MUSIC, BARBRA, CHER, BETTE, DIANA, VALERIE AND FRIENDS
BARBRA THE CONCERT
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
DECEMBER 1 1973
HALF A MILLION MILES FROM HOME, ALBERT HAMMOND LOVE HAS NO PRIDE, LINDA RONSTADT BACK FOR A TASTE OF YOUR LOVE, SYL JOHANSSON LOVE, REIGH O'ER ME, THE WHO STONED TO THE BONE, JAMES BROWN LAST KISS, WEDNESDAY REDNECK FRIEND, JACKSON BROWNE AIN'T BOT NO HOME, THE BAND IF WE MAKE IT THROUGH DECEMBER, MERLE HAGGARD COME LIVE WITH ME, RAY CHARLES SHOWDOWN, ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA LOVE'S THEME, LOVE UNLIMITED ORCHESTRA THE RIVER OF LOVE, B.W. STEVENSON THE WAY WE WERE, BARBRA STREISAND BLUE COLLAR, BACHMAN/TURNER OVERDRIVE BABY COME CLOSE, SMOKEY ROBINSON ROCK ON, DAVID ESSEX A SONG I'D LIKE TO SING, KRIS AND RITA AMERICAN TUNE, PAUL SIMON LET ME TRY AGAIN (LAISSE MEI LE TEMPS), FRANK SINATRA SMARTY PANTS, FIRST CHOICE FRISKY, SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE RIVER, JOE SIMON SISTER MARY ELEPHANT, CHEECH AND CHONG I WANNA KNOW YOUR NAME, THE BYSTANDERS WALK LIKE A MAN, GRAND FUNK RAILROAD KEEP YOUR HEAD TO THE SKY, EARTH, WIND AND FIRE ROCK 'N ROLL, I GAVE YOU THE BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE, NYRON JOHNSON WHEN I FALL IN LOVE/ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT, DONNY OSMOND SPIDERS AND SNAKES, JIM STAFFORD ON! NO NOT MY BABY, ROD STEWART UNTIL YOU COME BACK TO ME (THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA DO), ARETHA FRANKLIN THERE AIN'T NO WAY, TUBES I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT IT SURE IS FUNKY, RAPPIE LITTLE GIRL GONE, DONNA FARGO IT'S ALL OVER, THE INDEPENDENTS THI TIME I'M GONE FOR GOOD, DIDLEY BLUE BAND MY OLD SCHOOL, STEELY DAN PRETTY LADY, LIGHTHOUS TELL HER SHE'S LOVELY, EL CHICANO LET ME BE THERE, OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN DREAM ON, AEROSMITH COUNTRY SUNSHINE, DOTTIE WEST I FOUND SUNSHINE, CHI-LITES HAVING A PARTY, ROULETTES I CAN'T STAND THE RAIN, ANN PEEBLES SAIL AROUND THE WORLD, DAVID GATES PAINTED LADIES, IAN THOMAS FRIENDS/CHAPEL OF LOVE, BETTE MIDLER MAMMY BLUES,SHIRES I'VE GOT TO USE MY IMAGINATION, GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS SOME GUYS HAVE ALL THE LUCK, THE PERSUADERS CHECK IT OUT, TAVARES NEVER LET YOU GO, BLOODSTONE YES WE CAN CAN, POINTER SISTERS FELL FOR YOU, DRAMATICS ME AND BABY BROTHER, WAR CORAZON, CAROLE KING HELEN WHEELS, PAUL MCCARTNEY AND WINGS SMOKIN' IN THE BOYS' ROOM, BROWNSVILLE STATION SWEET UNDERSTANDING LOVE, FOUR TOPS RAMBLIN' MAN, ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS, IKE AND TINA TURNER WE MAY NEVER PASS THIS WAY (AGAIN), SEALS AND CROFTS D'YER MAK'ER, LED ZEPPELIN HALF-BREED, CHER BE, NEIL DIAMOND SHOW AND TELL, AL WILSON WHO'S IN THE STRAWBERRY PATCH WITH SALLY, TONY ORLANDO AND DAWN WHY ME, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON MIND GAMES, JOHN LENNON LIVING FOR THE CITY, STEVIE WONDER OOH BABY, GILBERT O'SULLIVAN KNOCKIN' ON HEAVEN'S DOOR, BOB DYLAN MY MUSIC, LOGGINS AND MESSINA COME GET TO THIS, MARVIN GAYE ROCKIN' ROLL BABY, STYLISTICS ALL I KNOW, ART GARFUNKEL THE JOKER, STEVE MILLER BAND YOU'RE A SPECIAL PART OF ME, DIANA ROSS AND MARVIN GAYE NEVER, NEVER GONNA GIVE YA UP, BARRY WHITE ANGIE, ROLLING STONES TIME IN A BOTTLE, JIM CROCE LET ME SERENADE YOU, THREE DOG NIGHT I GOT A NAME, JIM CROCE CHEAPER TO KEEP HER, JOHNNIE TAYLOR IF YOU'RE READY COME GO WITH ME, STAPLE SINGERS LEAVE ME ALONE (RUBY RED DRESS), HELEN REDDY PAPER ROSES, MARIE OSMOND HELLO IT'S ME, TODD RUNDGREN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL, CHARLIE RICH HEARTBEAT--IT'S A LOVEBEAT, DEFRANCO FAMILY THE LOVE I LOST (PART 1), HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTES MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA, GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS JUST YOU 'N' ME, CHICAGO KEEP ON TRUCKIN', EDDIE KENDRICKS SPACE RACE, BILLY PRESTON GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD, ELTON JOHN PHOTOGRAPH, RINGO STARR TOP OF THE WORLD, CARPENTERS
DECEMBER 9, 1972
I MISS YOU BABY, MILLIE JACKSON THE COVER OF ROLLING STONE, DR. HOOK AND THE MEDICINE SHOW DIDN'T WE, BARBRA STREISAND KNOCK KNOCK WHO'S THERE, MARY HOPKIN SILLY WASN'T I, VALERIE SIMPSON I'M SORRY, JOEY HEATHERTON DADDY'S HOME, JERMAINE JACKSON HARRY HIPPIE, BOBBY WOMACK AND PEACE ONE LAST TIME, GLEN CAMPBELL YOU COULD DO MAGIC, LIMMIE AND FAMILY COOKING I RECEIVED A LETTER, DELBERT AND GLEN ANNABELLE , DANIEL BOONE ONE WAY OUT, ALLMAN BROTHERS MAMA WEER ALL CRAZEE NOW, SLADE ME AND MY BABY GOT OUR OWN THING GOING, LYN COLLINS I JUST WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO YOU, FOGHAT YOU'RE A LADY, DAWN LOVIN' YOU, LOVIN' ME, CANDI STATON THE RELAY, WHO LET US LOVE, BILL WITHERS LOVE JONES, BRIGHTER SIDE OF DARKNESS I'LL BE YOUR SHELTER (IN TIME OF STORM), LUTHER INGRAM YOU'RE A LADY, PETER SKELLERN REELIN' AND ROCKIN', CHUCK BERRY JAMBALAYA (ON THE BAYOU), BLUE RIDGE RANGERS JEAN GENIE, DAVID BOWIE DO IT AGAIN, STEELY DAN CROCODILE ROCK, ELTON JOHN WOMAN TO WOMAN, JOE COCKER THE WORLD IS A GHETTO, WAR WHAT WOULD THE CHILDREN THINK, RICK SPRINGFIELD WE NEED ORDER, CHI-LITES EVERYBODY LOVES A LOVE SONG, MAC DAVIS GOOD TIME SALLY, RARE EARTH DOWN TO THE NIGHTCLUB, TOWER OF POWER DAY AND NIGHT, WACKERS SPECIAL SOMEONE, HEYWOODS WEDDING SONG (THERE IS LOVE), PETULA CLARK WHY CAN'T WE LIVE TOGETHER, TIMMY THOMAS ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH, JOHN DENVER YOU'RE SO VAIN, CARLY SIMON OH BABY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, HURRICANE SMITH DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT, KING HARVEST 992 ARGUMENTS, O'JAYS TROUBLE IN MY HOME, JOE SIMON YOU TURN ME ON, I'M A RADIO, JONI MITCHELL SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES, BLUE HAZE SEPARATE WAYS, ELVIS PRESLEY ONE NIGHT AFFAIR, JERRY BUTLER WORK TO DO, ISLEY BROTHERS NO, BULLDOG IN HEAVEN THERE IS NO BEER, CLEAN LIVING LET IT RAIN, ERIC CLAPTON SO LONG DIXIE, BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS BABY SITTER, BETTY WRIGHT AND YOU AND I (PART I), YES I GOT A BAG OF MY OWN, JAMES BROWN ANGEL, ROD STEWART LIES, J.J. CALE DON'T LET ME BE LONELY TONIGHT, JAMES TAYLOR BEEN TO CANAAN, CAROLE KING WHAT AM I CRYING FOR, DENNIS YOST AND THE CLASSICS IV THEME FROM "THE MEN", ISAAC HAYES I WANNA BE WITH YOU, RASPBERRIES I DIDN'T KNOW I LOVED YOU (TILL I SAW YOU ROCK AND ROLL), GARY GLITTER ALIVE, BEE GEES SUNNY DAYS, LIGHTHOUSE PIECES OF APRIL, THREE DOG NIGHT SUPERSTITION, STEVIE WONDER ROCK 'N ROLL SOUL, GRAND FUNK LONG DARK ROAD, HOLLIS YOUR MAMA DON'T DANCE, KEN LOGGINS WITH JIM MESSINA CONVENTION '72, DELEGATES SITTING, CAT STEVENS LIVING IN THE PAST, JETHRO TULL KEEPER OF THE CASTLE, FOUR TOPS DIALOGUE, CHICAGO WALK ON WATER, NEIL DIAMOND SUPERFLY, CURTIS MAYFIELD IF I COULD REACH YOU, FIFTH DIMENSION SWEET SURRENDER, BREAD CORNER OF THE SKY, JACKSON 5 I'LL BE AROUND, SPINNERS OPERATOR (THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT FEELS), JIM CROCE I'D LOVE YOU TO WANT ME, LOBO ROCKIN' PNEUMONIA-THE BOOGIE WOOGIE FLU, JOHNNY RIVERS CRAZY HORSES, OSMONDS SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH ME, AUSTIN ROBERTS FUNNY FACE, DONNA FARGO SUMMER BREEZE, SEALS AND CROFTS I'M STONE IN LOVE WITH YOU, STYLISTICS CLAIR, GILBERT O'SULLIVAN VENTURA HIGHWAY, AMERICA IT NEVER RAINS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ALBERT HAMMOND ME AND MRS. JONES, BILLY PAUL YOU OUGHT TO BE WITH ME, AL GREEN I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW, JOHNNY NASH IF YOU DON'T KNOW ME BY NOW, HAROLD MELVIN AND THE BLUE NOTESPAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE, TEMPTATIONS I AM WOMAN, HELEN REDDY
DECEMBER 4, 1971
DAISY MAE, HAMILTON, JOE FRANK AND REYNOLDS I'M GONNA BE A COUNTRY GIRL AGAIN, BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE DEVIL YOU, STAMPEDERS LOVE IS FUNNY THAT WAY, JACKIE WILSON THE GIRL WHO LOVED ME WHEN, GLASS BOTTLE I WANT TO PAY YOU BACK, CHI-LITES YOU KEEP ME HOLDING ON, TYRONE DAVIS GEORGE JACKSON, BOB DYLAN GET DOWN, CURTIS MAYFIELD HELP ME MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT, O.C. SMITH NO SAD SONG, HELEN REDDY BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN, CARPENTERS CAROLYN, MERLE HAGGARD AND THE STRANGERS LOOKING FOR A LOVE, J. GEILS BAND ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND, THINK TRUCKIN', GRADTEFUL DEAD TELL MAMA, SAVOY BROWN TIGHTROPE RIDE, DOORS LAY LADY LAY, ISLEY BROTHERS WALK RIGHT UP TO THE SUN, DELFONICS FOOL ME, JOE SOUTH LISA, LISTEN TO ME, BLOOD, SWEAT TND TEARS GIMME SOME LOVIN', PART I, TRAFFIC, ETC. DOLLY DAGGER, JIMI HENDRIX TURN YOUR RADIO ON, RAY STEVENS SOUR SUITE, GUESS WHO DAY AFTER DAY, BADFINGER ME AND BOBBY MCGEE, JERRY LEE LEWIS MY BOY, RICHARD HARRIS FOR LADIES ONLY, STEPPENWOLF THE WITCH QUEEN OF NEW ORLEANS, REDBONE PRETTY AS YOU FEEL, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE LET'S STAY TOGETHER, AL GREEN I'M STILL WAITING, DIANA ROSS MAMMY BLUE, POP TOPS LONG AGO TOMORROW, B.J. THOMAS DON'T WANT TO LIVE INSIDE MYSELF, BEE GEES AIN'T NOBODY HOME, B.B. KING IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, NEW BIRTH I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY), NEW SEEKERS HEY BIG BROTHER, RARE EARTH IT'S A CRYING SHAME, GAYLE MCCORMICK SATISFACTION, SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES CLEAN UP WOMAN, BETTY WRIGHT DO I LOVE YOU, PAUL ANKA KISS AN ANGEL GOOD MORNING, CHARLEY PRIDE WHITE LIES BLUE EYES, BULLET NOTHING TO HIDE, TOMMY JAMES I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (IN PERFECT HARMONY), HILLSIDE SINGERS LET IT BE, JOAN BAEZ FRIENDS WITH YOU, JOHN DENVER LOVE, LETTERMEN HALLELUJAH, SWEATHOG I'D LOVE TO CHANGE THE WORLD, TEN YEARS AFTER TILL, TOM JONES CAN I GET A WITNESS, LEE MICHAELS ONE MONKEY DON'T STOP NO SHOW, HONEY CONE DROWNING IN THE SEA OF LOVE, JOE SIMON GRANDMA'S HANDS, BILL WITHERS SHE'S ALL I GOT, FREDDIE NORTH YOUR MOVE, YES I'M A GREEDY MAN---PART I, JAMES BROWN BEHIND BLUE EYES, WHO AN AMERICAN TRILOGY, MICKEY NEWBURY SUNSHINE, JONATHAN EDWARDS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, FIVE MAN ELECTRICAL BAND AMERICAN PIE, DON MCLEAN QUESTIONS 67 AND 68/I'M A MAN, CHICAGO HEY GIRL/I KNEW YOU WHEN, DONNY OSMOND (I KNOW) I'M LOSING YOU, ROD STEWART ONE TIN SOLDIER (THE LEGEND OF BILLY JACK), COVEN INNER CITY BLUES (MAKE ME WANNA HOLLER), MARVIN GAYE WILD NIGHT, VAN MORRISON YOU ARE EVERYTHING, STYLISTICS YO-YO, OSMONDS SUPERSTAR (REMEMBER HOW YOU GOT WHERE YOU ARE), TEMPTATIONS THEME FROM "SUMMER OF '42", PETER NERO MAGGIE MAY/REASON TO BELIEVE, ROD STEWART WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO, DONNIE ELBERT EASY LOVING, FREDDIE HART SCORPIO, DENNIS COFFEY AND THE DETROIT GUITAR BAND STONES, NEIL DIAMOND RESPECT YOURSELF, STAPLE SINGERS A NATURAL MAN, LOU RAWLS TWO DIVIDED BY LOVE, GRASS ROOTS BRAND NEW KEY, MELANIE PEACE TRAIN, CAT STEVENS CHERISH, DAVID CASSIDY EVERYBODY'S EVERYTHING, SANTANA ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU, SONNY AND CHER IMAGINE, JOHN LENNON ROCK STEADY, ARETHA FRANKLIN THE DESIDERATA, LES CRANE AN OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG, THREE DOG NIGHT GOT TO BE THERE, MICHAEL JACKSON GYPSIES, TRAMPS AND THIEVES, CHER HAVE YOU SEEN HER, CHI-LITES BABY I'M-A WANT YOU, BREAD THEME FROM "SHAFT", ISAAC HAYES FAMILY AFFAIR, SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE
DECEMBER 5 1970
MAGGIE, REDBONE THIS IS MY LOVE SONG, INTRUDERS CAN'T GET OVER LOSING YOU, DONNIE ELBERT THINK ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN MARY HOPKIN FREE TO CARRY ON, SANDPIPERS LADY LOVE, KLOWNS KEEP ON LOVING ME (YOU'LL SEE THE CHANGE), BOBBY BLAND WHERE HAVE ALL OUR HEROES GONE, BILL ANDERSON SING HIGH SING LOW, ANNE MURRAY COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, LORETTA LYNN BLACK NIGHT, DEEP PURPLE I CAN'T GET NEX TO YOU, AL GREENE SWEET SWEETHEART, BOBBY VEE BEAUCOUPS OF BLUES, RINGO STARR GYPSY QUEEN, PART I, GYPSY RUBY TUESDAY, MELANIE PRECIOUS PRECIOUS, JACKIE MOORE SIMPLY CALL IT LOVE, GENE CHANDLER STONED COWBOY, FANTASY LONELY DAYS, BEE GEES WHEN THE PARTY IS OVER, ROBERT JOHN THE GREEN GRASS STARTS TO GROW, DIONNE WARWICK STEALER, FREE CAROLINA IN MY MIND, JAMES TAYLOR PARANOID, BLACK SABBATH SILVER MOON, MICHAEL NESMITH AND THE FIRST NATIONAL BAND CAROLINA IN MY MIND, CRYSTAL MANSION WHERE DID ALL THE GOOD TIMES GO, DENNIS YOST AND THE CLASSICS IV ALL I HAVE, MOMENTS YOUR SONG, ELTON JOHN AMOS MOSES, JERRY REED MR. BOJANGLES, NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND MORNING, JIM ED BROWN ROSE GARDEN, LYNN ANDERSON MOST OF ALL, B.J. THOMAS I DON'T WANNA CRY, RONNIE DYSON BIG LEG WOMAN (WITH A SHORT, SHORT MINI SKIRT), ISRAEL TOLBERT (DON'T WORRY) IF THERE'S A HELL BELOW WE'RE ALL GOING TO GO, CURTIS MAYFIELD ACE OF SPADES, O.V. WRIGHT STAND BY ME, DAVID AND JIMMY RUFFIN WHO NEEDS YA, STEPPENWOLF IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN, GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS I AM SOMEBODY, PART II, JOHNNIE TAYLOR SO CLOSE, JAKE HOLMES GAMES, REDEYE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL, CROW WE GOTTA GET YOU A WOMAN, RUNT SWEETHEART, ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK AND THE GRASS WON'T PAY NO MIND, MARK LINDSAY IT'S ALL IN YOUR MIND, CLARENCE CARTER PART TIME LOVE, ANN PEEBLES IF YOU WERE MINE, RAY CHARLES BORDER SONG, ARETHA FRANKLIN CHAINS AND THINGS, B.B. KING GROOVE ME, PINK FLOYD RIVER DEEP--MOUNTAIN HIGH, SUPREMES AND FOUR TOPS IMMIGRANT SONG, LED ZEPPELIN STONEY END, BARBRA STREISAND AS THE YEARS GO BY, MASHMAKHAN PAY TO THE PIPER, CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD DO IT, NEIL DIAMOND ONE MAN BAND, THREE DOG NIGHT I'M NOT MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, FLAMING EMBER HEED THE CALL, KENNY ROGERS AND THE FIRST EDITION IT'S IMPOSSIBLE, PERRY COME ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART, NEIL YOUNG CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU, TOM JONES KNOCK THREE TIMES, DAWN SUPER BAD (PARTS 1 & 2), JAMES BROWN HE AIN'T HEAVY...HE'S MY BROTHER, NEIL DIAMOND CRY ME A RIVER, JOE COCKER GREEN-EYED LADY, SUGARLOAF SOMEBODY'S BEEN SLEEPING, 100 PROOF AGED IN SOUL DOMINO, VAN MORRISON LET'S WORK TOGETHER, CANNED HEAT IT DON'T MATTER TO ME, BREAD FOR THE GOOD TIMES, RAY PRICE YELLOW RIVER, CHRISTIE BE MY BABY, ANDY KIM AFTER MIDNIGHT, ERIC CLAPTON STONED LOVE, SUPREMES ENGINE NUMBER 9, WILSON PICKETT INDIANA WANTS ME, R. DEAN TAYLOR BLACK MAGIC WOMAN, SANTANA DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?, CHICAGO MONTEGO BAY, BOBBY BLOOM 5-10-15-20 (25-30 YEARS OF LOVE), PRESIDENTS MY SWEET LORD/ISN'T IT A PITY, GEORGE HARRISON SEE ME, FEEL ME, WHO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME/PATCH IT UP, ELVIS PRESLEY SHARE THE LAND, GUESS WHO HEAVEN HELP US ALL, STEVIE WONDER NO MATTER WHAT, BADFINGER ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER, FIFTH DIMENSION FIRE AND RAIN, JAMES TAYLOR WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN, CARPENTERS I'LL BE THERE, JACKSON 5 GYPSY WOMAN, BRIAN HYLAND THE TEARS OF A CLOWN, SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES I THINK I LOVE YOU, PARTRIDGE FAMILY.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Saturday, November 16, 2013
TO SIR WITH LOVE
THOSE SCHOOLGIRL DAYS OF TELLING TALES AND BITING NAILS ARE GONE BUT IN MY MIND, I KNOW THEY WILL STILL LIVE ON AND ON BUT HOW DO YOU THANK SOMEONE WHO HAS TAKEN YOU FROM CRAYONS TO PERFUME IT ISN'T EASY BUT I'LL TRY IF YOU WANTED THE SKY I WOULD WRITE ACROSS THE SKY IN LETTERS THAT WOULD SOAR A THOUSAND FEET HIGH TO SIR WITH LOVE THE TIME HAS COME FOR CLOSING BOOKS AND LONG LAST LOOKS MUST END AND AS I LEAVE, I KNOW THAT I AM LEAVING MY BEST FRIEND A FRIEND WHO TAUGHT ME RIGHT FROM WRONG AND WEAK FROM STRONG THAT'S A LOT TO LEARN WHAT, WHAT CAN I GIVE YOU IN RETURN IF YOU WANTED THE MOON I WOULD TRY TO MAKE A START BUT I WOULD RATHER YOU LET ME GIVE MY HEART TO SIR WITH LOVE
CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION
LOOK OVER YONDER WHAT DO YOU SEE? THE SUN IS A-RISIN' MOST DEFINITELY A NEW DAY IS COMIN', WHOO-HOO PEOPLE ARE CHANGIN' AIN'T IT BEAUTIFUL, WHOO-HOO CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION BETTER GET READY GONNA SEE THE LIGHT LOVE, LOVE IS THE ANSWER, WHOO-HOO AND THAT'S ALL RIGHT SO DON'T YOU GIVE UP NOW, WHOO-HOO IT'S SO EASY TO FIND JUST LOOK TO YOUR SOUL (LOOK TO YOUR SOUL) AND OPEN YOUR MIND CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION MM-HMM IT'S A NEW VIBRATION CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUSASION MAYBE TOMORROW WHEN HE LOOKS DOWN ON EVERY GREEN FIELD, WHOO-HOO AND EVERY TOWN ALL OF HIS CHILDREN IN EVERY NATION THERE'LL BE PEACE AND GOOD BROTHERHOOD CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUSION YEAH CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION, AHA CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION, AHA CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION, AHA (OH) CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION, AHA...
DOWNTOWN
WHEN YOU'RE ALONE AND LIFE IS MAKING YOU LONELY YOU CAN ALWAYS GO DOWNTOWN WHEN YOU'VE GOT WORRIES ALL THE NOISE AND THE HURRY
SEEMS TO HELP I KNOW DOWNTOWN. JUST LISTEN TO THE MUSIC OF THE TRAFFIC IN THE CITY LINGER ON THE SIDEWALK WHERE THE NEON SIGNS ARE
PRETTY HOW CAN YOU LOSE? THE LIGHTS ARE MUCH BRIGHTER THERE YOU CAN FORGET ALL YOUR TROUBLES, FORGET ALL YOUR CARES SO GO DOWNTOWN
THINGS WILL BE GREAT WHEN YOU'RE DOWNTOWN NO FINER PLACE FOR SURE DOWNTOWN EVERYTHING'S WAITING FOR YOU. DON'T HANG AROUND AND
LET YOUR PROBLEMS SURROUND YOU THERE ARE MOVIE SHOWS DOWNTOWN. MAYBE YOU KNOW SOME LITTLE PLACES TO GO TO WHERE THEY NEVER CLOSE
DOWNTOWN JUST LISTEN TO THE RHYTHM OF A GENTLE BOSSA NOVA YOU'LL BE DANCING WITH 'EM TOO BEFORE THE NIGHT IS OVER HAPPY AGAIN. THE
LIGHTS ARE MUCH BRIGHTER THERE YOU CAN FORGET ALL YOUR TROUBLES, FORGET ALL YOUR CARES SO GO-DOWNTOWN WHERE ALL THE LIGHTS ARE
BRIGHT DOWNTOWN WAITING FOR YOU TONIGHT DOWNTOWN YOU'RE GONNA BE ALRIGHT NOW DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN AND YOU MAY FIND SOMEBODY
KIND TO HELP AND UNDERSTAND YOU SOMEONE WHO IS JUST LIKE YOU AND NEEDS A GENTLE HAND TO GUIDE THEM ALONG. MAYBE I'LL SEE YOU THERE
WE CAN FORGET ALL OUR TROUBLES, FORGET ALL OUR CARES SO GO DOWNTOWN THINGS WILL BE GREAT WHEN YOU'RE DOWNTOWN DON'T WAIT A MINUTE
MORE DOWNTOWN EVERYTHING IS WAITING FOR YOU DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWN...
Thursday, November 14, 2013
MONKEY
BOTH BOYS HAD EASTER EGG HUNTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCHOOLS. FOR JOHN DAVID'S CLASS EGG HUNT, A FEW OTHER MOMS AND I HIDE CLOSE TO
300 EGGS FOR HIS CLASS. I THINK THEY FOUND ALL BUT LESS THAN 10. I SURE COULD NOT REMEMBER WHERE I HID THE EGGS. HOLT ALSO GOT TO
FIND EGGS WITH THE FIRST GRADERS.
YES, IT IS TRUE...IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THE NEWS, THE SANDNESSES ARE ON THE MOVE AGAIN. WE ARE HEADING BACK TO MINNESOTA. IN FACT,
WE ARE MOVING IN 14 DAYS! CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY TO THINK ABOUT. THE KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL HERE IN LAGUNA HILLS THROUGH JUNE 19TH AND WE
ARE FLYING TO MINNESOTA ON THE 21ST. SINCE THE KIDS ARE GETTING OUT SO LATE FROM SCHOOL, WE ARE TRYING TO MAXIMIZE OUR TIME AT THE
CABIN THIS SUMMER. I THINK WE ALL MISS THE CABIN AND ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR TIME THERE...ALTHOUGH THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF
SADNESS IN LEAVING CALIFORNIA. WE HAVE MADE MANY WONDERFUL FRIENDS HERE AND IT WILL BE TOUGH TO LEAVE ANOTHER HOME. WE ARE HOPING
THAT MANY WILL MAKE THE TREK UP NORTH TO COME AND VISIT US. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW...
SPENT 5 DAYS IN MELBOURNE LAST WEEK-QUALITY TIME WITH MY BEST FRIENDS BASED ON THE EAST COAST. LOUISE AND PRUE KEPT ME BUSY WITH
MANY OUTINGS INCLUDING A COMEDY NIGHT, A FOOTBALL GAME AT THE MCG, THE TIM BURTON EXHIBITION AS WELL AS LOTS OF GREAT FOOD AND
DRINKS.
I DECIDED TO TAKE THE TWINS TO MONKEY JOE'S TO LET THEM BURN OFF SOME ENERGY. THIS IS A PLACE THAT IS NOTHING BUT INFLATABLE JUMPY
THINGS. THE TWINS ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT. THEY BOUNCED THEIR LITTLE HEARTS OUT.
LATER IN THE MONTH, WE DID A WEEKEND GET AWAY TO WACO BUT HAD TO MAKE A TRIP BACK INTO THE METROPLEX TO ATTEND THE 50TH
ANNIVERSARY OF A COUPLE OF MY COUSINS:
GUESS WHO'S BACK, BACK AGAIN? IT'S THE CZ NOTES, AND WE'RE READY TO DROP SOME RESPECT IN THIS BITCH, THE KIND OF RESPECT THAT CAN
COME FROM ONLY ONE PLACE, THE CZ NOTES. WE HAD ORIGINALLY STARTED THIS BACK AT THE END OF MAY, BUT WORK, LIFE, AND A QUICKLY
DEVELOPING COKE HABIT HAVE GOTTEN IN THE WAY, SO NOW THAT I'VE KICKED THE HABIT AND FOUND SOME TIME, IT'S TIME FOR THE 5TH ANNUAL
(TWO) THIRDSIES/ANNUAL MONSTER ARTICLE.
THIS AIN'T NO DISCO
THIS AINT NO MISTAKE! THIS AINT NOT TYPO! THIS AINT NO PARTY, NOR IS IT A DISCO! THIS IS THE COOP, ALL COOP, AND NOTHING BUT THE
COOP WHO IS MAKING A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!! FIRST OFF, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO SEND THEIR WELL-WISHES AND
WARM INTENTIONS ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER IN MY LIFE REGARDING BEING A BLOGGING FAN. OR A FAN BLOGGER. HOWEVER YOU'D WANT TO CALL IT.
EVERYONE CAME OUT TO WISH ME GOOD LUCK, IN ANY ENDEAVOR. OF COURSE, I DIDN'T STAY IDLE FOR TOO LONG. AFTER ALL, I RETIRED "THE
BLOG" MY SUMMER FAMILY, AND NOT FROM BLOGGING. JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. IN A YEAR'S TIME, I AM WRITING NOW FOR THREE METS
WEBSITES: METSMERIZED ONLINE, DAILY STACHE AND KINER'S KORNER. KINER'S KORNER ALSO LAUNCHED THE KULT OF METS PERSONALITIES PODCAST
THAT HAS A NICE FOLLOWING WITH SOME REALLY GREAT GUESTS IN OUR PANEL, INCLUDING FORMER METS EXECUTIVES, PLAYERS AND COACHES, EVEN
BEAT WRITERS AND OTHER BLOGGERS. THERE ARE ALSON RUMORS OF AN ALL-WOMEN'S BASEBALL SITE WHERE I WILL NOT ONLY BE A CONTRIBUTOR,
BUT BE A VOICE OF THEIR PODCAST AS WELL. THAT WILL REMAIN TO BE SEEN. IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT ELSE? ON, YEAH...I TOOK SOME TIME OFF
FROM HAVING MY OWN SITE TO FOCUS ON WHAT I WANTED TO DO NEXT. IS STARTED THIS SITE BACK IN 2007 AS A WAY TOKEEP IN TOUCH WITH
FELLOW FANS, MEET NEW PEOPLE AND WRITE ABOUT MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE NEW YORK METS. THEN I STARTED TO GET INVOLVED WITH OTHER
PARTS OF THE BLOGGING WORLD AND IT GOT TO BE TOO MUCH. I LOST MY FOCUS. I STOPPED HAVING FUN WITH IT. I WASN'T MYSELF. SO I HAVE A
SOFT-LAUNCH OF MY NEW SITE...(DRUM ROLL, PLEASE....)
WHILE BOSTON IS ABOUT TO CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF FENWAY PARK, ANOTHER MAJOR BOSTON LANDMARK TURNS 100 THIS MONTH. ON
MARCH 23, 1912 WHAT WE NOW CALL THE RED LINE OPENED BETWEEN HARVARD SQUARE AND PARK STREET. IT COST $11,750,000 TO BUILD WHICH
WOULD BE $276, 386, 639.68 TODAY.
PUMPKIN BREAD
ONE OF MY FAVORITE THING TO MAKE IN THE FALL IS MY GRANDMOTHER'S PUMPKIN BREAD. TO ME, IT IS ALL THINGS FALL! :) MY MOM USED TO MAKE IT FOR ME ALL THE TIME (AND STILL DOES WHEN I VISIT TEXAS). I MADE IT FOR MY COWORKERS, AND IT WAS A HIT. I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE THE RECIPE WITH YOU! PUMPKIN BREAD 2/3 CUP SHORTENING 2&2/3 CUP SUGAR 4 EGGS 1 CAN OF PUMPKIN (THE 12 OZ CAN) 2/3 CUP WATER 3 1/3 CUP FLOUR 2 TEASPOONS BAKING SODA 1 &1/2 TEASPOONS SALT 1/2 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER 1 TEASPOON CINNAMON 1 TEASPOON CLOVES 2/3 CUP CHOPPED NUTS (OPTIONAL) HEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES. GREASE 3 LOAF PANS ( I USE THE CHEAP ALUMINUM ONES.) IN LARGE BOWL, COMBINE SHORTENING AND SUGAR UNTIL FLUFFY. STIR IN EGGS, PUMPKIN, AND WATER. IN A SEPARATE BOWL, MIX FLOUR, SODA, SALT, BAKING POWDER, CINNAMON, AND CLOVES. BLEND IN THE DRY INGREDIENTS. STIR IN NUTS (OPTIONAL). POUR INTO PANS. BAKE ABOUT 70 MINUTES OR UNTIL WOODEN TOOTHPICK INSERTED IN CENTER COMES OUT CLEAN. ENJOY!
HENRY ROLLINS
HENRY ROLLINS AIN'T NO GEORGE CARLIN OR LENNY BRUCE. HE TAKES AIM AT SITTING DUCKS LIKE PEOPLE WHO SHOP AT WALMART AND HE ISN'T PARTICULARLY FUNNY AND HIS INSIGHTS ARE HARDLY REVELATIONS. BUT FOR SOME REASON PEOPLE REALLY DIG HIM. I DON'T GET IT. I PERSONALLY DON'T TURN TO ROCK SINGERS FOR THEIR ANALYTICAL THINKING OR WISDOM. NOT EVEN THE SMART ONES LIKE JOHN LENNON OR FRANK ZAPPA. THEY MAY BE REMARKABLE MUSICIANS BUT THEIR SATIRICAL WRITINGS TEND TO BE OBVIOUS AND SOPHOMORIC. LISTENING TODAY TO MY OLD MOTHERS OF INVENTION ALBUMS, THE STUFF THAT SEEMED SO OUTRAGEOUS AND COOL TO ME WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER SEEMS TRITE TO ME NOW. ZAPA'S TARGETS WERE SITTING DUCKS, TOO, BUT AT LEAST THE DUCKS WERE RELATIVELY FRESH. ON THE OTHER HAND, HENRY ROLLINS' RANTS SEEM TIRED AND CLICHE-RIDDEN. IT'S EASY TO MAKE FUN OF THE DEFENSELESS SLOBS WHO WORK AT WALMART OR HIPSTER DOUCHE-BAGGERY, THE MILITARY AND FRAT BOYS. WE DID THAT SHIT BACK IN THE SIXTIES. SO WHEN I HEAR ROLLINS GOING ON ABOUT THE CULTURE OF GREED AND THE IDIOCY THAT SURROUNDS US IT ALL SOUNDS TIRED AND WORN OUT. WE KNOW THIS STUFF ALREADY. IT AIN'T FUNNY. IN FACT, AT TIMES, I THINK IT'S CRUEL AND HIPPER-THAN-THOU CLASSISM. ROLLINS MAY CONSIDER HIMSELF SOME KIND OF EDGY PHILOSOPHER BUT I FIND HIM TO BE A DIM-WITTED MEATHEAD WITH A SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN AVERAGE VOCABULARY AND A BUNCH OF HALF-BAKED IDEAS WHO TAKES ON SUBJECTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN BEATEN TO A PULP BY SUPERIOR HUMORISTS LIKE THE GENUINELY FUNNY BILL HICKS
SANDY
5 THINGS THAT SCARE ME ABOUT NYC 1. HOMELESS/CRAZY PEOPLE. I'M SORRY I'M SORRY GOSH, I KNOW THEY'RE IN NEED OF HELP BUT DEY SCARE ME SOMETIMES OK?! I'M A HELPLESS DEFENSELESS 22 YEAR OLD GIRL AND MY PEPPER SPRAY CONNECT HASN'T COME THROUGH YET AND MY MOM DIDN'T SIGN ME UP FOR TIGER SCHULMANNS WHEN I WAS A TOT. I ALWAYS GOTTA KEEP MY WINDOWS UP AND DOORS LOCKED WHEN I'M DRIVING TIN THE CITY BECAUSE HOMELESS PEOPLE LOVE COMING TU TO MY CAR AT RED LIGHTS AND DANCING AND TALKING (TRUE STORY)2. SUBWAY. I HOPE THERE ARE CASE STUDIES ABOUT SUBWAYS BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST CHANGE IN THOSE UNDERGROUND CARS. AS SOON AS YOU STEP IN THOSE DOORS I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE IS GOING TO YISYOUGETSLAPPEDIFYOULOOKINGHOE SLAP ME IF I LOOK AT THEM. IT IS AN UNSAID RULE TO PUT YOUR BEST EMOTIONLESS FACE ON AND LOOK LIKE YOU ARE UNAWARE THAT THERE IS A FULL BLOWN MARIACHI BAND PLAYING IN THE CAR. 3. CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL SOLICITOR. I MEAN THEY DON'T REALLY SCARE ME THEY JUST ANNOY THE SHIT OUT OF ME. ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY COME UP TO YOU ALL UNSUSPECTING AND ISH. THEY'LL BE LIKE "HEY, CAN I USE YOUR LIGHTER?" AND THEN BE LIKE "HEY, CAN YOU SAVE SOME CHILDREN?" AW HELLS NO. RUN!!
WELCOME SCALLYWAGS AND SCOUNDRELS...THIS PORTAL IS A MANIFESTATION OF EVERYTHING THAT GOES THROUGH OUR MINDS AT THE SPEED OF WI-FI...WHAT YOU'LL FIND HERE ARE THINGS WE THINK ARE COOL OR DOPE OR WHATEVER OTHER ADJECTIVES WE MAY USE TO DECCRIBE THE THING WE LIKE....ERGO...
THIS MORNING I WALK OVER TO NEGROS HOUSE TO WAKE HIM UP SO WE CAN GO TO TRAINING WITH RED CROSS, AND HIS PARROT BITE ME, CLAMP DOWN HARD AND DRAW BLOOD, THEN WE WAIT FOR ONE HOUR ON A BUS THAT NEVER COME, AFTER THAT WE HAVE ENGLISH LESSON AND A SONG COME ON THE RADIO BY PUDDLE OF MUD, PANA ASKS, "QUE SIGNIFICA, SHE FUCKING HATES ME" AND I JUST TELL HIM WELL THAT MEAN SHE DON'T LIKE YOU VERY MUCH.
KISS
THE OVAL SPIRALS-ONE OF THEM A BUILDING, TWO OF THEM LANDSCAPED MOUNDS-TOGETHER FORM THE LATEST "MAGGIE'S CENTRE", ONE OF A BURGEONING CHAIN OF SUPPORT CENTRES FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY CANCER. THE IDEA FOR THESE FRIENDLY, USEFUL, NON-CLINICAL PLACES CAME FROM THE EPONYMOUS MAGGIE KESWICK, JENCKS' WIFE, AS SHE HERSELF WAS FIGHTING CANCER IN THE 1990S. TEN YEARS AFTER SHE DIED, MAGGIE'S CENTRES ARE A PROVEN SUCCESS. EACH IS DIFFERENT AND SOME ARE EXTRAORDINARY. CHARLES JENCKS IS A VERY REARE BEAST INDEED, A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL WHOSE PRIVATE LOSS HAS TURNED HIM INTO A PRODUCER OF FINE ARCHITECTURE FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD. A US-BASED AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL WHOSE TASTE FOR COSMOLOGICAL MUSING IS UNDERPINNED BY A WRY SELF-DEPRECTAION, HE HOB-NOBS WITH THE ARCHITECTS HE COMMISSIONS. ZAHA HADID IS DONG THE NEXT ONE, INFIFE, SHE, PLUS FRANK GEHRY, DANIEL LIBESKIND, ZAHA HADID AND RICHARD ROGERS ARE THE BIG NAMES JENCKS HAS SIGNED UP THROUGH THE MAGGIE'S ORGANISATION, WHICH IS NOW EXPANDING OUT OF SCOTLAND INTO LONDON, OXFORD, CHELTENHAM AND CAMBRIDGE. THE COMPLETION OF GEHRY'S CENTRE IN DUNDEE IN 2003-HIS FIRST BRITISH BUILDING-SUDDENLY PUT THE MAGGIE'S CONCEPT ON THE INTERNATIONAL MAPL HADID'S WILL BE HER FIRST BRITISH BUILDING. BUT THE GLOBAL NAMES ARE NOT THE WHOLE STORY. THE FIRST MAGGIE'S IN 1996 WAS A STABLE BUILDING CONVERTED BY EDINBURGH ARCHITECT RICHARD MURPHY. THIS LATEST ONE IN THE HIGHLANDS IS BY GLASGOW ARCHITECTS PAGE AND PARK, THEIR SECOND. YOU CAN JUST SEE THEM SWEATING BLOOD TO CUT IT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL ELITE. YOU DON'T OFTEN GET THE CHANCE TO DESIGN AN UPWARDLY-SPIRALLING BUILDING, A MINI-GUGGENHEIM. DAVID PAGE IS HAPPY TO ADMIT THAT JENCKS ALLOWED HIM INTO A WORLD OF LARGER POSSIBILITIES THAN USUAL. MOREOVER, THE TWO COLLABORATED. JENCKS, WHO HAS ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION AS A LAND ARTIST, DID THE LANDSCAPE HERE. THOSE FAMILIAR WITH HIS FAMOUS "GARDEN OF COSMIC SPECULATION", DESIGNED WITH MAGGIE AT PORTRACK HOUSE IN SCOTLAND, WILL RECOGNISE THE HAD AT WORK HERE: SYMBOLIC MOUNDS AND PATTERNS CUT INTO THE GRASS. IN THIS CASE THE METAPHOR BEING EMPLOYED IS OF THE DIVISION OF CELLS AND THE WAY THAT CELLS EXCHANGE INFORMATION WITH EACH OTHER. JENCKS ALSO HAD AN INFLUENCE ON THE DESIGN OF THE BUILDING ITSELF, WORKING WITH PAGE TO DEVELOP A PLACE WHERE ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPE ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME OVERALL COMPOSITION. THE LENTICULAR SHAPE OF THE BUILDING, ITS STEPPED GREEN-COPPER FLANKS,RELATE DIRECTLY TO JENCKS' HILLOCKS WITH THEIR PATHS LAZILY LOOPING UP TO CONTEMPLATIVE SEATS ON TOP. IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF GEHRY'S EFFORT AT DUNDEE. THAT ONE WAS ALL ABOUT MAXIMISING THE TREMENDOUS VIEW OUT OVER THE FIRTH OF TAY. THIS ONE IS SO HEMMED IN BY ROADS THAT THERE ARE NO VIEWS AT ALL TO SPEAK OF. SO THE PLACE BECOMES INTERNALISED, WITH IS ENCLOSED GARDENS AND SERIES OF INTRIGUING INTERNAL SPACES. SO THE JENCKSIAN HILLS ARE A BIT OF A PERVERSITY IN THAT THEY LIFT YOU OUT OF THIS ZONE OF TRANQUILITY INTO FULL VIEW OF THE CHAOTIC SURROUNDINGS. THIS MEANS THEY ARE MORE TO LOOK AT THAN CLIMB UP, A GLORIFIED SCREENING DEVICE. NOR IS THIS THE BUILDING'S ONLY CONTRADICTION. AN UPWARDLY-SPIRALLING SHAPE, WITH THE WALLS SLOPING OUTWARDS LIKE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S FAMOUS GUGGENHEIM IN MANHATTAN, MEANS THAT UPSTAIRS IS LOGICALLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN DOWNSTAIRS. ONCE YOU HAVE TAKEN IN THE VARIOUS INTERCONNECTING MEETING ANSITTING AREAS DOWNSTAIRS, PLUS THE BIG KITCHEN THAT IS AT THE CENTRE OF ALL MAGGIE'S CENTRES, YOU WANT TO CLIMB THE STAIRCASE WITH ITS FINE STAINLESS-STEEL BALUSTRADE, YOOUR GAZE LED BY THE TIMBER-LINED WALLS CURVING UP AND AWAY.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Monday, November 4, 2013
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
MISS CANADA
4TH RUNNER UP
MISS CAMPBELLTON DONNA ESTEVEZ
3RD RUNNER UP
MISS BANFF KIMBERLEE STONE
2ND RUNNER UP
MISS REGINA TAMARA GARDINER
1ST RUNNER UP
MISS IQALUIT JASMINE IVORY
MISS CANADA
CATHERINE DAVIS (CHILLIWACK)
MISS USA
4TH RUNNER UP
MISS MASSACHUSETTS CELIA REGAN
3RD RUNNER UP
MISS MARYLAND CARLA QUINCY
2ND RUNNER UP
MISS CALIFORNIA TYME AYLMER
1ST RUNNER UP
MISS MINNESOTA
DINA CHRISTIAN
MISS USA
CARLYN GORE (NEW YORK)
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Monday, October 21, 2013
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
RUMBLING
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
Snug as a bug in a sleeping bag
I drifted to the Land of Nod and back,
my perfect room in miniature,
and drifting in and out of sleep
the seeping, rising tide of voices raised.
It was dark outside.
Clattering of canvas frames
and mud and flood and panicked dreams.
I woke to the world, a lake.
My snug bug sleeping bag was packed away.
Dad and brother flapped with cold
around my sleeping room, a sidecar seat.
Rumbling into sudden life – away.
Camping gear packed damp above the flood,
flowing across our groundsheet camping site.
No-one else was dry; paddling in the night
beside a sea, a chilly East Coast sea.
Our bones shaken minimally warm,
brother riding pillion,
we scoured the promenade for mugs of tea.
A seafront café welcomed travellers, slightly damp,
skipping to the flash of fate in flood.
Dad saw her first, playing with the flowing tide:
a solitary female form, strangely shadowing a causeway wall.
We paused and paused
- wondered who would paddle into dawn?
There she was again,
same shape too deep for youthful seaside eyes to understand.
I wonder still about her tide,
our flood:
whether life was ebbing out to sea for one last time.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
MISS USA 2
4TH RUNNER UP
MISS MICHIGAN PAULINA GILES
3RD RUNNER UP
MISS SOUTH CAROLINA LUNA ZUCKERBERG
2ND RUNNER UP
MISS LOUISIANA CRENA FATOR
1ST RUNNER UP
MISS NEW YORK CRISSA QUONT
MISS USA
HAYLEY OGILIVIE (CALIFORNIA)
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Saturday, October 5, 2013
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
1960-1961
Barbara Billingsley, Leave It To Beaver
Gloria Henry, Dennis The Menace
Harriet Nelson, The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet
Donna Reed, The Donna Reed Show
Jane Wyatt, Father Knows Best
Winner: Donna Reed, The Donna Reed Show
MISS CANADA
4TH RUNNER UP
MISS MEDICINE HAT JILL DUNN
3RD RUNNER UP
MISS OTTAWA-GATNEAU SILVIANNE IVES
2ND RUNNER UP
MISS ANTIGONISH CULLEN QUAN
1ST RUNNER UP
MISS LONDON INDIA APRIL
MISS CANADA
NOELLE DELORME (YELLOWKNIFE)
MISS USA
4TH RUNNER UP
MISS WEST VIRGINIA LANA MARCELLE
3RD RUNNER UP
MISS IOWA SUSANNE DEREK
2ND RUNNER UP
MISS NORTH CAROLINA KARINA VANCE
1ST RUNNER UP
MISS NEW JERSEY HANNAH SAN GIACOMO
MISS USA
ZINA KIM (MICHIGAN)
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
UNCLE BEN
Lunch is a rarity for me at work.
And when I do partake, it is usually always at my desk.
While grocery shopping this weekend,
I thought I'd try Uncle Ben's Bistro Express rice packages.
They were on sale for 99 cents.
Helluva deal, I say
and a pretty inexpensive experiment.
Not to mention, I can nuke these suckers in 90 seconds.
Can't ask for much more than that.
So I bring my Sun Dried Tomato and Herb package to work today.
As I'm hoovering my lunch,
I'm reading the back of the package.
The Bistro series boasts "No Preservatives".
Really?
This edible product has a pretty long shelf life.
It doesn't expire until 2012.
That's a year from now.
And it doesn't need to be refrigerated or frozen.
How can it not have preservatives?
It also has no artificial colours.
Pffftt!
Pulleeze!
As I read through the ingredients,
I note the third-last item is colour.
Granted, it doesn't say "artificial".
But if you have to add colour,
doesn't that make it fake?
Despite all of that,
it wasn't too bad.
But I'm still hungry.
It was rice, after all.
I hope the boss sends me to Starbucks later.
I could go for a latte and a fudge oat bar.
THE BEST OF THE BLOGS
As some of you might know, Mike Oldfield finished recording his new studio album at the end of June. So far not a title nor a
release date have been provided yet.
What is known already is that the album in question has Lee and ace drummer John “J.R.” Robinson playing the rhythm section and
that it was recorded in London and Los Angeles (at the Village Recorders) with the inclusion of a gospel choir. Other musicians on
the project are Matt Rollings (keyboards) and Michael Thompson (guitar).
The album, produced by Steve Lipson, should be the next Mike Oldfield release after the recent September 2 reissues of his 1982-83
albums “Five Miles Out” (in CD/DVD, Deluxe and box set formats) and “Crises” (a five CD box set).
It does not escape my attention that in the course of 24-48 hours, I've gone from encouraging someone to be that smile for another,
that kind word to make someone's day, to openly cackling at a stranger who called me evil.
I suppose the lesson to learn is that while I strive to be one, life often finds me failing. Miserably.
I strive to be social. But God, I loved having today completely to myself. I cleaned (not something I generally enjoy but often
cathartic). I walked 500 miles ... okay, nearly six, and there was wine and beer in the middle but still .... I finished a book
(the end of the Sookie Stackhouse era). I shopped. I cooked for myself. Watched what I wanted when I wanted. I strive to be
social but am, in my heart, a selfish hermitess.
I strive to be kind but, damn, people piss me off. The title of this blog came from a long-standing greeting that I have with my
siblings: "Have I told you lately how much I hate people?" I probably made the wise choice to end it after "lately", eh. Again,
selfish hermitess.
I strive to be good but find that our definitions of good (yes, plural, there are many definitions of good in our culture) vary to
such a degree that I'll always disappoint one faction or another. I'd love to live simply by my Dad's motto of "You can't worry
about that shit" (where's that t-shirt), but I'm pretty sure if we coded Mom's DNA, we'd find the original strand, original group
of genes that, combined, form the perfect storm of continual apology and "oye vey" chant.
I strive to be funny and ... yeah, I mostly succeed at that, at least in my own mind.
So I strive and I fail ... comically.
My husband's great secret is that he's actually a good cook. A great cook, in point of fact, when properly motivated. To him,
cooking is scientific procedure, and he approaches it with the same methodical consistency as he does when running labs in his
classroom. He's even got cooking chops, of a sort, having taken foods (or cooking, or home ec, or whatever the PC term is these
days) back in high school.
Nevertheless, it takes quite a bit to get him excited about cooking. Cooking for a crowd can do it, as can the macho male
stereotype of grilling. It is one of the only ways my Mister is stereotypical to his gender.
During one of these rare times, searching for a dish to impress, he took Alton Brown's ribs recipe, tweaked the rub, then paired it
with a secret sauce recipe we got from a restaurant since closed. The Frankenstein-like recipe stitching worked, so well, in fact,
that this is now his signature dish.
I felt it needed a wider audience than it currently has, especailly the sauce (until Sawyers rises again, at least): It's
vingeagry, but thick, and uses coffee, raisins, and a ton of garlic.
Alton's ribs recipe is unimpeachable: he braises in the oven, then finishes on the grill. However, it's not true barbecue. But it
does make for a super tender result.
Famous James' Ribs with Sawyers "Secret" Sauce
Sauce (adapted from Sawyers Gourmet Pancake House)
Make it at least a day in advance. This makes, literally, a vat of sauce. It's a restaurant recipe, remember? So plan to freeze at
least half when you make it. I like to do this in a crock-pot on a lazy Sunday, but you can do it in a stock pot too.
2 cups brewed coffee
4 cups ketchup
3 cups yellow mustard
1 cup molasses
2 cups apple cider vinegar
5 cups brown sugar
6 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cinammon
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups raisins, chopped
A stock pot, very large (6 qt +) saucepan, or 6 quart Crock-Pot
Crock-Pot Method. Give yourself 8 hours at home, mostly unattended.
Put all the ingredients but the raisins in a slow cooker. Turn cooker on to low, and stir well. Come back and stir every half hour
or so until everything is evenly mixed and it starts to get bubbly on the edges. Turn off, add the raisins, stir. Reserve a cup
and a half of sauce for the recipe, and freeze the rest.
Stovetop method. Give yourself 2 hours, but it won't take quite that long.
Put all the ingredients but the raisins in a stock pot large enough to hold it all. Stir well, bring to simmer, turn heat to low.
Stir until everything is completely mixed. Turn off, add the raisins, stir. Reserve a cup and a half of sauce for the recipe, and
freeze the rest.
The rub (Adapted from Who Loves Ya? Baby Back Ribs by Alton Brown)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle powder
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 Tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning
11/2 teaspoons dried Italian herb mix
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
Put it all in a large container with a tight fitting lid. Break up any big chunks of brown sugar. Cap the lid and shake the ever
living heck out of it until well mixed. Shake again just before using. You should have enough for this batch of ribs and the next.
The ribs
the rub (from above)
the sauce (from above)
2 2 pound slabs of baby back ribs
a large sheet pan
1 roll of heavy duty aluminum foil
basting brush
1 cup white wine
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
Step 1. The night before. Give yourself a half hour.
Combine all ingredients for the braising liquid, then rub your ribs. Move a quarter to a half cup of your rub into a small bowl.
This way, if you dip your hand in after touching the ribs, you haven't contaminated all the rub.
Lay down a sheet of aluminum foil over the sheet pan large enough to wrap the ribs. Sprinkle rub on both sides of ribs, then rub it
in, focusing on the meatiest side. Put the ribs down so that they look like a smiley face or U when you look at them, then wrap
with foil, but leave one end open. Put the liquid in, then seal them up. Do the second set of ribs. Let them sit on the sheet pan
overnight.
Step 2. When you are ready to cook. Give yourself 4 hours between the time you start and the time you eat, mostly unattended.
Preheat the oven to 250.
Check to make sure the foil packets aren't leaking. If they are, wrap in another layer of foil. Carefully
Put ribs in and cook for 3 hours.
Remove ribs from the oven. You can hold them here for a day in the fridge if you want to do work in advance, but make sure the
ribs come to room temperature before you do the next steps.
Open up the foil. Cut them into 2-3 rib pieces.
Turn on your broiler or grill.
Use the basting brush to coat the ribs with sauce.
Broil or grill just until the sauce sticks to the ribs and just barely starts to caramelize.
Enjoy with more sauce as you like.
New Blog!
Friends.
Mashed Potatoes and Merlot has officially moved. Welcome to Kristin Eats!
www.kristineats.com
Enjoy!
Posted by Kristin Murdock at Tuesday, September 28, 2010 5 comments:
Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookDinner for friends who are not Schmucks.
I made dinner for my friends.
Sometimes I spend too much money on frivolous things like cropped white skinny jeans and Anthropologie cardigans. Those sometimes
are more frequent when my husband is out of town. Retail therapy -- ever heard of it? It works wonders on a lonely wife. When it's
just me and I realize I spent my weekly cash flow on things to adorn myself with instead of things to stuff my belly with, I am ok
with it until I remember how awesome my friends are to me in my lonely state - taking me to dinner, allowing me to be a temporary
"squatter" in their home, inviting me to family-only functions even though I'm technically not a member of their family, and
supplying a shoulder to cry on when I'm in my most vulnerable and bummed out state - I decide the economical and nice thing to do
for them to say 'thank you' is to make them dinner.
And so I did. I made dinner for my friends. These friends are not schmucks.
Avocado, tomato, and scallion spread (not to be confused with guacamole) on toasty fresh country bread, sprinkled with a little
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
These last Norwegian summers have been too cold and humid for most of us, and to ensure an adquate dose of sun and summer Enjoy
Food & Travel pack up and leave for lovely Spain two weeks in June and July 2013.
Gran Versalles**** (Photo courtesy Hotel website)
Our last trip to Spain was in 2011, when we stayed for a week in Sitges. We both agreed that that was too little, and this summer
we decided that we would stay for at least two weeks.
We discovered that air fare had skyrocketed when we started looking for tickets a few weeks ago. But we managed to get reasonably
priced fare.
We will fly to Madrid with Norwegian Air Shuttle, leaving Oslo Airport 7.40 AM, arriving Copenhagen 8.50 AM. At Kastrup Airport we
have a one hour and ten minutes to our flight to Madrid Barajas where we arrive at 1.10 PM.
Aparthotel Atenea Calabria *** (Photo: Hotel website)
Price paid for two: NOK 3308,- (432 Euros / 565 USD), hardly a rip-off for air fare during high season.
We will stay three nights at Gran Versalles****, close to the famous Prado Museum. Our 18 square metre / 193 square feet of the
Spanish capital cost us around 304 NOK (40, 5 Euros / 52,80 USD) per person per night. Compared to Norway this is dead cheap. It
does not include breakfast.
After three nights, we plan to catch the high speed train service from Madrid to Barcelona. The 621 km (386 mile) journey takes
less than three hours.
I've been to Barcelona several times before, but this time we are excited to stay in a one room apartment with our own kitchen in
Aparthotel Athaenea Calabria*** in the Eixample area. The 35 square meter (376 square feet) apartment cost us 375,54 NOK (Euros 50
/ 65 USD), including breakfast. I do look forward to do some home cooking in the Catalan capital.
After another three nights we head for the beach. The vibrant resort town of Sitges is located a half hour train ride south of
Barcelona, and this is a destination I look forward to return to.
Last time, we stayed at Hotel Port Sitges Resort, outside the city centre. In spite of the comfort of a spacious two room
apartments, we felt isolated from the vibrant night life in the area by the main beach. Now we have booked a double room with
balcony at Subur***, located at the beach. In spite of the location, even this hotel is no rip-off. We pay less than NOK 350 (46
Euros / 60 USD) per night. This does not include breakfast, but who cares. There are dozens of reasonably priced breakfast cafes
nearby.
8 nights by the beach to be looking forward to, before our return Vueling flight from Barcelona to Oslo. NOK 1957 for two in July
is a bargain.
Final costs for trip
The final cost of air fare and accommodation for two weeks per person is:
•Airfare Oslo-Copenhagen-Madrid (Norwegian Air Shuttle): NOK 1654,-, EUR 219,60 (Supersaver.no)
•Accommodation Gran Versalles****, Madrid (3 nights): NOK 913,-, EUR 121, 50 (Booking.com)
•Accommodation Aparthotel Atenea Calabria*** , Barcelona (3 nights): NOK 1127,-, EUR 150 (Booking.com)
•Accommodation Subur, Sitges*** (8 nights): NOK 2794,-, EUR 372,- (Booking.com)
•Airfare Barcelona-Oslo (Vueling): NOK 953,50, EUR 130 (Bravofly.no)
•TOTAL: NOK 7466,-, EUR 993,-
ALBUM REVIEWS 1983
Kim Carnes - Café Racers
This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Café Racers, the eighth studio album from Kim Carnes. This one peaked at number 97 on
the US Billboard Album chart.
Dionne Warwick - How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye
This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye, the twenty-fourth studio album from Dionne
Warwick. Following on the heels of her 1982 smash Heartbreaker (click here for that review), this 1983 release went to number 60 in
the UK, number 57 on the US Billboard Album chart, and number 19 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Luther Vandross was the record’s
producer and writer of half of the tracks as well.
This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of Colour By Numbers, the second studio album from Culture Club. This 1983 release
followed up their hit debut album Kissing to Be Clever (click here for that review).
In October of 1983, Boy George and the guys from Culture Club released their second studio album. Colour by Numbers was an
international best-seller, with over one million copies sold in their native UK alone and more than ten million copies worldwide.
It reached number 6 in Germany, number 4 in France, and number 2 in Norway and on the US Billboard Album chart. It Also went to
number 1 in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The record was ranked number 96 in Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Albums of the
1980’s, and it also appears on the list of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Side one opens with “Karma Chameleon”, the second single from the record and the band‘s first and only single to reach number 1 in
Australia, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, and on the US Billboard charts. The
opening on this one is a favorite of mine. The combination of the guitar, drums and harmonica is a classic. The song is about how
someone changes their moods/emotions like a chameleon, leading to confusion for their lover. The video is memorable too - taking
place on a big riverboat with the band members mostly dressed as gamblers from the 1800’s.
“It’s a Miracle” was the fifth and final single from the album. It peaked at number 41 in Germany, number 13 on the US Billboard
Hot 100, number 5 in Canada, number 4 in the UK and number 2 in Ireland. Originally, the lyrics and title were “It’s America”, a
commentary on the band’s first tour of the US for the first album. They changed the lyrics slightly before recording the track. It
too has another memorable opening, very bouncy and energetic.
Next up is “Black Money”, a song that questions the love of another and wonders if their affections are really just a scam. The
musical composition on this one is beautiful, and Helen Terry’s backing vocals on this one (as well as other tracks on the record)
are amazing. It has a classic Motown soul sound to it.
“Changing Every Day” features some pleasant piano playing by Julian Stewart Lindsay. It has an intimate dinner club feel to it.
“That’s the Way (I’m Only Trying to Help You)” rounds out the first side. Once again, Boy George’s soul side comes to the forefront
with more beautiful piano work by Lindsay and backing vocals by Terry. Combined they infuse the song with powerful emotion.
Side two takes us to the “Church of the Poison Mind”, the first single released from the album. In the UK, it was denied the number
one spot on the chart thanks to David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”. In the US, it reached the number 10 spot on the Billboard charts. This
one was a popular dance club song that year, with a bouncy beat that instantly gets you moving.
“Miss Me Blind” was released as a single world-wide, except in the UK. It was a top-ten hit in the US, reaching number 5 on the
Billboard Hot 100. It is my favorite track from the record, a four-star rated tune. I really enjoy the dance beat on this one. The
syncopated guitar Mikey Craig and Roy Hay has a classic disco feel to it, much like Nile Rodgers from Chic. Jermaine Stewart also
provides some of the backing vocals on this one.
Next up is “Mister Man”. This one has a Ska feel to it, evoking the image of a tropical island.
“Stormkeeper” slows things down a little bit. This calypso-like tune features the saxophone playing of Steve Grainger.
“Victims”, the final track on the vinyl release, was also put out as a single but it only did well in the UK (number 3), Ireland
(number 2) and Australia (number 4). It was not released in the US, Canada or Japan because the record label felt it was too
depressing of a song. The piano and vocals create a very vivid mood. The song is very autobiographical; the lyrics seem to reflect
the relationship between George and drummer Jon Moss.
In 2003, a CD version with five additional bonus tracks was released.
“Man-Shake” and “Mystery Boy” both appeared as B-sides to “Karma Chameleon” (depending upon the market). The former showcases Moss’
percussion with a steady, tribal beat. The later has a strong rhythm guitar line to it that makes for a good dance track.
“Melting Pot” is a live track that appeared as the B-side to “It‘s a Miracle“. It is a song that celebrates the bringing together
of diverse cultures to create one shared human race.
“Colour by Numbers” was originally released as the B-side to “Victims”.
“Romance Revisited” is an instrumental version of the song “Victims”.
Coulour by Numbers was released in the fall of my freshmen year of college. By the holidays, I had a copy of it on vinyl. I had
already become a fan of the group with their first album and this record just further cemented that. I played it quite often during
my college years as it was one of my favorite releases from that year. It is an amazing pop record that blends a number of musical
styles seamlessly. I appreciate it as much today as I did twenty eight years ago. It is one of those stand-bys that I enjoy from
beginning to end. Posted by Martin Maenza at 5:21 AM
Today (September 29th) marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the release of Nicolette, the debut album from American songstress
Nicolette Larson.
Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.
Yesterday (September 28th) marked the thirtieth anniversary of the release of The Big Chill, a dramatic-comedy about baby boomer
college friends coming together, after fifteen years apart, for the funeral of a friend hit the theatres. This smart, funny and
engaging film featured an all-star cast.
The Big Chill soundtrack album was pretty all-star too. It featured a who's who of Motown artists and more that perfectly spoke to
the baby boomer generation. Click here for my complete review of this record.
Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday.
In the fall of 1983, a dramatic-comedy about baby boomer college friends coming together, after fifteen years apart, for the
funeral of a friend hit the theatres. The all-star cast featured Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin
Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly and JoBeth Williams. This smart, funny and engaging film did very well at the box office, pulling
in over $56 million dollars.
The Big Chill soundtrack album featured a who's who of Motown artists and more that perfectly spoke to the baby boomer generation.
The album went gold within the first few months on the charts and then Platinum in early 1984. It reached number 17 on the US
Billboard 200 album charts. It did so well that a second album The Big Chill: More Songs from the Original Soundtrack was released
a year later. Today I will just focus on that first record.
Side one opens with Marvin Gaye's 1968 "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". Gaye recorded the song first, but Gladys Knight and the
Pips' version was released before his. Hers went to number 2 on the Billboard pop charts for three weeks and number 1 on the R&B
charts for six. His went to number 1 on the pop charts for seven weeks and number 1 on the R&B charts for seven. I like the
contrast of the deep percussion and Gaye’s soaring high vocals.
The Temptations are next with "My Girl" from 1965. The song was a number 1 hit on both the Billboard pop and R&B charts; in fact,
it was number 1 on the R&B charts on the day I was born. Those iconic guitar chords get me swaying right from the start and keep me
going the entire time.
From 1966 come the Young Rascals and their number 1 hit "Good Lovin'". This song has an infectious rhythm that goes right to my
core and the high energy picks me up every time. I like Felix Cavaliere’s organ solo too.
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles provide "The Tracks of My Tears" from 1965. This song, which reached number 16 on the Billboard
pop charts and number 2 on the R&B charts, is one of the group's best sellers. The song has also been covered by numerous artists
over the decades from the Jackson 5 in 1968 to UB40 in 2010. The lead vocals by Robinson are like sweet honey.
Three Dog Night proclaims "Joy to the World" on their 1971 number 1 hit (it spent six weeks at the top of the charts). This is one
of those songs I can vividly remember singing a lot as an elementary school kid in the 70’s - the first verse and the chorus. I
really love how the many vocal layers blend on the chorus especially.
The Temptations return with "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" from 1966. Though it only made it to number 13 on the Billboard pop charts, it
did spend eight non-consecutive weeks at number 1 on the R&B charts. This song is used in a memorable scene in the film: it is the
morning after the funeral and the friends are all pitching in to make breakfast in the kitchen, dancing around to this tune on the
radio. It is hard to sit still when this one is playing; my feet naturally start to shuffle.
Aretha Franklin's anthem "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" closes the first side. The track reached number 8 on the
Billboard charts in 1968. The Queen of Soul is perfectly in her element on this one, her voice singing through like a beacon. When
I hear this song, I can’t help but think of actress Candice Bergen in her title role of the sitcom Murphy Brown singing the
background sha-doops.
Side two opens with the return of Smokey and the Miracles with their 1967 hit "I Second That Emotion". It spent three weeks at
number 4 on the US Billboard charts, behind the Beatle's "Hello Goodbye" at number 3.
Next are the British band Procol Harum and their 1967 track "A Whiter Shade of Pale". This debut single spent six weeks at number 1
on the UK charts; it went to number 5 on the US Billboard charts. The slower melody of the song is based on Bach’s cantata
“Sleepers Awake”. This one puts me in a very mellow mood, almost a complete contrast from the rest of the songs on the album. It
makes it stand out because of that.
The oldest track on the record is from 1963 and the Exciters. "Tell Him" reached number 4 on the Billboard charts and spent two
weeks at the number 1 spot on the French charts. This one always makes me thinking of Ally McBeal as it was one of her therapy
songs in the early seasons when she was trying to deal with her feelings for her childhood sweetheart Billy. I actually have four
versions of this song in my music library, including this original and the one Vonda Sheppard did for the TV show.
The Four Tops are up with "It's the Same Old Song" from 1965, a track that went to number 5 on the Billboard charts and number 2 on
the R&B charts. I love the harmonies of this Detroit quartet.
Martha and the Vandellas get us "Dancing in the Street" with their 1964 smash. The song originally went to number 2 on the
Billboard charts, stopped short by the Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun”. I have five versions of this song by various artists in
my music library, including this original. It is another of those good-mood tunes.
Marvin Gaye returns with his 1971 hit "What's Going On". The song about anti-war protests went to number 2 on the Billboard charts,
denied the top honors ironically by the earlier track “Joy To The World”.
Closing out the record is the Marvelettes and their 1964 track "Too Many Fish in the Sea". The song went to number 25 on the
Billboard charts.
When the Big Chill came out in 1983, I had just started my freshman year of college. I do remember seeing this film in theatres
with friends of mine - it might have been when I was home on Thanksgiving break that November with my friends from high school.
Though the film was about a generation removed from my own, I still could relate to the subject matter and sentiments in a way.
Maybe it was just the wondering if my friends and I would still be close another fifteen years in the future. When my wife and I
got our first DVD player in the later half of the 90's, this was one of the first films I remember we bought.
As for the soundtrack, I had this one on vinyl and played it a lot. I was very familiar with many of these songs from listening to
AM radio growing up in the 70's and from watching many a TV variety show. I thought it was a great music sampler with a large
number of classics and thus perfect to have in my music library. I would supplement it early in 1984 with a two disk Motown
collection that came out to celebrate the label's 25 anniversary. 1960's music was very big at college parties, no doubt spurred on
thanks to the renewed interest thanks to the film. Of course, both those vinyl sets ended up with my brother in the late 90's. By
that point I had picked up a boxed set of Motown music on CD. The songs are timeless and never go out of style.
HOSTILITY
He was coming. The sound of footsteps in the corridor outside told her that. Brisk, heavy footsteps, the sound of expensive leather
soles on the marble floor.
A big man, moving fast and impatiently toward the room where she had been told to wait for him. A room that was not as she had
expected, but then then nothing had been as she had expected since she had started out on this campaign, least of all this man she
hadn’t seen in so long. It had been more than ten years since she had spoken to him, but they would now be coming face to face in
less than thirty seconds.
How was she going to handle this?
Ria adjusted her position in the smart leather chair, crossing one leg over the other, then, rethinking, moving it back again so
that her feet were neatly on the floor, placed precisely together in their elegant black courts, knees closed tight, her blue and
green flowered dress stretched sleekly over them. Lifting her hand she made to smooth back a non-existent wandering strand of dark
auburn hair. Her style would be immaculate, she knew. She’d 1pulled her hair back tightly from her face so that there was nothing
loose to get in a mess or distract her. Nothing to look frivolous or even carefree. That was not the image she’d aimed for.
She’d even fretted at the thought that her dress might be a little too casual and relaxed when she’d put it on, but the below knee
length of the swirling skirt covered her almost as much as the tailored trousers she’d considered wearing, and the lightweight
black linen jacket she’d pulled on over the top added a needed touch of formality that made her feel better.
The room she sat in was sleek and sophisticated with pale wood furniture. Far sleeker and much more luxurious than she had ever
anticipated. One of the soft grey walls displayed a set of dramatic photographs, sleekly framed. In black and white only, they were
the sort of thing that had made Alexei Sarova his reputation and his fortune. They were superb, stunning but – Ria frowned as she
looked at them. They were bleak and somehow lonely. Photographs of landscapes, places, no people in them at all. He did sometimes
photograph people, she knew that from the magazines she had read and the stunning images that had appeared in the articles, but
none of those commissions were displayed here.
Outside the door, those determined, heavy footsteps slowed, then halted and she heard the murmur of voices through the thick wood,
the deep, gravelly tones making it plain that the speaker was a man.
The man. The one she had come here to meet, to give him the message that might save her country from all out civil war, and she had
vowed that she was not leaving until she had done so. Even if the nerves in her stomach tied themselves into tight, painful knots
at the thought and her restless fingers had started to beat an unsettled tattoo on the wooden arm of the chair.
‘No!’ Ria reproved herself aloud. ‘Stop it! Now!’
She brought her nervous hand together with the other one, to clasp them both demurely in her lap, forcing herself to wait with
every semblance of control and composure, even if the churning of her stomach told her that this was very far from the case. Too
much rested on this meeting and she wasn’t really sure that she could handle it.
Oh this was ridiculous! Ria drew in a deep, ragged sigh as she put back her head and stared fixedly at the white-painted ceiling,
fighting for control of her breathing. She should be well able to cope with this. She’d been trained practically from birth to meet
strangers, talk with them, making polite social chit-chat at court events. It was what she could do as naturally as breathing while
all the time keeping her head up high, her spine straight so that she looked as good as good as possible, with first her nanny’s
then her father’s voice in her ear telling her that the reputation of the Escalona family - an offshoot of the royal family –
should be the first and foremost thing in her mind.
She could talk to Presidents’ wives about their trips round the glass –making factories, discuss the agricultural output of the
vineyards, the farms. She could even, if she was let, converse intelligently on the vital role of exports, or the mining of
eruminum the new miracle mineral that had just been discovered in the Trilesian mountains. Not that she was frequently asked to do
any such thing. Those important details were usually left to her grandfather or, until recently, to her second cousin Felix, the
Crown Prince of Mecjoria.
But she had never before had to deal with any mission that meant so much in the way of freedom, both to her country and herself.
That restless hand threatened to escape her careful control and start its nervous tattoo all over again at just the thought.
‘Do it, then.’
The voice from the corridor sounded sharp and clear this time, bringing her head up in a rush, as she straightened once again in
her chair. Shoulders back, head up . . . she could almost hear her father’s strict commands , as she drew in a long, deep breath to
calm herself as she had done on so many other previous occasions.
But this wasn’t one of those events . This man wasn’t exactly a stranger and polite chit-chat was the last thing she expected to be
exchanging with him.
The handle turned as someone grasped it from the other side. Ria tensed, shifted in her chair, half looked over her shoulder then
rethought, and turned back again. She didn’t want him to think that she was nervous. She had to appear calm, collected, in command
of the situation.
Command. The word rang hollowly inside her head. Once she had only to command something and it would be hers. In just a few short
months her life had been turned upside down, and in ways that made her status in society the least of her concerns, so that now
nothing was as it had ever been before, and the future loomed ahead, dark and dangerous.
But perhaps if she could manage this meeting with some degree of success she could claw back something from the disaster that had
overtaken her country – and family. She could hope to put right the wrongs of the past, and, on a personal level, save her mother’s
happiness, her sanity possibly. And for her father . . . no, she couldn’t go there, not yet. Thoughts of her father would weaken
her, drain away the strength she needed to see this through.
‘I’ll expect a report on my desk by the end of the day.’
The door was opening, swinging wide. The man she had come to see was here, and she had no more time to think.
As the big dark figure appeared in the doorway her heart jerked sharply under her ribcage, taking her breath with it. For the first
time she felt suddenly lost, vulnerable without the ever-present security man at her back. All her life he had been there, just
waiting and watching in case he was needed. And she had come to rely on him to deal with any awkward situation.
The once ever-present security man, she reminded herself . The protection that was no longer there, no longer part of her life or
her status here or in her homeland of Mecjoria. She was no longer entitled to such protection. It was the first thing that had been
stripped from her and the rest of her family in the upheaval that had followed Felix’s unexpected death, and the shocking discovery
of her father’s scheming in the past. After that, things had changed so fast that she had never had time even to think about the
possible repercussions of the changes and to consider them now, with the possible consequences for her own future, made her stomach
twist painfully.,
‘No delays . . . Good afternoon.’
The abrupt change of subject caught Ria on the hop, She hadn’t quite realised that his companion had been dismissed and that he was
now in the room, long strides covering the ground so fast that he was halfway towards her before she realised it.
‘Good afternoon.’
It was stronger, harsher, much more pointed, and she almost felt as if the words were hitting her in the small of her back. She
should turn round, she knew. She needed to face him. But the enormity of the reason why she was here and the thought of his
reaction when she did made it difficult to move.
‘Miss . . .’
The warning in his tone now kicked her into action, fast. Her head jerked round, the suddenness and abruptness of the movement
jolting her up and out of her seat so that she came to her feet even as she swung round to face him. And was glad that she had done
so when she saw the size and the strength of his powerful form. She had seen pictures of him in the papers, knew that he was tall,
dark and devastating, but in the 3D reality of living, breathing golden-toned flesh, deep ebony eyes and crisp black hair, he was
so much more than she had ever imagined. His steel grey suit hugged his impressive form lovingly, the broad straight shoulders
needing no extra padding to enhance them. A crisp white shirt, silver and black tie, turned him into the sleek sophisticated
businessman who was light-years away from the Alexei she remembered, the wiry boy with the unkempt mane of hair who had once been
her friend buried under the expensive tailoring. Snatching in a deep, shocked breath she could inhale the tang of some citrus soap
or shampoo, the scent of clean male skin.
‘Good afternoon,’ she managed and was relieved to hear that her control over her voice was as strong as she could have wanted.
Perhaps it made it sound a little too tight, too stiff, but that was surely better than letting the tremor she knew was just at the
bottom of her thoughts actually affect her tongue. ‘Alexei Sarova, I assume.’
He had been moving towards her but her response had a shocking effect on him.
‘You!’ he said the single word thick and dark with hostility.
DOUG MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2 2013
DISCOVER THE WORLD OF ARTISAN BEEF
THE HEAD TO TAIL PHILOSOPHY OF EATING IS, THANKFULLY, ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING FOOD TRENDS. aT THIS WEEK'S mEATcAMP CHAT, WE HELD
AN INTRODUCTORY SESSION ON HOW TO IDENTIFY AND COOK THE NOT-SO-FANCY CUTS OF BEEF, PORK, LAMB, AND CHICKEN, INCLUDING OFFAL.
RIDGEWAY FARM
WE'RE JUST TWO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN NEW ENGLAND, LOVE ANIMALS, AND MADE THE CRAZY DECISION TO START OUR OWN HOBBY FARM FOR FUN. JOIN
US FOR THE ADMENTURE.
BUSY SUMMER
I LOVE SUMMER, BUT IT SURE IS BUSY ON A FARM IN SUMMERTIME! SO WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO ON THE FARM THIS SUMMER? WELL WE REALLY
ENJOYED RAISING THE TWO PIGS LAST YEAR SO WE ARE DOING THAT AGAIN. THIS YEAR IT IS TWO MALE PIGLETS. WE PICKED THEM UP IN JUNE, AND
HERE THAY ARE AT ABOUT 12 WEEKS IN AGE.
DESERT SURVIVOR
EXPLORING THE DESERT AND WHAT IT TAKES FOR PLANTS, ANIMALS, AND PEOPLE TO SURVIVE (WITH A TOUCH OF HUMOR).
JOIN ME FOR MEET THE ARTIST, WITCH FASHION SHOW, AND WITCH SCAVENGER HUNT!
THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3RD, I AM GOING TO BE AT A FUN EVENT GOING ON AT GARDNER VILLAGE IN WEST JORDAN, AND I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO
JOIN ME! WORLD-RENOWNED FOLK ARTIST, ERIC DOWDLE, WILL UNVEIL HIS LATEST HALLOWEEN PAINTING "GARDNER VILLAGE WITCHFEST" AND BE ON
HAND TO SIGN PRINTS AND PUZZLES. THE EVENT WILL GO FROM 6PM TO 8PM. THERE WILL ALSO BE A WITCH FASHION SHOW, AND EVERYBODY
FAVORITE...
HERE'S MY STEVE BALLMER STORY.
It’s a small story but of interest, I think, because of what came after.
In 1995 I worked as a freelance writer and print designer and I had just made up my mind to put more of my time and attention into
designing and building websites, something I had started doing the year before. Pitching web work back then meant selling clients
on why they needed a web site at all – sometimes even selling them on what the World Wide Web was and why it mattered to their
business -- and most still preferred the familiar comfort of a (paper-bound) marketing brochure. I was nervous about my decision
then, but can happily report in hindsight that I bet on the right horse.
In August of that year I took a two-week contract to do some technical writing for the Excel product group, and spent my two weeks
on Microsoft’s Redmond campus in, as it turned out, the same hallway occupied by Steve Ballmer.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
CHER TIES BARBRA STREISAND FOR TOP 3 ALBUM AT AGE 67
Cher has tied Barbra Streisand for a record in the music biz. At 67, Cher’s new album “Closer to the Truth” is ranked at number 3 for the week. That would make her the oldest female singer to score a Top 3 debut. However, Barbra Streisand did the same thing in 2009 with her “Love is the Reason” album. And she came in at number 1 on Billboard and number 2 on hitsdailydouble.com.
Together they will share this distinction. Of course, Streisand sold around 167,000 copies compared to Cher’s 61,000. But times have changed and albums just don’t sell like that anymore. Still, for Cher it’s a little more of a distinction because it’s a longer time since her last album. Streisand is pretty reliable with a new release every 18-24 months.
But of all the female artists of the 60s and 70s, they’re the winners and the biggest successes over all. Hats off to these two divas!
Tina Turner, the ball is now in your court!
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Monday, September 16, 2013
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