originally posted by Jean Jan 24, 2012
This big fella looks like I feel.
I want to beat up someone.
Take out my frustrations by inflicting damage.
…and then just calmly saunter away,
never to be heard from again.
bah. I’m in a sucky mood.
A special Tunesday
One of my favorite “didn’t make it” Detroit bands (actually Alpena … but where’s Alpena? NE mitten) from the late 60s/early 70s.
Dick Wagner was the front man for the 4-man band. Their first big gig was at Meadowbrook Pavilion in the Detroit suburbs with MC5 and The Stooges (Iggy Pop).
[I’m attending a wedding at Meaadowbrook in August. Meadowbrook was the estate of John Dodge of auto fame; it is now “a place”]
They became a popular band in the Detroit region. The band was pursued by record companies; they recorded 3 albums for Vanguard Records. They were one of the top bands in the region but Vanguard did a poor job in promoting the band nationally – the missed the success their contemporaries Bob Seger, Grand Funk, Alice Cooper, and Ted Nugent enjoyed.
The band broke up in 1970 after the release of their 3rd album; Dick Wagner went on to become a player for Lou Reed, Kiss, Alice Cooper and others.
Dick Wagner died age 71 in 2014.
Thanks for the many good concerts, Dick.
Submitted by jd via Comments
… many had roles in my hobby (?).
This one a small role but an important one…
Snowhorse to Snowbird
Snow on snow sculpts a horse
with jaunty cap from a crippled
tree – resurrects Linda, my horsey
companion in 1950’s Milwaukee.
A palomino ponytail fans her long
neck as our feet gallop up and down
ravines, along littered railroad
ties, across crowded playgrounds.
She recycles her lessons
on the upright that greens
my envy, helps me extinguish
eleven candles circling the cake
that emerged, smoking, from the one
oven I remember in my mother’s many
kitchens, hands me a bitter,
tutorial. In my palm, she places
her ailing parakeet just as it flies
from a final nest.
jmd2018
I’ll end April with this photo – inspired by SK’s mention of Cedar Waxwings.
One thing I noticed when I lived back east is that the birds seem more colorful in general. Perhaps the environment is more varied than out here. We have colorful birds – Western Tanagers and Lazuli Buntings come to mind, but most seem to be colored for camouflage in dry environments.
One of the birds I watched in Virginia were the Eastern Bluebirds. I got this one sitting on a fence in our yard in Virginia.
published by Jean May 20, 2010
I have accepted the crapfact that depression
will never leave me alone. It is part of me.
*
damn you old black dog
wearing me out and down like
river rubbed canyon
*
There is nothing to be done about it except
endure. Over and over and over again.
*
tomorrow looks less
than worthy after today’s
vain forward struggle
*
Pep-talks from well meaning friends don’t help.
*
come along, you say.
you know precisely my need.
arrogant bastard
*
It makes it very difficult to be nice so I often hide.
*
it’s worse somewhere else
for many someone elses.
today I don’t care.
*
It turns me into someone I don’t like at all and I can’t help it.
*
do you doubt despair
can twist the heart, wring the soul,
blind all hope? You fool.
*
It sneaks up and every time I ask why.
*
you think you know
the reason, the answer, the
why. until this now.
*
I’ve read a gazillion books and been to therapy.
*
regurgitation
of all the pretty words ends
in ugly dry heaves
*
Remember the time I went to a shooting range and
enjoyed shooting and did very well? Did anyone
think it strange that I did not buy a gun?
*
it is not so hard
to understand that there are
some who will resign
*
It feels like living in hell and a glorious relief
when it subsides.
*
to wax poetic
do you mind much when I swear?
tough shit if you do.
submitted by ghostsniper via Comments
Here’s the first chapter in the story of “My Current Disaster” and there may be a 2nd chapter later.
===============
I have been a licensed AutoCAD user since 1996. That is, I actually purchased the very expensive software ($3500) and did the expensive yearly upgrades. By 2005 I was tired of paying for the yearly $1000 upgrades and just stopped buying them. I never even installed the 2005 version and still use the 2004 version.
(By 2005 I had paid AutoDesk more than $10,000 for their software.)
That AutoCAD (Acad) is installed on an old refurbished Dell computer with the Windows XP operating system. XP, to me, is the best version and Windows has continuously went down hill in subsequent versions.
(I had originally had Acad installed on a brand new Dell computer but it failed in 2010 and Windows XP machines were no longer for sale, but I found refurbished models on Amazon, and when the other one failed I installed Acad on the refurbished one and AutoDesk was still doing 2 part certifications at that time.)
Well that refurbished XP machine was 15 years old and it finally quit last Monday. Panic sets in. See, Acad requires a 2 part installation certification and AutoDesk no longer does the 2nd part.
When Acad is installed it requires the serial number on the CD case. After the serial is installed the computer logs into AutoDesks website and it generates a 2nd serial that you have to type into the computer. An XP machine will no longer go online and AutoDesk no longer offers “support”, so there is no way to install my AutoCAD 2004 in another XP machine. Nor can Acad 2004 be installed on a new Windows 10 or 11 machine.
Have I lost ya yet? lol
AutoCAD is how I design buildings, some 3000 projects since 1996, and without it I am basically shut down. I have projects I am working on that are at a standstill right now.
End of Chapter 1.
A sample of some obscure – and maybe not obscure – tunes from my strange and off-the-wall collection.
Today’s selection: Cowboy Junkies – “Where Are You Tonight?” 1990
Cowboy Junkies is a Canadian band formed in 1985. Still together with the same line-up. A 4-man band, three of the members are siblings. A 4th family member left the band early on. The 5th (now 4th) member of the band was a childhood friend from kindergarten. Their first album was released in 1986 but their 1989 release of The Trinity Session had a cover of Lou Reed’s Sweet Jane which peaked at #5 in the US. To date, they’ve released 18 albums.
This cut comes from their 3rd album, The Caution Horses.
Joe suggests: A great interview with John Stossel from Dad Saves America
(Oh! No! … Global Warming!)
Time to start thinking of mountain roads and remote mining camps.
The years accumulate. I become aware that emergencies are for the young … which, apparently, no longer includes me.
And there’s no place like being in the back country, alone and deep in, to invite Murphy to pay a visit upon the fool-hardy and insane.
There was a time I thought I was prepared. Two excellent spares, good air in each, good jack … and three flats.
Hup, hoop, heep, hope!
“An adventure is something you don’t want to be doing at the time you’re doing it“
But to stop is to give up; to give up is to die.
Lessons not learned from the Petersburg Campaign, Virginia 1864 – trench warfare
11 months of Hell — Feb 1915 – Jan 1916
I didn’t really mean to write this long a post … and to tell the truth, the original was far longer – I was going to turn it into a page like I did with the Overland Stage route. But it wasn’t long enough to describe what I wanted to say – so I shortened it to this.
I’ve been fascinated with this battle for longer than I can remember – back to the 70s at least. I don’t know why – my ancestors that were in this war were in France, I’m not connected to Australia in any way, and until Mrs DT came along, I had no connection to Turkey. Maybe because I was raised to respect Winston Churchill – and this was one of his greatest mistakes.
As it turned out, I visited Turkey with Mrs DT some years ago. Heading down from Istanbul on an overnight bus ride (far superior to US bus rides) to visit her mother, we ended up in Eceabat. I had no idea where I was; being still O-dark-thirty didn’t help.
Until I saw the monuments in the early light.
We had to travel across the battlefield to get to Mrs DT’s place on what was known then as Imbros. We left from Gaba Tepe. I had heard the names but didn’t realize I was standing there. Mrs DT didn’t really tell me. Who plays tourist at home?
What really amazed me was the respect the Turks gave to their once enemies. Respect for the Christian cemeteries, the British/ANZAC monuments, even sovereign territory – something our people don’t even do for ourselves. See any Confederate monument …
It has been said by an Australian: “I don’t think it matters if there are two Gallipolis, one that belongs mostly to folklore and mythology and another that belongs to facts and reality. But I do think the factual story is the more affecting, the more worthy, if you like.”
The Turks have a different view of the battle than the British …
This post is still far too short to do the campaign justice … and too long for a post.
If interested, I’ve added a link to the page.
If not – there’ll be another post tomorrow … or maybe another today if the muse strikes.