So there's a news story about a guy who doesn't approve of the name Mt. Diablo. You see, Mt. Diablo is the mountain that overlooks Contra Costa County, and on a clear day it's possible to see most of the counties of California, as well as Mt. Lassen up north. That's because Mt. Diablo stands alone, not surrounded by other peaks, but by foothills. But back to the story. The name "Mt. Diablo" has been used for over a hundred years, coming from the Spanish for "devil." No one is certain why the name Diablo was chosen, but there are several different legends, one involving Spanish soldiers unable to capture American Indians near the mountain, and another involving a Catholic priest seeing the devil atop the mountain. In any case, this guy doesn't approve of the connotation to the devil. His suggestion for a new name for the mountain? Mt. Ronald Reagan.
Which got me thinking: Mt. Ronald Reagan is kind of clumsy to say, and then it occurred to me, why not re-name it... Mt. Gipper? Catchy, isn't it? Good 'ol Mt. Gipper. Let's spend the weekend hiking around Mt. Gipper. Mt. Gipper State Park. Mt. Gipper Unified School District. Mt. Gipper High School. Gipper Valley College. As you can see, a lot of things are named after Mt. Diablo, so I guess they should all be renamed "Gipper" too.
Come to think of it, how about Guppy? Guppy sounds like Gipper! Mt. Guppy. Mt. Guppy State Park. Mt. Guppy Unified School District. Mt. Guppy High School. Guppy Valley College. Yeah, that's it, that's the ticket!
;-)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
new high score
Kind of sad, but kind of cool at the same time:
I just got a new high score playing Space Cadet pinball!
This time, I took several breaks, which can actually be a disadvantage. Including earning replays and extra balls, I broke my previous high score with just 'Ball 1.' I managed to get a decent amount of points after that with my last session this morning, although not nearly as many as from my earlier sessions. I wasn't playing as hot as before.
Anyway, my new high score is: 130,473,750
I'm not that far away from my goal of having my top 5 scores all be over 100 million! I remember my goal when I first started playing was to get my top 5 scores all over 10 million.
I just got a new high score playing Space Cadet pinball!
This time, I took several breaks, which can actually be a disadvantage. Including earning replays and extra balls, I broke my previous high score with just 'Ball 1.' I managed to get a decent amount of points after that with my last session this morning, although not nearly as many as from my earlier sessions. I wasn't playing as hot as before.
Anyway, my new high score is: 130,473,750
I'm not that far away from my goal of having my top 5 scores all be over 100 million! I remember my goal when I first started playing was to get my top 5 scores all over 10 million.
Friday, January 29, 2010
down under
I'm not Australian (mate!), but I believe the correct pronunciation of the city of Melbourne is closer to mel-bern, or even mel-bun, than mel-borne. I'm trying to imagine how Olivia Newton-John says it. I shudder a bit whenever I hear someone pronounce the -bourne part the same way they would pronounce The Bourne Identity. I think even Alex Trebek of Jeopardy!, who otherwise seems very conscious about correctly pronouncing things, has said it incorrectly.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
too clueless to ask a question
I just had a flashback to being in the classroom. I can picture our professor/teacher asking us students if we had any questions while he was lecturing. And when none of us did, he'd say, "Well, if you don't have any questions, I'll assume that you understand everything!" Then he'd just continue on. I think I'm speaking for more than myself by saying we were so lost, we couldn't even formulate a question. I mean, can't the teacher tell by the looks on our faces that we don't understand the material? And how lame would it have been to ask him to start over and go slower this time? Wow, I think I'm starting to use this blog as some sort of therapy. Thanks for listening.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
ABBAWORLD
A couple of my understanding siblings let me know about an event: ABBAWORLD! Not just opening sometime, which I knew, but opening today in London. How I'd love to go. If you've read this blog for awhile, you know that I am unabashedly an ABBA fan. One of my earlier entries about them was called the beauty and the cutie.
Speaking of the beauty and the cutie (and the two guys in the group too), if you click on the link to the article ABBAWORLD, you'll see that they mislabeled several of the photographs. I'm no expert but...
It's funny though to imagine that Bjorn currently wears a beard (he's had one since the latter years of the group), Frida has her hair blonde, I think Agnetha's hair appears rather dark now - all we need is for Benny to shave his face clean and I suppose they could confuse all but the more ardent of their fans.
Speaking of the beauty and the cutie (and the two guys in the group too), if you click on the link to the article ABBAWORLD, you'll see that they mislabeled several of the photographs. I'm no expert but...
It's funny though to imagine that Bjorn currently wears a beard (he's had one since the latter years of the group), Frida has her hair blonde, I think Agnetha's hair appears rather dark now - all we need is for Benny to shave his face clean and I suppose they could confuse all but the more ardent of their fans.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
the Apprentice theme song
The things we do to keep ourselves amused... or is it just me?
Here's a little thing I do to crack myself up: If you are familiar with the television show The Apprentice, you know that besides having "The Donald" (Donald Trump) as its host, what really makes the show is the theme song For the Love of Money by the O'Jays. I think the show owes its popularity to that song. But what if instead of For the Love of Money, we were to substitute another song, say, another song by the O'Jays?
Love Train!
Can you imagine the show's opening using that song instead? The contestants dressed in their finest business attire looking all serious, walking together with determined expressions on their faces, with the lyrics ("People all over the world, join hands, start a love train, love train") playing in the background.
So if you see me stopped at a stoplight and I suddenly break out laughing, I might be imagining The Apprentice with a new theme song.
Here's a little thing I do to crack myself up: If you are familiar with the television show The Apprentice, you know that besides having "The Donald" (Donald Trump) as its host, what really makes the show is the theme song For the Love of Money by the O'Jays. I think the show owes its popularity to that song. But what if instead of For the Love of Money, we were to substitute another song, say, another song by the O'Jays?
Love Train!
Can you imagine the show's opening using that song instead? The contestants dressed in their finest business attire looking all serious, walking together with determined expressions on their faces, with the lyrics ("People all over the world, join hands, start a love train, love train") playing in the background.
So if you see me stopped at a stoplight and I suddenly break out laughing, I might be imagining The Apprentice with a new theme song.
Monday, January 25, 2010
all you can eat dim sum
Years ago, I was foolish enough to believe that I could really put the food away. It's never been true though, even in my younger days; few people enjoy eating as much as I do and I eat pretty slowly, so it only appears that I can eat a lot in a single sitting. And after all, I was never even able to finish a 'beached whale' burrito at Pepe Delgado's in San Luis Obispo back in my college days.
Still, one day I went with my ex-brother-in-law to a Chinese restaurant around Modesto that advertised having "all you can eat" dim sum. We'll clean them out! we thought. It was not to be though; in fact, by the time we were done, we both felt a bit sheepish. We're lucky that there weren't any witnesses besides the waitress. But a point I'd like to make is the waitress served us plates of the fried kinds of dim sum first; I wonder if we could have requested that she serve the steamed kinds first. Methinks serving the fried dim sum first was a quite deliberate tactic to curb our (and anybody else's) appetites. Come to think of it, serving the food buffet-style would have been nice.
Still, one day I went with my ex-brother-in-law to a Chinese restaurant around Modesto that advertised having "all you can eat" dim sum. We'll clean them out! we thought. It was not to be though; in fact, by the time we were done, we both felt a bit sheepish. We're lucky that there weren't any witnesses besides the waitress. But a point I'd like to make is the waitress served us plates of the fried kinds of dim sum first; I wonder if we could have requested that she serve the steamed kinds first. Methinks serving the fried dim sum first was a quite deliberate tactic to curb our (and anybody else's) appetites. Come to think of it, serving the food buffet-style would have been nice.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
most prized possession #1
I've got several - here's the first:
Perhaps my favorite toy growing up was AFX slot car racing. I'm not much into real cars, but the memory of sitting there racing my slot cars is really pleasant! And not just racing the cars, but imagining and designing new track layouts was fun too. When I first got into AFX, the tracks were difficult to put together, but eventually they came up with track that 'snapped' together. It was a lot easier from then on, although the pieces of track were easier to break too. Another significant improvement was when Aurora (the company) redesigned the cars to include what they called 'Magna-Traction.' These new cars came with a chassis that had a cutout so that the magnets that were already part of the motor could also provide extra grip to the track.
$4.19 - that was how much a new AFX car cost at The Palace of Sporting Goods, and $4.55 for one with Magna-Traction. When I purchased my absolute favorite car, it was before Magna-Traction was available (although I eventually put my fastest chassis on my favorite car's shell just because). So what is this prized possession? My very special red and blue #43 Plymouth Road Runner - Richard Petty's car! As I was also into building plastic models at the time, I found a small set of STP decals and placed them on the rear fenders to complete the look.
At the time, I also remember seeing similar AFX Road Runners in pictures, and some of them had the weird color combination of yellow and orange. Same #43, but yellow and orange? I was so happy to have mine. Why Richard Petty? Going back further, I remember having a birthday and my best friend Stephen had gotten me a plastic model of a stock car. I didn't react much as I looked at it at first, being most into building dragsters. But Stephen was so excited (I can still picture it) and he told me it was Richard Petty! The best stock car driver ever! In this case, it was a solid blue #43 model. And so from then on, I was a fan of Richard Petty.
So there it is: one fine day, I went to The Palace of Sporting Goods and plunked down $4.19 (plus tax) for my prize, a #43 red and blue Plymouth Road Runner AFX slot car. Beautiful!
Perhaps my favorite toy growing up was AFX slot car racing. I'm not much into real cars, but the memory of sitting there racing my slot cars is really pleasant! And not just racing the cars, but imagining and designing new track layouts was fun too. When I first got into AFX, the tracks were difficult to put together, but eventually they came up with track that 'snapped' together. It was a lot easier from then on, although the pieces of track were easier to break too. Another significant improvement was when Aurora (the company) redesigned the cars to include what they called 'Magna-Traction.' These new cars came with a chassis that had a cutout so that the magnets that were already part of the motor could also provide extra grip to the track.
$4.19 - that was how much a new AFX car cost at The Palace of Sporting Goods, and $4.55 for one with Magna-Traction. When I purchased my absolute favorite car, it was before Magna-Traction was available (although I eventually put my fastest chassis on my favorite car's shell just because). So what is this prized possession? My very special red and blue #43 Plymouth Road Runner - Richard Petty's car! As I was also into building plastic models at the time, I found a small set of STP decals and placed them on the rear fenders to complete the look.
At the time, I also remember seeing similar AFX Road Runners in pictures, and some of them had the weird color combination of yellow and orange. Same #43, but yellow and orange? I was so happy to have mine. Why Richard Petty? Going back further, I remember having a birthday and my best friend Stephen had gotten me a plastic model of a stock car. I didn't react much as I looked at it at first, being most into building dragsters. But Stephen was so excited (I can still picture it) and he told me it was Richard Petty! The best stock car driver ever! In this case, it was a solid blue #43 model. And so from then on, I was a fan of Richard Petty.
So there it is: one fine day, I went to The Palace of Sporting Goods and plunked down $4.19 (plus tax) for my prize, a #43 red and blue Plymouth Road Runner AFX slot car. Beautiful!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
radio call letters
One of my all-time favorite sitcoms is WKRP in Cincinnati, which took place at a radio station. There was at least one episode involving the station mascot, a carp - but the call letters could just as well have been alluding to the word 'crap.' Subtle, but quite intentional I'm certain.
Another favorite sitcom, Frasier, takes place at a radio station with the call letters KACL. Although those letters are attributed to the co-creators of the show, Angell, Casey, and Lee, I think the word 'cackle' is even more deliberate!
Another favorite sitcom, Frasier, takes place at a radio station with the call letters KACL. Although those letters are attributed to the co-creators of the show, Angell, Casey, and Lee, I think the word 'cackle' is even more deliberate!
Friday, January 22, 2010
what kinds of trees are falling?
Here in California, we are getting hit hard by storms right now. Among the perils have been trees falling due to the high winds and losing stability from the saturated soil. I am curious as to which species are most susceptible to toppling over under these weather conditions. As I mentioned before in a previous entry, the prevalence of eucalyptus trees contributed to the devastation of the Oakland hills fire back in 1991. I wonder if a similar situation exists with non-native trees and instability?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
high school jackets
More memories:
Finding just the right jacket to wear has always been difficult for me. A couple of examples would be from back in high school. My first recollection is when I tried wearing my new letterman's jacket to school. Not really new though - it had been my older brother's. After he graduated, he was okay with our mom redoing it to reflect the sport that I had lettered in: Fencing. So I wore it several times to school, but the comments from a few of my classmates became too much for me... Fencing?
Another jacket I tried wearing had a letterman's jacket style, but wasn't a letterman's jacket. This actually occurred before the above example. This particular jacket was brown with tan sleeves, and was made of a fuzzy type of fabric. Back then, I would occasionally spend the morning break visiting the part of the quad where my older brother and his friends would hang out. I'm guessing I was just a sophomore then. So one day, I was wearing this brown and tan fuzzy felt-like jacket and walked up towards where my brother's friend Pete was sitting. And Pete took one look at me and said simply, "Fozzie Bear!" And I never wore that jacket to school again.
Finding just the right jacket to wear has always been difficult for me. A couple of examples would be from back in high school. My first recollection is when I tried wearing my new letterman's jacket to school. Not really new though - it had been my older brother's. After he graduated, he was okay with our mom redoing it to reflect the sport that I had lettered in: Fencing. So I wore it several times to school, but the comments from a few of my classmates became too much for me... Fencing?
Another jacket I tried wearing had a letterman's jacket style, but wasn't a letterman's jacket. This actually occurred before the above example. This particular jacket was brown with tan sleeves, and was made of a fuzzy type of fabric. Back then, I would occasionally spend the morning break visiting the part of the quad where my older brother and his friends would hang out. I'm guessing I was just a sophomore then. So one day, I was wearing this brown and tan fuzzy felt-like jacket and walked up towards where my brother's friend Pete was sitting. And Pete took one look at me and said simply, "Fozzie Bear!" And I never wore that jacket to school again.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
ice cream flavors
Growing up, my favorite flavor of ice cream was fudge marble. Or was it marble fudge? It was my go-to choice when my father treated us to a stop for ice cream when we were children.
As I've grown older, although I like a variety of different flavors of ice cream depending on what I happen to feel like on a given day, I would have to say that my favorite is coffee ice cream. If I drink coffee, which is rare, I probably enjoy it because it reminds me of coffee ice cream.
So my grand idea for an ice cream flavor is:
Mocha Marble
Can you picture Mocha Marble Ice Cream? It's like fudge marble, a light colored ice cream with veins of brown like the veins you might find in rocks, only the fudge has been replaced with coffee flavor and crystals. In a way, it'd be an ice cream for adults because I'm envisioning using actual coffee crystals. The crystals would provide some nice texture, but might be a little strong. Perhaps there could even be two kinds of Mocha Marble: one that uses regular coffee and one that is decaffeinated. Why I'm thinking of ice cream in the middle of winter, I don't know.
For the heat of the summer, I like lemon chiffon!
As I've grown older, although I like a variety of different flavors of ice cream depending on what I happen to feel like on a given day, I would have to say that my favorite is coffee ice cream. If I drink coffee, which is rare, I probably enjoy it because it reminds me of coffee ice cream.
So my grand idea for an ice cream flavor is:
Mocha Marble
Can you picture Mocha Marble Ice Cream? It's like fudge marble, a light colored ice cream with veins of brown like the veins you might find in rocks, only the fudge has been replaced with coffee flavor and crystals. In a way, it'd be an ice cream for adults because I'm envisioning using actual coffee crystals. The crystals would provide some nice texture, but might be a little strong. Perhaps there could even be two kinds of Mocha Marble: one that uses regular coffee and one that is decaffeinated. Why I'm thinking of ice cream in the middle of winter, I don't know.
For the heat of the summer, I like lemon chiffon!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
underhand free throws
Yesterday, I watched my favorite basketball team, the Golden State Warriors, play the Chicago Bulls. I don't mention much basketball in this blog, but I'd really like to see the comeback of shooting free throws underhanded.
One of the all-time great players in Warriors history is Rick Barry. Besides being a great scorer, he was also a free-throw making machine. And he shot his free throws in the underhand style. Even back then, it took some getting used to - admittedly, it didn't look cool. What was cool however was the percentage of free throws that he made. After all, what's more important? Looking cool or helping your team score points and win games?
The particular player I have in mind with today's entry about free throws is Andris Biedrins. Yesterday, he played like Warrior fans have come to expect and helped the team to victory. But his free throws were absolutely atrocious! As in almost nonexistent as far as making them. Embarrassing... not cool. Even in the post-game news conference, Coach Don Nelson talked about Andris' free throws. And he mentioned how Rick Barry was brought in one year to work with Andris, showing him how to shoot underhanded, but for some reason, it didn't get anywhere. So in yesterday's game, we were left with line drive free throws that clanged off the front of the rim.
Let's see: Andris doesn't have to worry about height (unless he's too tall, if there is such a thing as an optimum height for making free throws); he's certainly strong enough; his hands are big enough to grip the ball... no, I think he needs to change his technique, and I think that technique should be underhand.
Is he too shy?
Because starting to shoot free throws underhanded will draw a lot of attention. For awhile, he'd be the talk of the NBA. But if it improves his free throw percentage, why not give it a try? Why wouldn't any basketball player give it a try? Especially professionals? Aren't they being paid exorbitant amounts of money to help their teams win games? Isn't helping their team win the ultimate in... cool?
Even shooting free throws myself, I played around shooting underhand. Now it's not simply a matter of cupping the ball in both hands and swinging back and forth under one's legs until finally letting go. As I recall, Rick Barry would relax himself at the foul line, bend down and dribble the ball quickly with both hands, stand up and take a deep breath then exhale, and shoot the ball underhanded applying a pronounced back spin. At my height and strength level, was I able to make it work consistently? Well, no... but the few times I was able to get off a good shot - it all made sense. Basketball hoops are oriented vertically with diameters almost twice that of a basketball. Shooting underhand maximizes a vertical trajectory and makes the hoop look bigger than shooting the ball the typical overhead style. But what really stood out was the backspin. When the ball did touch the rim, the backspin of the ball practically grabbed the rim, and kept the ball inside the basket. A shooter's roll.
I don't know him, but I don't think Andris is too shy. I think he could even relish all of the attention if he started shooting free throws underhand. I'm sure Rick Barry would be more than happy to again offer private shooting lessons - and it's easy to imagine that Andris could get his percentage upwards of 75-80%. Maybe higher. So instead of getting, as one of yesterday's announcers so aptly put it, a turnover by fouling Andris, an opponent would be giving up points. And it'd soon get around the league: "Don't foul Biedrins!"
One of the all-time great players in Warriors history is Rick Barry. Besides being a great scorer, he was also a free-throw making machine. And he shot his free throws in the underhand style. Even back then, it took some getting used to - admittedly, it didn't look cool. What was cool however was the percentage of free throws that he made. After all, what's more important? Looking cool or helping your team score points and win games?
The particular player I have in mind with today's entry about free throws is Andris Biedrins. Yesterday, he played like Warrior fans have come to expect and helped the team to victory. But his free throws were absolutely atrocious! As in almost nonexistent as far as making them. Embarrassing... not cool. Even in the post-game news conference, Coach Don Nelson talked about Andris' free throws. And he mentioned how Rick Barry was brought in one year to work with Andris, showing him how to shoot underhanded, but for some reason, it didn't get anywhere. So in yesterday's game, we were left with line drive free throws that clanged off the front of the rim.
Let's see: Andris doesn't have to worry about height (unless he's too tall, if there is such a thing as an optimum height for making free throws); he's certainly strong enough; his hands are big enough to grip the ball... no, I think he needs to change his technique, and I think that technique should be underhand.
Is he too shy?
Because starting to shoot free throws underhanded will draw a lot of attention. For awhile, he'd be the talk of the NBA. But if it improves his free throw percentage, why not give it a try? Why wouldn't any basketball player give it a try? Especially professionals? Aren't they being paid exorbitant amounts of money to help their teams win games? Isn't helping their team win the ultimate in... cool?
Even shooting free throws myself, I played around shooting underhand. Now it's not simply a matter of cupping the ball in both hands and swinging back and forth under one's legs until finally letting go. As I recall, Rick Barry would relax himself at the foul line, bend down and dribble the ball quickly with both hands, stand up and take a deep breath then exhale, and shoot the ball underhanded applying a pronounced back spin. At my height and strength level, was I able to make it work consistently? Well, no... but the few times I was able to get off a good shot - it all made sense. Basketball hoops are oriented vertically with diameters almost twice that of a basketball. Shooting underhand maximizes a vertical trajectory and makes the hoop look bigger than shooting the ball the typical overhead style. But what really stood out was the backspin. When the ball did touch the rim, the backspin of the ball practically grabbed the rim, and kept the ball inside the basket. A shooter's roll.
I don't know him, but I don't think Andris is too shy. I think he could even relish all of the attention if he started shooting free throws underhand. I'm sure Rick Barry would be more than happy to again offer private shooting lessons - and it's easy to imagine that Andris could get his percentage upwards of 75-80%. Maybe higher. So instead of getting, as one of yesterday's announcers so aptly put it, a turnover by fouling Andris, an opponent would be giving up points. And it'd soon get around the league: "Don't foul Biedrins!"
Monday, January 18, 2010
the color, not the bird
I still get confused by the Stanford Cardinal, having to remind myself that it's not the Stanford Cardinals. But if it were the Cardinals, as I wrote in a recent entry, that wouldn't be right since cardinals aren't found this far West. And considering the goofy team mascot that runs around the field, I often think of them as being the Stanford Trees, or would that be the Stanford Tree? "The Golden Bears of Cal take on the Tree of Stanford this Saturday..."
Sunday, January 17, 2010
making boilers
Speaking of team names, I really like the names that colleges have - they are more creative and have more personality than professional teams. Go Anteaters! (UC Irvine) Go Banana Slugs! (UC Santa Cruz)
My high school has the mascot Eagles. Boring if you ask me. But wait - they're the Ugly Eagles? Now I like that, that's a lot more interesting. I don't remember much about what the football helmets looked like back from when I was a student, but I was happy to see a photograph in the newspaper from a football game played this past season. Where I imagine the helmets once had 'Eagles' written in script, is now the word 'Ugly.' Cool!
But getting back to college names, they're so interesting: Buckeyes, Hawkeyes, Nittany Lions, Crimson Tide, Red Raiders, Golden Gophers, and so many more. The one that stands out for me is the one from Purdue - the Boilermakers.
My high school has the mascot Eagles. Boring if you ask me. But wait - they're the Ugly Eagles? Now I like that, that's a lot more interesting. I don't remember much about what the football helmets looked like back from when I was a student, but I was happy to see a photograph in the newspaper from a football game played this past season. Where I imagine the helmets once had 'Eagles' written in script, is now the word 'Ugly.' Cool!
But getting back to college names, they're so interesting: Buckeyes, Hawkeyes, Nittany Lions, Crimson Tide, Red Raiders, Golden Gophers, and so many more. The one that stands out for me is the one from Purdue - the Boilermakers.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
and all that Jazz
The Los Angeles Lakers - a team that is familiar to everyone. After all, they've been great for a long time. The name just rolls off the tongue with a touch of alliteration. L.A. Lakers - yup, it just sounds so natural to say. Then again, what does Los Angeles have to do with lakes? Where are all the lakes? Enough to name a team after? Oh that's right, they moved from Minneapolis, and there are lots of lakes in Minnesota!
I just like to think about teams that moved and didn't bother changing their team names. Staying in Los Angeles and the NBA, what about the Clippers? Is Los Angeles known for its harbor and sailboats? Ah, they moved from San Diego - that makes sense! And when the (football) St. Louis Cardinals moved to Arizona, I had to check my favorite bird identification guide to see if cardinals are found there. They are, but not necessarily in Phoenix (they were originally known as the Phoenix Cardinals). But in Arizona? Parts of it, so I guess that's okay then.
My favorite example is the NBA's Utah Jazz. Again, I'm sure people don't even stop to think about it: Jazz? In Utah? Well, I guess so, but I like to imagine a jazz musician from New Orleans (New Orleans Jazz, right?) snapping his fingers, saying, "Ooh yeah... give me some of that jazz, some of that... Utah Jazz!"
I just like to think about teams that moved and didn't bother changing their team names. Staying in Los Angeles and the NBA, what about the Clippers? Is Los Angeles known for its harbor and sailboats? Ah, they moved from San Diego - that makes sense! And when the (football) St. Louis Cardinals moved to Arizona, I had to check my favorite bird identification guide to see if cardinals are found there. They are, but not necessarily in Phoenix (they were originally known as the Phoenix Cardinals). But in Arizona? Parts of it, so I guess that's okay then.
My favorite example is the NBA's Utah Jazz. Again, I'm sure people don't even stop to think about it: Jazz? In Utah? Well, I guess so, but I like to imagine a jazz musician from New Orleans (New Orleans Jazz, right?) snapping his fingers, saying, "Ooh yeah... give me some of that jazz, some of that... Utah Jazz!"
Friday, January 15, 2010
brand names are for the birds
To paraphrase a famous marketing slogan: Choosy birds choose Jif!
Among our several bird feeders is one designed to have peanut butter smeared in shallow-drilled holes. It was one we bought primarily to attract chickadees for my mom, and in our area to be more specific, chestnut-backed chickadees. Having my personal favorite brand, Jif, on hand, we used it at first. Now I happen to prefer creamy peanut butter, but eventually we decided to use crunchy peanut butter for this feeder - and for the birds, we'll get whichever brand is on sale. Which was not a popular decision with the neighborhood birds! They stopped coming to that feeder with the different brand peanut butter, and when we went back to Jif (crunchy, in this case), they returned. Wow, they're as picky and have the same taste as me.
For even longer, my sister and I have kept feeders for hummingbirds active, and I don't think we've even entertained the idea of using off brands of sugar. In my case, anyway, I feel safe using C & H brand. Now this is an unpaid endorsement (really), but for the birds at least, I use and recommend Jif Peanut Butter for the chickadees and C & H Pure Cane Granulated White Sugar (with no added red dye) for the hummingbirds.
Among our several bird feeders is one designed to have peanut butter smeared in shallow-drilled holes. It was one we bought primarily to attract chickadees for my mom, and in our area to be more specific, chestnut-backed chickadees. Having my personal favorite brand, Jif, on hand, we used it at first. Now I happen to prefer creamy peanut butter, but eventually we decided to use crunchy peanut butter for this feeder - and for the birds, we'll get whichever brand is on sale. Which was not a popular decision with the neighborhood birds! They stopped coming to that feeder with the different brand peanut butter, and when we went back to Jif (crunchy, in this case), they returned. Wow, they're as picky and have the same taste as me.
For even longer, my sister and I have kept feeders for hummingbirds active, and I don't think we've even entertained the idea of using off brands of sugar. In my case, anyway, I feel safe using C & H brand. Now this is an unpaid endorsement (really), but for the birds at least, I use and recommend Jif Peanut Butter for the chickadees and C & H Pure Cane Granulated White Sugar (with no added red dye) for the hummingbirds.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
meeting R.E.M.
While I'm name-dropping...
... here are my memories of meeting R.E.M. (as I touched upon in my previous entry):
I was a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and my friend Jeff and I decided that we would catch our first ever R.E.M. concert up in Berkeley during their Pageantry Tour (in support of the album, Lifes Rich Pageant). This was back in 1986. It was quite a drive and classes had already started; I'm not much for long drives and as for classes, eh. Looking back, I don't even remember who else went with us - maybe Jeff remembers. It was on a Friday, and as we got closer to the Bay Area, we started encountering commute traffic, plus it was pouring. We were in two cars. It was the excitement of seeing the concert that got me over the elements and the traffic.
Once there, I don't know when we started to realize that maybe the rain was going to cancel the concert. Maybe we didn't. And then the four band members came walking out on stage and broke the bad news: the concert was being canceled and would be rescheduled in the Bay Area for a later date. Bummer, and after more than 5 hours on the road. Jeff and the others decided to head all the way back that same night, while I went to spend the night at my home over in Concord before heading back to S.L.O. the next day.
I don't remember the details of the radio contest, how I entered, etc. but after I got back to town, I called KCPR, the campus radio station to see if I had won their contest (two passes to meet R.E.M. after their concert Saturday night in Santa Barbara). I didn't really think I had much of a chance. The guy who answered the phone said he'd check and when he got back on the phone, he said something like, "Dude, you won!" I was so shocked, I didn't respond. And the guy, sounding let down, said I didn't sound too excited. After insisting that I was indeed excited, he let me know that it would all be arranged, just look for him after the concert.
So Jeff and I (nobody else was able to make it this time) traveled south to Santa Barbara for... our first R.E.M. concert! And this time, knowing that we were going to meet them too! Not sure if the inclement weather followed us down the coast, I brought my umbrella just in case. And for them to sign, I brought a booklet which I had received from the fan club that had caricatures of each band member on the cover that Bill Berry, the drummer, had sketched.
It was an awesome concert that had Guadalcanal Diary opening. I usually need to be familiar with a band's material before I can enjoy them in concert, but Guadalcanal Diary's music was awesome from the start. Another band I remember feeling the same way about was Bettie Serveert. Anyway, the concert was most excellent - at that time, R.E.M. hadn't yet gotten into playing large arenas; I believe it was their make-up concert at the Oakland Coliseum (which I couldn't go to) that was their first big arena concert. It was a fantastic show in Santa Barbara, the venue being not too big and remote for the fans.
Meeting the band: unlike what I envisioned, it wasn't literally backstage that we met them. We waited outside the venue. I don't know about Jeff, but I had butterflies. It seemed like a long wait, but who knows how fast time really went? One person I did happen to recognize was the bass player from the band the Cruzados (Tony Marsico) so I got his autograph. Oh yeah, I met up with the guy from the radio station, and he seemed pretty comfortable mixing and chatting with the others who were also waiting around. The band didn't formally show up as one unit; the different band members mingled as individuals. In fact, Bill Berry didn't even show up, at least not to mix with the fans. I wanted the artist to sign his art! Not to be. Even if I were to win another contest to meet R.E.M. I guess I wouldn't meet him since he's not a member of the band anymore.
The first one I remember meeting was Michael Stipe. Not surprisingly, he had the biggest crowd surrounding him and I just stood there watching the interactions. This one woman had created something personal for him, and it was apparent she had had many chances to meet him. How did she manage that? I wondered. In any case, she was sweet and sincere as she spoke and more than a little smitten, and Michael was very kind and sweet back to her. After waiting awhile, I figured it was my turn, and all I could think to say was, "This is my Berkeley umbrella!," as I held it up. Then I explained that I had it with me in Berkeley the night before, and asked him to sign my booklet: "Can you sign this?"
I don't recall who I met next, Peter Buck or Mike Mills. I couldn't think of much in the way of conversation; just like when I met Mark McGwire, what could I say that they would find very interesting... "This is my Berkeley umbrella"? I think I did manage to say, "Pleased to meet you!" to both Peter and Mike (oh well, I tried). They were both really nice, and it was the guy from the radio station that helped introduce me to Mike, pulling me out from whoever I was hiding behind. And Peter said something about the 'fanzine' thing I had for them to autograph.
All in all, an amazing experience.
... here are my memories of meeting R.E.M. (as I touched upon in my previous entry):
I was a student at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and my friend Jeff and I decided that we would catch our first ever R.E.M. concert up in Berkeley during their Pageantry Tour (in support of the album, Lifes Rich Pageant). This was back in 1986. It was quite a drive and classes had already started; I'm not much for long drives and as for classes, eh. Looking back, I don't even remember who else went with us - maybe Jeff remembers. It was on a Friday, and as we got closer to the Bay Area, we started encountering commute traffic, plus it was pouring. We were in two cars. It was the excitement of seeing the concert that got me over the elements and the traffic.
Once there, I don't know when we started to realize that maybe the rain was going to cancel the concert. Maybe we didn't. And then the four band members came walking out on stage and broke the bad news: the concert was being canceled and would be rescheduled in the Bay Area for a later date. Bummer, and after more than 5 hours on the road. Jeff and the others decided to head all the way back that same night, while I went to spend the night at my home over in Concord before heading back to S.L.O. the next day.
I don't remember the details of the radio contest, how I entered, etc. but after I got back to town, I called KCPR, the campus radio station to see if I had won their contest (two passes to meet R.E.M. after their concert Saturday night in Santa Barbara). I didn't really think I had much of a chance. The guy who answered the phone said he'd check and when he got back on the phone, he said something like, "Dude, you won!" I was so shocked, I didn't respond. And the guy, sounding let down, said I didn't sound too excited. After insisting that I was indeed excited, he let me know that it would all be arranged, just look for him after the concert.
So Jeff and I (nobody else was able to make it this time) traveled south to Santa Barbara for... our first R.E.M. concert! And this time, knowing that we were going to meet them too! Not sure if the inclement weather followed us down the coast, I brought my umbrella just in case. And for them to sign, I brought a booklet which I had received from the fan club that had caricatures of each band member on the cover that Bill Berry, the drummer, had sketched.
It was an awesome concert that had Guadalcanal Diary opening. I usually need to be familiar with a band's material before I can enjoy them in concert, but Guadalcanal Diary's music was awesome from the start. Another band I remember feeling the same way about was Bettie Serveert. Anyway, the concert was most excellent - at that time, R.E.M. hadn't yet gotten into playing large arenas; I believe it was their make-up concert at the Oakland Coliseum (which I couldn't go to) that was their first big arena concert. It was a fantastic show in Santa Barbara, the venue being not too big and remote for the fans.
Meeting the band: unlike what I envisioned, it wasn't literally backstage that we met them. We waited outside the venue. I don't know about Jeff, but I had butterflies. It seemed like a long wait, but who knows how fast time really went? One person I did happen to recognize was the bass player from the band the Cruzados (Tony Marsico) so I got his autograph. Oh yeah, I met up with the guy from the radio station, and he seemed pretty comfortable mixing and chatting with the others who were also waiting around. The band didn't formally show up as one unit; the different band members mingled as individuals. In fact, Bill Berry didn't even show up, at least not to mix with the fans. I wanted the artist to sign his art! Not to be. Even if I were to win another contest to meet R.E.M. I guess I wouldn't meet him since he's not a member of the band anymore.
The first one I remember meeting was Michael Stipe. Not surprisingly, he had the biggest crowd surrounding him and I just stood there watching the interactions. This one woman had created something personal for him, and it was apparent she had had many chances to meet him. How did she manage that? I wondered. In any case, she was sweet and sincere as she spoke and more than a little smitten, and Michael was very kind and sweet back to her. After waiting awhile, I figured it was my turn, and all I could think to say was, "This is my Berkeley umbrella!," as I held it up. Then I explained that I had it with me in Berkeley the night before, and asked him to sign my booklet: "Can you sign this?"
I don't recall who I met next, Peter Buck or Mike Mills. I couldn't think of much in the way of conversation; just like when I met Mark McGwire, what could I say that they would find very interesting... "This is my Berkeley umbrella"? I think I did manage to say, "Pleased to meet you!" to both Peter and Mike (oh well, I tried). They were both really nice, and it was the guy from the radio station that helped introduce me to Mike, pulling me out from whoever I was hiding behind. And Peter said something about the 'fanzine' thing I had for them to autograph.
All in all, an amazing experience.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
meeting Mark McGwire
With all the news the past couple of days about Mark McGwire's admission of using steroids, I was reminded of the time I met him.
This was when he played for the Oakland A's, some time before the A's won their championship in 1989. One of my cousins worked as a picture framer in a mall and he framed a picture or two for Mark's girlfriend; learning who she was as he spoke to her when she placed the order, he offered to make the delivery of the finished items himself. Maybe there was a chance of meeting Mark. And knowing how big a baseball fan I was, he invited me to go with him that day.
It was a very nice home where we met Mark. Naturally, he towered over both of us, and introduced himself with an extended hand: "Hi, I'm Mark McGwire." My cousin conversed comfortably with Mark, whereas I may well have come across as not knowing who he was or what baseball was for that matter. I'm not very chatty unless I'm really comfortable in a situation, and I didn't know what to say that he could have found very interesting. It reminds me of the time I met a few members of R.E.M. but I digress.
Mark was dressed to go to the park, and after spending a little time with us and talking about the framed pictures, he told us that he had to "go to work." He was very polite and personable, which doesn't come as any surprise. I have my own thoughts and opinions about the latest brouhaha involving him and his baseball playing days, but will save them for when I can hash out my feelings in conversation and possibly see the situation from different angles.
This was when he played for the Oakland A's, some time before the A's won their championship in 1989. One of my cousins worked as a picture framer in a mall and he framed a picture or two for Mark's girlfriend; learning who she was as he spoke to her when she placed the order, he offered to make the delivery of the finished items himself. Maybe there was a chance of meeting Mark. And knowing how big a baseball fan I was, he invited me to go with him that day.
It was a very nice home where we met Mark. Naturally, he towered over both of us, and introduced himself with an extended hand: "Hi, I'm Mark McGwire." My cousin conversed comfortably with Mark, whereas I may well have come across as not knowing who he was or what baseball was for that matter. I'm not very chatty unless I'm really comfortable in a situation, and I didn't know what to say that he could have found very interesting. It reminds me of the time I met a few members of R.E.M. but I digress.
Mark was dressed to go to the park, and after spending a little time with us and talking about the framed pictures, he told us that he had to "go to work." He was very polite and personable, which doesn't come as any surprise. I have my own thoughts and opinions about the latest brouhaha involving him and his baseball playing days, but will save them for when I can hash out my feelings in conversation and possibly see the situation from different angles.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
the Simpsons
The Simpsons celebrated their 450th episode (or 20-year anniversary) this past weekend. I remember much of the fuss that was made of them early on. And I wasn't impressed. I recall that Bart got most of the attention - he seemed to me to be just some delinquent who rode a skateboard and said things like "Eat my shorts!" As with many things, the bigger the fuss that is made about something, the bigger the fad, the more my mind turns off. And I resisted watching the show.
I don't know what moved me to watch my first episode, but I finally did. Maybe it happened to be on and I was too lazy to turn the channel. It was an episode that painted a different picture of the family than I expected, particularly of Bart and Homer. It was the first episode with Santa's Little Helper, the dog that would become a member of the family.
I was actually touched by the interaction between Homer and Bart at the dog racing track where they were first made aware of Santa's Little Helper. I remember the way Homer looked at Bart as he pleaded with Bart to join him in rooting for Santa's Little Helper to win his race. And the look on Bart's face as he was moved enough by Homer's plea that the two of them ended up standing together at the side of the track and rooted for him to win. For a cartoon, it really was a wonderfully depicted moment of a father and son doing something together. Even though Santa's Little Helper ended up losing, the family ended up adopting him, which was a nice moment for them all. It's nice that my first real exposure to the show, my first episode, was such a positive one.
I don't know what moved me to watch my first episode, but I finally did. Maybe it happened to be on and I was too lazy to turn the channel. It was an episode that painted a different picture of the family than I expected, particularly of Bart and Homer. It was the first episode with Santa's Little Helper, the dog that would become a member of the family.
I was actually touched by the interaction between Homer and Bart at the dog racing track where they were first made aware of Santa's Little Helper. I remember the way Homer looked at Bart as he pleaded with Bart to join him in rooting for Santa's Little Helper to win his race. And the look on Bart's face as he was moved enough by Homer's plea that the two of them ended up standing together at the side of the track and rooted for him to win. For a cartoon, it really was a wonderfully depicted moment of a father and son doing something together. Even though Santa's Little Helper ended up losing, the family ended up adopting him, which was a nice moment for them all. It's nice that my first real exposure to the show, my first episode, was such a positive one.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
roller coaster guilt
It was years ago when I was still in my twenties. I don't remember how I found myself at an amusement park, or even whom I was with - but I do remember being talked into getting on a rollercoaster kind of ride, even though I knew I didn't handle such rides well. All my life I've suffered from severe sensitivity to motion sickness and dizziness. For some, it's all in my mind and I simply need to stop worrying so much and just relax, etc. In any case, this time I let myself get talked into getting onto the ride so I could try to be more sociable. The ride went about as well as would be expected, and I must have really looked it. Because the people I was with felt so bad.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Ratatouille
On the Discovery Channel right now is the movie Ratatouille. I remember when it first came out, I wanted to see it. It looked like an excellent movie, and the reviews were great too. But then more than a year ago, our house had a mouse problem. We got some nice humane traps to catch them, and I would drive several miles away to release them in the hills. At first, I handled dealing with them pretty well, but after awhile, they really freaked me out. They're cute enough when they're in the confined space of the trap, but when they're scurrying around the house, they look completely different. And now, I don't know when I'll ever be able to watch Ratatouille.
Friday, January 8, 2010
One of my heroes
Speaking of skunks...
Pepe Le Pew is worth emulating, don't you think? In spite of his odoriferous tendencies, he has a most wonderful attitude. Optimistic, romantic, and he has a way with words. I wish I was more like him, and I have the advantage in that I don't stink (do I?).
Pepe Le Pew is worth emulating, don't you think? In spite of his odoriferous tendencies, he has a most wonderful attitude. Optimistic, romantic, and he has a way with words. I wish I was more like him, and I have the advantage in that I don't stink (do I?).
Thursday, January 7, 2010
cute little animal
A column in this morning's newspaper reminded me of an incident that happened years ago. One evening after it was already dark, I decided to sit out on a bench in the backyard just to be alone with my thoughts. It was peaceful and quiet and I don't remember where I was in my mind when I realized that something was trotting up the pavement towards me. Within moments, I went from "okay, it's an animal" to "it's a smallish animal" to "is it a cat?" and finally I determined "it's a skunk!"
It was minding its own business, running along with its head pointed down, heading towards me from the left. It was pretty oblivious for awhile, maybe lost in its own thoughts, and finally came to an abrupt stop when it finally noticed me. And we both just looked at each other, probably both scared (I know I was!). I remember thinking "this could be the worst day of my life." After all, he stopped where he couldn't have been more than a few feet from me.
Luckily, my instinct was to not react. I just sat there and looked at him. If I seemed calm, I wasn't. But everything was internalized as I waited for him to do something first. And after staring into each other's eyes for who knows how long, he decided to turn himself right around and ambled back in the direction from which he came. Whew!
It was minding its own business, running along with its head pointed down, heading towards me from the left. It was pretty oblivious for awhile, maybe lost in its own thoughts, and finally came to an abrupt stop when it finally noticed me. And we both just looked at each other, probably both scared (I know I was!). I remember thinking "this could be the worst day of my life." After all, he stopped where he couldn't have been more than a few feet from me.
Luckily, my instinct was to not react. I just sat there and looked at him. If I seemed calm, I wasn't. But everything was internalized as I waited for him to do something first. And after staring into each other's eyes for who knows how long, he decided to turn himself right around and ambled back in the direction from which he came. Whew!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
bad eyesight
Perhaps only those with bad eyesight know how inherently difficult it is 'looking for one's glasses.'
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
grass is blue
and the sky is green.
Well, the first part is true if you watch Boise State play its home games. They played in the Fiesta Bowl last night, and I could actually watch it without getting a headache because the grass/turf there was a natural green color. I'm sorry but I just don't enjoy watching Boise State playing at home. A blue turf - whose idea was that? What's next, orange fields? Red? Yellow?
Well, the first part is true if you watch Boise State play its home games. They played in the Fiesta Bowl last night, and I could actually watch it without getting a headache because the grass/turf there was a natural green color. I'm sorry but I just don't enjoy watching Boise State playing at home. A blue turf - whose idea was that? What's next, orange fields? Red? Yellow?
Monday, January 4, 2010
overhauling the 49ers roster
Just for fun:
Keeping (No. 11) Alex Smith at quarterback, obtain tight end Alex Smith from the Eagles. Then sign both Steve Smiths (Panthers and Giants) to play wide receiver. It's just fun to imagine whoever calls the games, particularly on the radio. And it will, at my count, total 6 Smiths on the roster (Justin and Reggie play defense).
Also, get either Michael Bush or Reggie Bush to play running back, that way we can finally have that backfield of Gore and Bush. What a huddle: 4 Smiths (Alex, Alex, Steve, and Steve), plus Gore and Bush. Wait, there's Andre Smith, tackle for the Bengals - sign him up. Any other Smiths that play guard or tackle the 49ers can get too? How about a center?
Keeping (No. 11) Alex Smith at quarterback, obtain tight end Alex Smith from the Eagles. Then sign both Steve Smiths (Panthers and Giants) to play wide receiver. It's just fun to imagine whoever calls the games, particularly on the radio. And it will, at my count, total 6 Smiths on the roster (Justin and Reggie play defense).
Also, get either Michael Bush or Reggie Bush to play running back, that way we can finally have that backfield of Gore and Bush. What a huddle: 4 Smiths (Alex, Alex, Steve, and Steve), plus Gore and Bush. Wait, there's Andre Smith, tackle for the Bengals - sign him up. Any other Smiths that play guard or tackle the 49ers can get too? How about a center?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
a win is a win is a win...
The 49ers defeated the Rams today - with very little at stake, it's difficult to really assess the performance of either team. Except for the first half... BORING! As in other games this season, the Niners offense seemed to only come alive in the second half, which is something to address for next season. Hopefully things will come together then and they win their division and go deep into the playoffs. But for now, for the Niners, it's the off-season.
I may be in the minority but I enjoy watching the NFL Draft as much as any single game during the season - it's really that fascinating to me. The build-up, the mock-drafts, all the coverage leading up to it, and then the draft itself. I don't watch much college football and am only familiar with the play of a few select players, and most of them play for the local college teams here in the Bay Area. I have a soft spot for Cal players in particular, and am excited to see where Jahvid Best goes. I'm also wondering which team will draft Toby Gerhart. But mostly on draft day, it's all about the Niners.
I may be in the minority but I enjoy watching the NFL Draft as much as any single game during the season - it's really that fascinating to me. The build-up, the mock-drafts, all the coverage leading up to it, and then the draft itself. I don't watch much college football and am only familiar with the play of a few select players, and most of them play for the local college teams here in the Bay Area. I have a soft spot for Cal players in particular, and am excited to see where Jahvid Best goes. I'm also wondering which team will draft Toby Gerhart. But mostly on draft day, it's all about the Niners.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
hummingbird feeder nectar
Most hummingbird lovers know how to make the sugar water to be used for hummingbird feeders: 1 part granulated white sugar to 4 parts water. What I do is keep tabs on when my feeder will next need to be refilled, and make a batch beforehand so that I have time to boil the water, stir in the sugar, and give the mixture enough time to cool down again; then it'll be ready to go when I need fresh nectar.
For the one 8-oz. feeder that I keep active now, I only make one batch of nectar at a time - it works pretty well. The birds sip it at a rate where I don't worry about it spoiling before having to add a refill. And I always clean the feeder thoroughly between refills. To make this easier, I prefer the saucer design as opposed to the fountain design which looks and works great, but is much more difficult to clean. And I keep it under a corner overhang facing north and east so the most sun it gets is early in the morning. That way it's protected from the elements and out of direct sunlight during the heat of the day. It's also conveniently in front of a window so the birds can be admired.
One thing that I would like to emphasize regarding the sugar water nectar: please don't add any red dye or food coloring to the mixture! Any red color to the feeder itself should be plenty to attract the hummers. They are such tiny creatures with tiny systems that adding red dye to the nectar, which is unnecessary to attract them anyway, runs the risk of harming them. I've read this advice many times in hummingbird books, yet far too often see photographs of hummingbird feeders filled with red-tinted nectar. It's not worth the risk!
For the one 8-oz. feeder that I keep active now, I only make one batch of nectar at a time - it works pretty well. The birds sip it at a rate where I don't worry about it spoiling before having to add a refill. And I always clean the feeder thoroughly between refills. To make this easier, I prefer the saucer design as opposed to the fountain design which looks and works great, but is much more difficult to clean. And I keep it under a corner overhang facing north and east so the most sun it gets is early in the morning. That way it's protected from the elements and out of direct sunlight during the heat of the day. It's also conveniently in front of a window so the birds can be admired.
One thing that I would like to emphasize regarding the sugar water nectar: please don't add any red dye or food coloring to the mixture! Any red color to the feeder itself should be plenty to attract the hummers. They are such tiny creatures with tiny systems that adding red dye to the nectar, which is unnecessary to attract them anyway, runs the risk of harming them. I've read this advice many times in hummingbird books, yet far too often see photographs of hummingbird feeders filled with red-tinted nectar. It's not worth the risk!
Friday, January 1, 2010
music and nostalgia
Being the age that I am now, I often find myself wondering about things from an older generation's point of view. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was in my twenties and really only able to see things from that perspective, and here I am looking at things from my forties.
Earlier today, I had the television playing in the background and the band Chicago was performing for a Brain Boitano skating special. And it made me think of songs of theirs such as Saturday In the Park and Colour My World which evoke feelings of nostalgia in me; another example I can think of is the song Maybe It's You by the Carpenters, which I discovered on YouTube last year. Hearing such songs brought me back in time, as so many of us are transported back when hearing songs from our pasts. And yet I wonder how such songs are taken by the younger generations should they hear them.
Or considering the Beatles who broke up more than 15 years before my nieces and nephews were even born. If I were to go back 15 years before my birth... let's see, what music was popular in 1948? By the time I was growing up, rock and roll was popular and I don't think that it's quite as big a stretch for the younger generations to listen to as it might have been for me had I gotten into what my parents were listening to when they were my age. Perhaps on the radio and before home phonographs.
I can recall my eldest nephew wearing Led Zeppelin and Cream t-shirts as a teenager. Yet I wonder what effect oldies music has now - or music in general. And not just the music itself but the role that modern technology plays in how people listen to music. The vinyl record is antiquated, and compact discs are even getting outdated with music being available online and directly uploaded to iPods and the like.
I hate to think that the music that meant so much to me growing up can't help but slowly be forgotten, but that's just a consequence of time going by.
Earlier today, I had the television playing in the background and the band Chicago was performing for a Brain Boitano skating special. And it made me think of songs of theirs such as Saturday In the Park and Colour My World which evoke feelings of nostalgia in me; another example I can think of is the song Maybe It's You by the Carpenters, which I discovered on YouTube last year. Hearing such songs brought me back in time, as so many of us are transported back when hearing songs from our pasts. And yet I wonder how such songs are taken by the younger generations should they hear them.
Or considering the Beatles who broke up more than 15 years before my nieces and nephews were even born. If I were to go back 15 years before my birth... let's see, what music was popular in 1948? By the time I was growing up, rock and roll was popular and I don't think that it's quite as big a stretch for the younger generations to listen to as it might have been for me had I gotten into what my parents were listening to when they were my age. Perhaps on the radio and before home phonographs.
I can recall my eldest nephew wearing Led Zeppelin and Cream t-shirts as a teenager. Yet I wonder what effect oldies music has now - or music in general. And not just the music itself but the role that modern technology plays in how people listen to music. The vinyl record is antiquated, and compact discs are even getting outdated with music being available online and directly uploaded to iPods and the like.
I hate to think that the music that meant so much to me growing up can't help but slowly be forgotten, but that's just a consequence of time going by.
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