Random thoughts and a few memories about his times

Prince inspired the odd fashion choice of many women wearing doilies around their wrists, ankles and necks.
Puzzling. Good for industry sales. Ruffles, berets, doily companies today all know sorrow.

Prince was another who made it okay for men to wear heels. Not so much with Michael Dukakis.

Our friend Gigi told us the day after the Prince show (late '80's) that she  kicked the chairs of the people in front of her because they weren't dancing.  To be a Prince fan did not involve your most laid back moments. It was something she had to do, no matter how crazy it seemed to us.

At the time, Maria was my Sign O' the Times.  She knew all the words.  Who was Cat?

Not his best album, but 1999 was the Prince record I played the most (we played it at Double Rainbow) and then Sign O'the Times, Lovesexy (not only because I wanted to be on my Maria's good side). Purple Rain played endlessly.  Prior to that my friend Suzette played Controversy and Dirty Mind, which was too dirty for my mind, at the time.

A thought occurs that he never wanted to be the old guy shuffling along to "Hey, that guy used to be Prince". And so he is ever vital, vibrant, an enigma.

He was always in the world at large and media, apart from the rest of us, unique, not quite like anyone else.
The commotion caused by his appearance at a recent Warriors basketball game was noteworthy, as was his shout out of Stephen Curry at one of his concerts. "Everyone will let you down. Except Steph Curry".

Imagining him hanging around with Miles Davis is kind of fun to think about, especially if they wanted to go to the local store together and purchased a Snapple.

He was one for all the short guys.

Mixed ethnicity, affection for multiple genres of music, kind of an odd person.   That's America.

With Michael Jackson and Prince gone, who are the Jehovah Witness folks going to latch on to now?
(Jackson left the JW in disagreement with their philosophies but) imagine those two brothers stopping at your door. Wouldn't you consider joining or at least pretending to, while you got your feet to somehow communicate to your family to sneak a photo; "well, I don't know....do you have a card that I call you?"

He inspired the imagination to where some people having gone into the Paisley Park facility, think they knew him, let alone even met him.  Locas Tambien!!

No known contact of Prince with Merle Haggard or Bowie but producing a Mavis Staples record,
checking out the Replacements in Minneapolis, and who knows what stories with his interactions with the Bangles all fascinate.

and just to prove that he could play well with others, is this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y

and for a 20 minute live blast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHiNSYThDO0

Oliver is 12

                                Fun times. Especially for Big O. That's where it counts.

Transporter

     we've purchased Honey a few toys, all of which she has ignored. Her favorite toy is a pistachio she found

photo inclusion for Killy's crazy hair

73-9

File this under For Your Memories but right now there's so much press and discussion about these events that every word I offer is pointless redundancy.

Your Golden State Warriors finished the regular season at an incredible 73-9 (in baseball that would equal 146-18!), the year after winning the NBA championship; despite everyone being ready to play the Warriors. Here's hoping the team oriented and fan friendly Warriors continue to have a successful playoff run.

Also of note Stephen Curry made 402 3-point shots this year. He's the only player in NBA history (the 3 point play has only become a big part of the game in the last 20 years) to have made 400 in a season - no other player has yet made 300 - 3 point shots (the 2nd and 3rd place highest totals are Curry and teammate Klay Thompson both at about 282).

Additionally averaging 30 points a game, 50% shooting and 40% at 3-point range, with the ability to create his own shot (finding ways to get open, adjusting, movement).

And with baseball on full start now, we're hopeful for the Giants,with a solid pitching staff and an excellent lineup. Let's go get 'em!!

Volunteers Of America

   I always have been fond of the Jefferson Airplane, and would get a kick at seeing Paul Kantner holding court at Cafe Trieste when I used to go there.  Fare you well, sir.  The Airplane song Volunteers is more about uniting for a revolution as protest during our involvement with Vietnam in '69.  The B-side, We Can Be Together is a good song too. But Volunteers speaks to me today about the revolution of being selfless
for others.

   A big piece of this is having time to do this, and maybe finding dedication to get yourself to just do it.
I thought about working with a company in Oakland called the Bread Project, impressed with their enthusiasm when the SF Google office chose them as one of the community organizations they wanted to support, but didn't see where I could be of assistance.  Their baking skills being much better than mine!  Down the road I might work with the Marine Mammal Center, even cleaning the seal pens - a nice drive to get there, especially before winter returns.  Exploring volunteering at the local animal shelter (with cats) led us to instead adopt Honey Mumbles, which is a volunteer job gig in itself (see today's visit to the vet, where they were reluctant to confront her nervousness. We took comfort in that Honey went to Oliver and me to help her. They decided that we should return in two weeks hoping then she is more willing to have her temperature taken and of undergoing an exam).

    I've already been volunteering at two places, the Alameda County Food Bank (which I confused with the more local Alameda Food Bank) and with Friendly Visitors, affiliated with Meals on Wheels.  In one I'm helping tackle the enormous amounts of donated fruits and vegetables, sorting and bagging for distribution. I'm not sure how anyone can claim that people from other countries are taking away jobs like this from Americans because even volunteering for a 3 hour day is completely enough for me.  It's kind of fun on one level just to see how much food there is, how much will be donated, and how different sets of people come together to help.

There's about 15-20 of these giant crates, of which as many oranges that can be sorted into red net bags and placed into the boxes next to the crates.  Today was oranges and apples. Not looking forward to mushy plums.

     My visits at the rehabilitation center are with two seniors.  This place is mostly depressing to me (it's so noisy; moaning, yelling, many of the residents seem lifeless, and the rooms are small) My two guys are with their challenges (vision, girth) but full of spirit, and humor.  I am enjoying getting to know them- one is easier to sit with but mostly watches television (Andy Griffith in particular) but did ask me to bring back a blonde from Canada (I failed) and the other often asks me questions about travelling or if we decided on getting the dog from the shelter.  I've learned a little about their lives, and hobbies.  One, used to play the tuba, crochets and enjoys watching endless hours of Tom Selleck's new show.  TV is big here. The other is fascinated with technology from his ham radio days and working with the first cell phones.  Today I introduced mango to one of the guys and he liked it.  

     I once asked one of the gents where his roommate was and he told me that "he died, last night." He spoke of how it happened and how the roommate was a good to know, except the dying part. I guess you just get used to the possibility, just as you would the noise and the bright lights.

     I hope to do more. I should do more. I've always admired our friends that find time in their very full schedules of work and family to do what they've done, for years.  I thank them for their inspiration.
                                                       
                                                                    ***
Here's to Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks as well. He died in March at the age of 74.  Sort of Western Swing mixed with kooky and I don't know what else.

   

Twelve

Happy Birthday Big O.  May this be a very fine year and more importantly, may you be nicer to your dear ol' Dad.

Honey Home

     A fine, fancy dog. Okay not so fine, not so fancy. More cute in an ugly sort of way (hey, it's how Oliver describes me too). Ollie and I went in to the Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter to look into volunteering about two months ago, in the cat space.  As we attempted to locate the cat room, which is in a room surrounded by all the dogs we saw one little pathetic dog who just sat up and looked at us. She didn't bark, wasn't manic or needing our attention.  We thought if somehow she was still here after we had the season and travels behind us, we'd consider taking her on.

 
    Let alone having a home, I've never considered the possibility of having a dog. In SF, unless you have a tiny turd of an animal, a dog in an apartment is not really a kind choice (for anyone).  Now that our season of travelling has quieted, and we are settled into our home, this has become a possibility. Maria has grown up with dogs and cats and while there was once a dog in my first year of existence, mostly I have known fish and reptiles but in my time with Maria been introduced to the wonderful world of independent cats.

Honey and Thunder

        A deal breaker would be that any dog would need to be able to get along with our cats, and that it would be a shelter/rescue dog and not large.  The largeness has nothing to do with any issues about the size of teeth and poop, no matter what everyone will tell you about me. I have gotten over the tendency after a dog we are watching, poops, myself standing about as a dumbsel in distress hoping that some heroic person will come in and save the day.  A consideration: anyone wishing to do public service, committing acts of kindness might think about walking around and offering to pick up random animal poop immediately after it has occurred.  Please start at my house. I'll be looking for you and will sincerely be thankful but I might not shake your hand, okay?

     Honey, as she has been named at the (no kill) shelter is about five years old, was abandoned and has been at there since November.  Everyone at FAAS seems very fond of her and surprised that she is still in residence, although certainly not the most glamorous of choices.  She is fine with cats, but perhaps not with other dogs or aggressive children, and weird -protective? around her food.

     With a temporary trade of a drivers license, they allowed us to walk her twice (the first time just Oliver and I) and on Sunday 4/3, Maria, O and I went along.  She was sufficiently goofy and playful around Maria, and for a little one, can sprint fast and sustain her speeding.

meeting Dexter

cats react, "Are you kidding!?"

     So far so good.  A little problem trying to put back her harness- we think relieved of it finally that she didn't want it back on so we got a collar of which she's been fine with.  Mostly she goes outside although this morning she did pee inside, but in the middle of the night I think she tried to wake us up.  She can get manic as she finally took an interest in a chew toy, and in the progress of shredding it went crazed in giving it up. She likes sitting in the sun, walks and affection.  Only seems to really eat once in the late afternoon although might eat bags of dog treats if given the opportunity.

Singing together

 

she's a funny looking one!

she suckles after walks, any nervous moments. we think she may have been weaned at a very young age

The shelter provides an excellent dog trainer who stopped by yesterday 4/17, named Barbara Gallardo,"Ask Flora" and she's provided a lot of helpful tips. Their grant provides for six? more visits if we want. We want!

1/17 update: Honey is settled as a member of our household; yet another oddball. Her buddy is Oliver. For the most part she is sweet and often playful. Sometimes she acts like an old pathetic creature and other times when it is warmer, she plays with her food (tapping it around before eating), runs and hops. She howls for her tribe, begs for our human food, sleeps under sheets and blankets, and is pretty good about waiting to pee outside.  Her priorities seem to be 1. survival  2. food  3. love.  Still has a wild side that we keep an eye on but is more accepting of noise and our play around her.  Does not talk to herself as often (she has us) and has the continual odd habit of humping her bed when nervous.  She was friendly with Lightning and does not seem to mind Thunder.  People from the shelter remember her fondly and a few will do their facial impression of her under bite.

Yosemite

snow, first little rocks, then fluffy flakes

photo by Oliver Cheer

without makeup

the scale of the mountains

Thankful!