Friday, December 7, 2012

JUST ANOTHER SUNNY DAY


This is one of the reasons I like living in Arizona.  I snapped this photo early this morning as I was running out to buy a paper.  It's December 7th, there is no snow and the sun is shining.

Of course there are others who don't agree with me.  An article the other day said the states has been in drought for 15 years now.  But this little town keeps growing (housing starts are up) and new businesses are opening and the constant question remains "How do people make a living here?"

Sort of hidden, there are several large employers here and I expect a lot of people work in them.  Their salaries apparently keep the service industry going as more and more restaurants (mostly fast food types) keep opening.

But back to the weather.  It's just past 11 a.m. now and the temperature is 46.  The high today is forecast at 64.  There's no snow.

And it's December 7th.

I hope you're happy wherever you are.

Oops, I've been letting you down recently without my Gratuitous Critter photos.  Let's see what we've got for today.

Ah, how about this one.


"Good to the last drop!"

Thursday, December 6, 2012

HOW HIGH IS IT?????

SWMBO bought a new bed yesterday.  The guys came and delivered it and set it up today.  When they left and she looked at it, she said "It's so high!"


Yes, it is.  With the rolling frame on the bottom, then the box spring, then the mattress . . . this sucker must sit nearly three feet off the floor.  I told her she'd need a stepladder to climb up into it.  But she said, other than the oxygen deprivation, it is comfortable.

Meantime, Blackwell was just trying to see if he'd fit under the behemoth.


Sweet dreams up there!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

DAVE BRUBECK R.I.P.

It's a sad day for jazz fans.  News came that the legendary pianist Dave Brubeck has died at the age of 91.  He was the leader of the Dave Brubeck Quartet for many years and that was how I first saw him.

I was a college student in North Dakota in the 1950's and learned that the Quartet was performing at a Minnesota college a little more than a hundred miles away.  I had to go see him.

I can still remember at one point during the concert, his saxaphone player Paul Desmond put down his horn and left the stage.  Then the bassist, Eugene Wright, left.  Then Brubeck stopped playing, turned around and leaned back against the piano as the drummer, Joe Morello, played a very lengthy solo.  Finally Brubeck turned around and began adding chords and the other two players returned and finished out the number.  Sure, it was a little bit schmaltzy but it was effective.  The crowd loved it.

Now the rest of the story, as someone used to say on the radio.

I was the co-editor of my college newspaper.  I managed to get backstage to meet the legend by telling one of the guards that I was "the editor of the newspaper" and wanted to interview Brubeck.  I was amazed when he showed me to the area where the Quartet was preparing for the concert.  And Brubeck graciously gave me an interview.



Once that was done he and Paul Desmond posed for a photo with me (in my very collegiate sweater vest) and my co-conspirator, Phil Perry.


Needless to say, we were thrilled to meet our idols and, yes, I did do an article based on the interview.

I attended at least two more Brubeck concerts over the years and always loved his music.  But that first time was a real treat.  Brubeck was a musical genius, I believe, and I'll miss him.  From a performance a few years after I originally saw the group, here's one of their most famous pieces from that era - "Take Five".



Monday, December 3, 2012

CHANGES . . . IN OUR TIME

Remember the old Yellow Cabs?  Or the black British cabs?  All it took was a glance to know that was a taxi.  But nowadays?  Apparently they can be any color under the rainbow.


And while I'm at it, Taco Bell doesn't look the same anymore either!

(grump, grump, grump)

Sunday, December 2, 2012

SHEEEE . . . . IT!

Well, that didn't work so we're going to have to go back to the old system, folks.  I'm really sorry but there's just no other way that I know.

Some advice.  Take it slowly and just look at one letter at a time.  If that doesn't work, just put in anything and the tool will give you another word.  Sometimes the second or third one is easier than the first.

I apologize.  God knows I'm sorry but I just have to do this.

Stay with me.  Please.  I need you.

====

NO, WAIT!  I may have another solution.  This one requires me to approve comments.  I'll try that.  Hang in there.

SPAM FILTER WARNING

Once again, I have been having trouble with spam to my account.  It's grown to dozens of comments a day.  I don't want to put the mystery word system back on the blog so I've attempted to put a filter in to catch and delete them.

It is designed to stop comments and email from an account named "Anonymous".  But I notice that some other commenters use that term.  So, please change your ID so your comments don't get blocked also.

Thanks and sorry for the hassle.

AGREED!

Steve Benson, the editorial cartoonist for the Arizona Republic, took a shot at the governor this morning.


I must agree.