog. I intentionally kept it that way so I could lavish all my time on my rather eclectic style of writing, whatever that is. When I started this blog I honestly didn't know what kind of form or direction it would take. But it found it's way and in general I like what I've done so far. But I don't actually jump into politics here and not because I'm not political. I

A Time Machine Of Sorts

2005-09-22T19:35:00.000-04:00

It's a daunting task but one I've set my mind to...to recreate my vinyl music collection on CD. After acquiring Emerson, Lake And Palmer I began to realize that the music of the 1970s was unbelievable. A cornucopia, a treasure chest of awesome music that impresses me to this day. Soon after that decade ended it was fashionable to bash it as puerile and vapid. Stupid beyond words. Of course, we

A Walk in the Countryside

2005-09-08T02:15:00.000-04:00

Summer 2002Episode Five, Jackson learns a valuable lessonThere he lays, a big black lump waiting for me to instigate some kind of action so he can happily join along. I sat down next to him on the side of the house where the morning sun was already taking the chill off the night's unfriendly passing. He pretended not to notice me but the swishing of that big black furry tail always gave him away.

Maus

2005-09-01T23:44:00.000-04:00

In the movie The Green Mile there is a mouse named Mr. Jingles who gets the gift of long life from a miraculuous healer. The mouse lives for 60+ years, same as the lead character who also lives much longer due to divine intervention. But I'm getting ahead of myself. This is a story about compassion, empathy, death and contradictions.I have a mouse in my house too. Or I had one until I gave him

The world does turn

2005-08-30T16:23:00.000-04:00

I had a good day today. First I went to the bank to make a withdrawal. My bank is a really pleasant small bank in an old historic brick building. The kind of place that makes you feel good just walking into. The fancy woodworking inside is a pleasure to lay one's eyes on. Once finished there I drove through the rain to the store to get some things I'd need to continue the restoration of my old

A Walk in the Countryside

2005-08-28T23:07:00.000-04:00

May 2002Episode 4, A Mysterious Visitor I was doing some yard work the other day, you know, pruning the rosebushes then sweeping out the driveway. Jackson had positioned himself on the cement in front of the car in his usual Sphinx-like pose. I worked in my usual leisurely manner, occasionally looking over at him to check on his whereabouts. His whole existence these days seemed to

A legacy of sorts

2005-08-26T09:06:00.000-04:00

I've noticed my own tendency to use old expressions that have been handed down to me from my parents. I'm not sure when I started to notice this, it happens when I'm in a more reflective mood. They are as much a part of me as my accent or my personal history. One old saw I use frequently is "Used rough and put away dirty" which can be utilized for a myriad of uses. I believe the expression has

California Dreamin'

2005-08-21T21:56:00.000-04:00

I finally saw the film Sideways last week. I enjoyed it very much but I didn't want to get into the relative merits of it. I thought it was a fine film, it made me laugh and the lead actors did a marvelous job. No, I want to talk about something else. I want to talk about California. The state I left exactly one year ago to move to Ohio. Actually I didn't just leave

A Walk in the Countryside

2005-08-16T09:23:00.000-04:00

April, 2002Episode 3, The Oil Change Due to my upcoming sojourn to L.A. I thought it would be prudent to change the oil on the Mercedes. Since I'd recently purchased the car I really didn't know how long it had been since it had been changed so...down to Kragen I go, quickly finding the filter and the 6.3 quarts of 10-40 motor oil that I needed. Actually I bought 7 of them but who's counting.

Three Nice Waves

2005-08-15T09:51:00.000-04:00

August 2004In April I took a trip to Boise. The trip had a dual purpose, to check out an old Victorian house I was considering buying and to also visit my old friend Dan who was as close a friend as I'd ever had. The house deal fell through but seeing Dan again was pricless.We had met at a college football game at night in 1977 and we were both students at the local junior college. We became fast

Would you have a spare Aston Martin by chance?

2005-08-12T11:54:00.000-04:00

Let me tell you the story of how I bought my Snapper self propelled electric start lawnmower. This will go down as one of the great stories in my family history. OK, maybe not great, just amusing. Well...to me at least.When the weather finally warmed up about four months ago I went out to procure my first lawnmower. Jesus, I'm a homeowner. Anyway I had seen a used one for sale at a second hand

A Walk in the Countryside

2005-08-10T19:11:00.000-04:00

Episode 2, A Bleaker Outlook A month later and the rains of winter are still upon us. With my dog Jackson at my side we traipsed off into the inclement weather once again. There was a break in this round of storms so we were going to make the best of it. Down by the riverbed we went, nothing but the dark sky and the sound of the wind whistling in our ears. Gone was the quiet expectation of an

Forgive me Nellie

2005-08-08T01:16:00.000-04:00

My first memory of Nellie was in 1983 when I started working as a waiter at a Mexican restaurant in the town where I lived. She was an illegal Mexican national who found sanctuary among her family in their little ethnic neighborhood. She worked as one of the bussers in the restaurant and she could hardly speak a word of English. But Nellie learned fast and became brilliantly proficient in her

The Wonders Of German Village

2005-08-07T11:04:00.000-04:00

May 12th, 2005I had a wonderful experience today. It involved a bookstore. Yes, a bookstore. My travels today took me into German Village, a gentrified section of Old Columbus rich in history, quaint shops and cobblestone streets. I had been applying for work at a fairly chic Euro-style bistro there when a sign for a little bookstore caught my eye. I'm a sucker for bookstores so I parked the car

A Walk in The Countryside...musings on life, love and the nature of the universe

2005-08-06T12:57:00.000-04:00

*note...these are a series of essays that I have already published but I wanted to introduce them to a different audience. I'll dribble them out now and then so if you enjoy the whimsy of talking dogs and philosophical musings you may find this your cup of tea. Earl Grey perhaps.*The Adventures of Jackson and Motley, Episode 1 A drizzly, inclement afternoon it is and my dog and I made our way out

Untitled

2005-08-03T01:54:00.000-04:00

UntitledI find the sentimentdeep in essencemindful of the curbI yield to annoyanceMy wishes determinemy life unamusingIf canes be ablemy thoughts I'm recusingSo here is that lifeweak, subterraneanburnish him I willthe nearest IranianMiddle East be damnedprimitive, medievalmy spirit goes elsewhereimpulses primevalI feel all the lightthe dark is good withalIt really matters notsome fate will

Adventures in vinyl

2005-07-31T13:25:00.000-04:00

Those who know me are aware of my affinity for fine audio components. I have been an audiophile since 1971 when I acquired my first pair of KLH speakers. From then there was no turning back and I have owned countless high-end audio products. Before CD's came along I had an extensive collection of LP's (that's records) and I try to use the best possible turntables with straight-line tracking. My

This does not bode well

2005-07-29T01:44:00.000-04:00

When animals start doing stuff like this it truly is the end of the world. Repent.

Jackson gets a new friend

2005-07-26T14:30:00.000-04:00

Two and a half years ago when I was moving into my apartment in Southern California I had a bad experience with Jackson. Unbeknownst to me the owners had installed an illegal staircase onto the roof of their three story house. I rented the downstairs floor while the upstairs guys had the second and third floors. I left him in the backyard one day so I could go to work and when I came home on my

Work it girl!

2005-07-25T08:59:00.000-04:00

These randy Neanderthals were a lot hipper than I ever thought possible. Hmmm...Ancient phallus unearthed in cave

Voulez vous...HUH?

2005-07-24T22:09:00.000-04:00

July, 1984London holds numerous memories for me. I made frequent trips there while in my 20's, one of which was in 1984. I had been staying at youth hostels there, my favorite being the one at Holland Park. The park itself was comforting to me with numerous flower beds, tennis courts and of course, the youth hostel. During my stay there was a large group of high school students attending from

Half a lifetime ago

2005-07-22T11:55:00.000-04:00

From January, 2005I don't know what it is about the dead of winter. It makes me contemplative, wistful and reflective. It may be the move to a new state, a new environment. There's a strangeness to it all and I realize that my roots are more east coast but I have to remember that I've spent 35 years of my life in California and change doesn't come as easy as it used to.I remember my first few

From whence dost thou speakest?

2005-07-19T22:40:00.000-04:00

It occurred to me as I was talking to my dog Jackson some time ago that the sound I was hearing wasn't strictly my own. We all have a voice that we use to talk to animals, very much like the voice that comes into play while talking to children. It's a different kind of voice, kinder, sweeter and more gentle. And so it was while I gently stroked his muzzle some time ago, the voice I was using was

Jesus, Grimace, Me and the Reds

2005-07-18T21:30:00.000-04:00

More than 6 weeks ago Grim e-mails me with an offer too good to refuse, he has an extra ticket to the Reds/Astros game and was wondering if I'd like to go? You talkin' to me? YOU TALKIN' TO ME? I jumped on it faster than a donut shop waitress on a five dollar tip. A couple of days ago I find out that the great Roger Clemons is pitching for the Astros turning an already good deal into a must-see

Strolling with an old sailor

2005-07-17T12:13:00.000-04:00

On July 29th it will be three years since he passed way. Seems like he's still here. This is from 2003... So I was walking down Hollywood Boulevard...and I felt the presence of my father. Actually it was only my imagination as I made my way down the boulevard on a warm, almost summerlike evening. Throngs of people were out this night taking advantage of the unseasonable weather, taking a