Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Frustration with a side of Slim Pickens

  Its looking like all Americans are going to have to prepare themselves for slim pickens come November. Whether you are a righty or a lefty, neither side has put forth their best. So in November, both democrats and republicans are going to have to face going into the voting booth,  holding their nose, and pulling a lever. The phrase slim pickens came to me when I was thinking about one of my favorite cowboy actors, Slim Pickens. Slim Pickens, what a great name for a cowboy!
  But as for the frustration side of the coin, I used to spend a lot of time being frustrated, but hopefully, no more. You see, it has been building in me for years now. But after about eight frustrating years of trying to get a self published book out, I'm finally giving up the ghost. I fought the good fight, but I lost. All I really wanted was to see my book, any of them, on the shelves at book stores. Seemed like a reasonable desire, afterall, I am a writer. But for a number of reasons, all of them frustrating in their own right, I have to let go of the things I have no control over. The problem for me, and I think this true for most men, I get mad at the things I cannot change. I have dealt with rage for most of my life, and so I've come to a place where the things that hurt me or cause me to be frustrated aren't worth having around, and so I cut those things out of my life like a cancer.
  So anyway, I'm still stewing over the book thing, but I'm working on calming down. Enter the drive from hell! My wife and I are driving into the city. We have tickets to be in the studio audience for the Greg Gutfeld show. It started out as such a nice peaceful drive. Key word, Drive. Though we had talked about taking the train in, I convinced her that it would be better if we drove? Bad decision. They used to say that New Jersey had the most cars per square mile than any other state. It must be true, because every single one of them was out on Saturday. Had I bothered to check the traffic reports, I would have known that the best way into the city was the Holland tunnel. So here we sat. Out there on the highway, that now was a parking lot. Frustrated? An understatement. But here's the good news, I didn't loose my temper!

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

The Blues

  It came crawling out of the back woods and bayous of the South. Like a crawling King snake on the prowl. All art begins crudely, and speaking from a purely musical perspective, so it is with the Blues. But it is those crude beginnings that are at the base of the music. It was born of hard times and disappointments, and fueled by the beat of jungles from far away places. But as with any art, it must evolve to stay relevant, and the red hot players of today, have carried the flame proudly. The blues should never be confused with pop music, though the cross overs are ominous and many. Blues stands alone as one of the three foundations of American music. A trio that is as American as apple pie. The blues, jazz, and country, in that order for me, which is not to diminish the importance of any. Each is important, each can stand alone, but together, their blending is a music uniquely our own, American music. Our music and it's world wide appeal is yet another reason why we are the greatest country in the world. If we weren't, perhaps we'd all be listening to Russian dance music?   

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Just Wondering?

  I figure after my last distasteful post, that possibly something completely different was in order? Anyway, this. This is a shoot from the hip post, meaning that I'm just typing. So I came upon this egg corn just outside my front door. The majority of trees in my area are oaks, but this was not from an oak?  It looks like a peanut shell, similar to walnuts, but elongated rather then bulbous in shape. Also, this egg corn/nut, is loose within the shell, it rattles when you shake it. This is turning out to be only a question, with no real point, other than to just settle my curiosity.
  What is the study of trees called, Ontology, or is it some other kind of ology? Anyway, to be more specific, does anyone know the name of the science, and the name of the type of tree? Please comment, and save me all this angst. Trees are one of the most interesting forms of life on the planet. It is said that they are the reason for the air we all breath. But beyond that important matter, their life and existence and the importance of that life,  is made clear throughout the Bible. It is talked about in Genesis and Revelation, the beginning of the bible and its end.  Trees are often described in literature, usually as scenes of beauty or as a place of comfort, like the shade of the tree on a hot summer's day. But also, trees are often used as a metaphor to denote strength and wisdom.
  But I'm not looking to delve into the metaphorical importance of trees right now. All I'm wanting is a simple answer to my question, and any and all help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.