The Democrats seem to be basically nicer people, but they have demonstrated time and again that they have the management skills of celery. They're the kind of people who stop to help you change a flat, but would somehow manage to set your car on fire. I would be reluctant to trust them with a Cusinart, let alone the economy.
The Republicans, on the other hand, would know how to fix your tire, but they wouldn't bother to stop because they'd want to be on time for Ugly Pants Night at the country club.
-Dave Barry
Now that's good writing. I came across this piece in a book by an up and coming young (she's my age, so she must be young) politician that I hope will be occupying the White House come January of 2013. But that's not why you called. Wait, you didn't call at all. Anyway...
I really admire the talent of Dave Barry. Granted, a lot of his work is cotton candy, kind of fluffy, but not too filling. Well, that's ok. At his best, Barry's work is concise and pretty darn funny and can poke fun without being snarky. Sarcasm without snarkiness takes a good deal of talent.
I mention Dave Barry's writing only so I can make mention of my own more meager scribblings. Actually, I don't scribble, I usually just go directly to the computer and type. Whatever. When I read something by Barry it looks like it was fairly effortless to write. And that's the beauty of it. I think the reality is that he probably put a lot of work into what he did. He may have had a lot of fun doing it, but that doesn't mean he didn't put forth effort.
Effort is a difficult thing for me personally. I'm easily distracted. Must check e-mails for 100th time today...no! Finish the blog post. Is "The Simpsons" on yet? No. Must write. Now. Right now. Write right now. Sorry, I'll stop.
As I was saying before I so rudely interrupted myself, effort is a difficult thing for me. It's not easy for me to maintain focus. And I've kind of lost focus over time as to what this blog is about. Much like "Seinfeld" I'm not sure this blog was ever about anything. At least not any one thing in particular.
So I'm saying goodbye, at least for the time being. Unlike the past, when I didn't work as hard as I should have on the blog yet also ignored my other writing, I'm now going to concentrate my attention on that other writing, the kind that may one day end up in traditional book or magazine form, but I have a feeling I'll be back on the internet one day. I have many voices inside my head, and they can stay quiet and keep their opinions to themselves for only so long.
When and if I return to internet writing I'm not sure what form it will take, perhaps another blog, an actual website of my own, who knows? Maybe I'll forgo this new age of technology and just jot down random musings on post-it notes and send them to friends and family by way of carrier pigeon. You know, do things old school. Whatever I decide, the people who might want to know will be informed.
So that's that. I'll be deleting this blog, most likely at the end of the month.
Be seeing you.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Heaven, I'm in Heaven
We live in a world dominated, musically speaking, by pop. Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Pink, Brittney Spears, they're all performing variations of pop music. And that specific form of pop music known as rock and roll does indeed seem to be here to stay.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with pop music. Songs of the day, songs of the moment, can become songs immemorial. Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" is one of those songs. It is one of my favorite tunes and that's because it's catchy and because it's catchy it stays in your head, even if you've only heard it once in your life. And I would reckon that many millions of people, be they fans of Motorhead or Mendelssohn, have indeed heard the song at least once, whether they came across it in a Fred Astaire movie or in one of the many versions out there by singers like Ella Fitzgerald or Bing Crosby.
"Cheek to Cheek" is 75 years old and has stood the test of time. It is a song immemorial.
Just as a little background to this clip from the 1935 film "Top Hat," Ginger Rogers thinks that Fred Astaire is married to the character named "Madge," thus her initial reluctance to get cheek to cheek with Fred.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with pop music. Songs of the day, songs of the moment, can become songs immemorial. Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" is one of those songs. It is one of my favorite tunes and that's because it's catchy and because it's catchy it stays in your head, even if you've only heard it once in your life. And I would reckon that many millions of people, be they fans of Motorhead or Mendelssohn, have indeed heard the song at least once, whether they came across it in a Fred Astaire movie or in one of the many versions out there by singers like Ella Fitzgerald or Bing Crosby.
"Cheek to Cheek" is 75 years old and has stood the test of time. It is a song immemorial.
Just as a little background to this clip from the 1935 film "Top Hat," Ginger Rogers thinks that Fred Astaire is married to the character named "Madge," thus her initial reluctance to get cheek to cheek with Fred.
Konan Karma
Conan O'Brien may not have been the greatest "Tonight Show" host ever, but he is certainly one stand-up, righteous dude. Since his deal with NBC to walk away did not cover everybody on O'Brien's staff, such as stagehands, he's paying up to six weeks severance to as many as 50 people out of his own pocket.
This guy is generating some mighty good karma.
This guy is generating some mighty good karma.
Feeling Haggard
From the Free Dictionary: haggard adj. 1. careworn or gaunt, as from lack of sleep, anxiety, or starvation.
I was thinking of Merle Haggard, or more specifically the song "Okie From Muskogee," because I recently finished reading the book "The Wordy Shipmates" by Sarah Vowell. A book about Puritans in Massachusetts and Rhode Island would not make me think about Merle Haggard or his most famous song but the fact that Sarah Vowell is from Muskogee, Oklahoma does.
I don't know if Sarah Vowell would call herself an Okie, much less claim pride in being one. My understanding is that "Okie" is an offensive term. But she may indeed feel pride in her birthplace. Don't know. Never communicated with her, so I haven't asked any questions of her. I also don't know if she smoked marijuana or not, in Muskogee or elsewhere.
The thing about a well written country song is that it can shamelessly pull at your heartstrings and do that in a fairly simple and quick sort of way. A good country song is direct and tells a story without a whole lot of filler. It takes you to a place and introduces the characters and away you go. Or maybe it just makes suckers out of people born to be suckers. But that's a pretty cynical, non-country way of looking at things.
I was thinking of Merle Haggard, or more specifically the song "Okie From Muskogee," because I recently finished reading the book "The Wordy Shipmates" by Sarah Vowell. A book about Puritans in Massachusetts and Rhode Island would not make me think about Merle Haggard or his most famous song but the fact that Sarah Vowell is from Muskogee, Oklahoma does.
I don't know if Sarah Vowell would call herself an Okie, much less claim pride in being one. My understanding is that "Okie" is an offensive term. But she may indeed feel pride in her birthplace. Don't know. Never communicated with her, so I haven't asked any questions of her. I also don't know if she smoked marijuana or not, in Muskogee or elsewhere.
The thing about a well written country song is that it can shamelessly pull at your heartstrings and do that in a fairly simple and quick sort of way. A good country song is direct and tells a story without a whole lot of filler. It takes you to a place and introduces the characters and away you go. Or maybe it just makes suckers out of people born to be suckers. But that's a pretty cynical, non-country way of looking at things.
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