You often hear me sing the beginning of this little ditty.
Thank you, Walt Kelly.
Deck us all with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla, Wash., an' Kalamazoo!
Nora's freezin' on the trolley,
Swaller dollar cauliflower alley-garoo!
Don't we know archaic barrel
Lullaby Lilla Boy, Louisville Lou?
Trolley Molly don't love Harold,
Boola boola Pensacoola hullabaloo!
Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Polly wolly cracker 'n' too-da-loo!
Donkey Bonny brays a carol,
Antelope Cantaloupe, 'lope with you!
Hunky Dory's pop is lolly gaggin' on the wagon,
Willy, folly go through!
Chollie's collie barks at Barrow,
Harum scarum five alarm bung-a-loo!
Dunk us all in bowls of barley,
Hinky dinky dink an' polly voo!
Chilly Filly's name is Chollie,
Chollie Filly's jolly chilly view halloo!
Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Double-bubble, toyland trouble! Woof, woof, woof!
Tizzy seas on melon collie!
Dibble-dabble, scribble-scrabble! Goof, goof, goof!
I miss you, POGO! - MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
VOLUNTEERING & THE TEN PRINCIPLES
I've spent the last couple of days volunteering again at the Neighborhood Center, the Camden non-profit that gives the homeless a daily lunch and provides child care and an after-school safe-place for teens. I basically do odd jobs to help out, and I also use my junk-business contacts to find stuff they need from time to time. It's a great deal more satisfying than I ever imagined it would be when I stumbled on the place while looking to occupy myself last Thanksgiving. They're almost embarrassingly appreciative. I suppose it's tough for them in this poor economy.
Some of you may know I've been exploring joining the community of individuals who every year go into the Nevada wastes and create Burning Man City. I believe my efforts for the Neighborhood Center mesh well with at least some of the 10 Principles of Burning Man:
Radical Inclusion
Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.
Gifting
Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.
Decommodification
In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.
Radical Self-reliance
Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources.
Radical Self-expression
Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respect the rights and liberties of the recipient.
Communal Effort
Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction.
Civic Responsibility
We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
Leaving No Trace
Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.
Participation
Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.
Immediacy
Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience.
I should say that I attended a meet-up of some of the NJ Burners Sunday, and was delighted to be very warmly received. I also learned that there are regional Burning Man events, and will probably attend one of those before committing to the big trip. But one of the first things to come out of my attendance is that I've finally joined Facebook, since that's where the Burners communicate.
Some of you may know I've been exploring joining the community of individuals who every year go into the Nevada wastes and create Burning Man City. I believe my efforts for the Neighborhood Center mesh well with at least some of the 10 Principles of Burning Man:
Radical Inclusion
Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.
Gifting
Burning Man is devoted to acts of gift giving. The value of a gift is unconditional. Gifting does not contemplate a return or an exchange for something of equal value.
Decommodification
In order to preserve the spirit of gifting, our community seeks to create social environments that are unmediated by commercial sponsorships, transactions, or advertising. We stand ready to protect our culture from such exploitation. We resist the substitution of consumption for participatory experience.
Radical Self-reliance
Burning Man encourages the individual to discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources.
Radical Self-expression
Radical self-expression arises from the unique gifts of the individual. No one other than the individual or a collaborating group can determine its content. It is offered as a gift to others. In this spirit, the giver should respect the rights and liberties of the recipient.
Communal Effort
Our community values creative cooperation and collaboration. We strive to produce, promote and protect social networks, public spaces, works of art, and methods of communication that support such interaction.
Civic Responsibility
We value civil society. Community members who organize events should assume responsibility for public welfare and endeavor to communicate civic responsibilities to participants. They must also assume responsibility for conducting events in accordance with local, state and federal laws.
Leaving No Trace
Our community respects the environment. We are committed to leaving no physical trace of our activities wherever we gather. We clean up after ourselves and endeavor, whenever possible, to leave such places in a better state than when we found them.
Participation
Our community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. We believe that transformative change, whether in the individual or in society, can occur only through the medium of deeply personal participation. We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.
Immediacy
Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience.
I should say that I attended a meet-up of some of the NJ Burners Sunday, and was delighted to be very warmly received. I also learned that there are regional Burning Man events, and will probably attend one of those before committing to the big trip. But one of the first things to come out of my attendance is that I've finally joined Facebook, since that's where the Burners communicate.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
VIRGINIA
I took a road trip this week into Virginia to pick up some items I bought for the Neighborhood Center, the Camden non-profit where I volunteer from time to time. Those of you who think I live in the country should have been with me to see where the real wilderness holds sway. You sometimes need to go quite a distance between signs of human habitation. But this is very pretty country.
I was worried about the weather, since a storm blew by on Sunday, but the roads were really clear. I took a train to DC and picked up a truck from there. On the trip west on I66 it was clear from the trees that there had been an extensive ice storm. The trees were really pretty, but even if I still had my little digital cameral there wasn't much of a picture since it was cloudy, even a little foggy. Further south on I81 there were even fewer signs of the storm. The only real road issues I had during the whole trip were in my home town of Willingboro, which hadn't been cleared properly as late as Tuesday night.
The last 40 or so miles were on I64, which is by far and away the loneliest interstate highway I've ever seen. For much of the trip (at around 6PM) I was the only vehicle on the road. In either direction. During the day, the next day, it was less crowded than the NJ Turnpike would have been at 3AM on a Sunday morning. Mind you, it's not like it's a primary artery. It goes to Beckly, WV. (I know, where?)
Some things I discovered (or rediscovered) about Virginia. The people are as pleasant as I remember them from my time in the Navy. Of course, people everywhere are pleasant to one degree or another (Manhattan being an exception, of course), but the soft southern accent makes Virginians seem nicer, I guess. One thing I wasn't prepared for is that people were smoking in the bar. Although there's an anti-smoking law that looks like New Jersey's on paper, the general southern cussedness means that they look for any loophole. So althoug the restaurant is smoke-free, they isolate the bar in a separate room and declare it exempt from the restriction. I can't remember the last time I was in a smoke-filled bar. But there actually was effective ventilation, so it wasn't so bad. Another thing is that the speed limit for large stretches of highway is 70mph (although a fully loaded truck sometimes can't take full advantage in those hills).
The other thing I experienced was pumping my own gas. Apparently NJ and one other state in the entire country are alone in mandating that an attendant pump your gas. : Everywhere else you do it yourself (or pay extra for attendant service).
I was worried about the weather, since a storm blew by on Sunday, but the roads were really clear. I took a train to DC and picked up a truck from there. On the trip west on I66 it was clear from the trees that there had been an extensive ice storm. The trees were really pretty, but even if I still had my little digital cameral there wasn't much of a picture since it was cloudy, even a little foggy. Further south on I81 there were even fewer signs of the storm. The only real road issues I had during the whole trip were in my home town of Willingboro, which hadn't been cleared properly as late as Tuesday night.
The last 40 or so miles were on I64, which is by far and away the loneliest interstate highway I've ever seen. For much of the trip (at around 6PM) I was the only vehicle on the road. In either direction. During the day, the next day, it was less crowded than the NJ Turnpike would have been at 3AM on a Sunday morning. Mind you, it's not like it's a primary artery. It goes to Beckly, WV. (I know, where?)
Some things I discovered (or rediscovered) about Virginia. The people are as pleasant as I remember them from my time in the Navy. Of course, people everywhere are pleasant to one degree or another (Manhattan being an exception, of course), but the soft southern accent makes Virginians seem nicer, I guess. One thing I wasn't prepared for is that people were smoking in the bar. Although there's an anti-smoking law that looks like New Jersey's on paper, the general southern cussedness means that they look for any loophole. So althoug the restaurant is smoke-free, they isolate the bar in a separate room and declare it exempt from the restriction. I can't remember the last time I was in a smoke-filled bar. But there actually was effective ventilation, so it wasn't so bad. Another thing is that the speed limit for large stretches of highway is 70mph (although a fully loaded truck sometimes can't take full advantage in those hills).
The other thing I experienced was pumping my own gas. Apparently NJ and one other state in the entire country are alone in mandating that an attendant pump your gas. : Everywhere else you do it yourself (or pay extra for attendant service).
Thursday, December 5, 2013
NIKKI & TEMPERANCE
I've written before about the enjoyment I've gotten from the Nikki Heat novels, written by the writers of the Castle TV show. I can't get over my bemusement at the layers they've generated. This picture is a good example.
This is Laura Prepon, as the actress Natalie Rhodes, in character as Detective Nikki Heat (L), a character in a set of real books written by a fictional writer, Richard Castle, based on the life of Detective Kate Beckett (R) played by Stana Katic. Natalie is preparing for her role as Nikki in a new (fictional) movie and is shadowing Det. Beckett. The complexity is just fascinating.
I've downloaded and read two of the Nikki Heat novels, and will probably get the whole series eventually. I've now discovered another set of books that I might need to get into.
I've noticed before that the TV show Bones has a starting credit that says the show is based on the life of Kathy Reich. Now here are the wrinkles. Kathy Reich is a real, and very well-respected forensic anthropologist who has written (among other things) fifteen novels about a fictional version of herself named Temperance Brennan. Although an executive producer and occasional writer for the TV show, she has maintained that the show's plot is not based on her books. She views TV's Temperance as a sort of prequel to her book series. Just to complete the circle, the TV Brennan has written several best-selling novels about a fictional forensic anthropologist named (wait for it) Kathy Reich.
So anyway, now that I've finally finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson, I think I'll get started on the Reich books, beginning with Deja Dead.
By the way, NBC hasn't pick up on these tie-in possibilities. Timothy McGee's novels based on his NCIS teammates, Deep Six and Deep Six: Rock Hollow, have not been published.
This is Laura Prepon, as the actress Natalie Rhodes, in character as Detective Nikki Heat (L), a character in a set of real books written by a fictional writer, Richard Castle, based on the life of Detective Kate Beckett (R) played by Stana Katic. Natalie is preparing for her role as Nikki in a new (fictional) movie and is shadowing Det. Beckett. The complexity is just fascinating.
I've downloaded and read two of the Nikki Heat novels, and will probably get the whole series eventually. I've now discovered another set of books that I might need to get into.
I've noticed before that the TV show Bones has a starting credit that says the show is based on the life of Kathy Reich. Now here are the wrinkles. Kathy Reich is a real, and very well-respected forensic anthropologist who has written (among other things) fifteen novels about a fictional version of herself named Temperance Brennan. Although an executive producer and occasional writer for the TV show, she has maintained that the show's plot is not based on her books. She views TV's Temperance as a sort of prequel to her book series. Just to complete the circle, the TV Brennan has written several best-selling novels about a fictional forensic anthropologist named (wait for it) Kathy Reich.
So anyway, now that I've finally finished The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson, I think I'll get started on the Reich books, beginning with Deja Dead.
By the way, NBC hasn't pick up on these tie-in possibilities. Timothy McGee's novels based on his NCIS teammates, Deep Six and Deep Six: Rock Hollow, have not been published.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
SO THIS IS THE LIVING ROOM
I'm writing this from a place in the house that has seen very little use over the years - one of the recliner sections on the big white couch. This imposing monster has been a hulking presence in our living room for over thirty years. In fact, it's one of the reasons we had to move from the ranch on Expert Lane; there was too much furniture for that small space (plus Cynthia wanted an upstairs bedroom).
In any event, since we had few visitors, it has sat in glorious isolation as the centerpiece of her formal living room - more of an exhibition piece than furniture, really. By the way, although I'm relaxing in it today (after a strenuous visit to NY over Friday and Saturday), there are no snacks or sodas. I might be rebellious, but I'm not stupid. If I had to clean one section, I'd have to do them all.
I'm hoping to not have the opportunity to express myself this way much longer; I've listed it on Craigslist.
By the way, for those of you that didn't catch the reference, the title paraphrases a commercial from some years ago where the tag line is 'so this is the dining room', another little-used room in many American houses. Oddly enough, when I googled for the reference, all the items returned pointed to commercials for a play called 'The Dining Room'. If anyone remembers what was actually being advertised in the original commercial, please share.
In any event, since we had few visitors, it has sat in glorious isolation as the centerpiece of her formal living room - more of an exhibition piece than furniture, really. By the way, although I'm relaxing in it today (after a strenuous visit to NY over Friday and Saturday), there are no snacks or sodas. I might be rebellious, but I'm not stupid. If I had to clean one section, I'd have to do them all.
I'm hoping to not have the opportunity to express myself this way much longer; I've listed it on Craigslist.
By the way, for those of you that didn't catch the reference, the title paraphrases a commercial from some years ago where the tag line is 'so this is the dining room', another little-used room in many American houses. Oddly enough, when I googled for the reference, all the items returned pointed to commercials for a play called 'The Dining Room'. If anyone remembers what was actually being advertised in the original commercial, please share.
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